Day 1 of a fresh season usually teems with optimism, especially through the rose-colored view from the front office. In the Chicago Blackhawks’ case, the preseason might have served as a red alert. They lost five of their six exhibition games,

As bad as the Blackhawks were in 2022-23, that season mattered because it was all about failing enough to have a shot at drafting Connor Bedard. Mission accomplished. Last season was largely about Bedard’s development in his first year,