Dietz: Grading the Hawks heading into the Olympic break
It’s been a roller-coaster season for the Blackhawks, who entered a three-week Olympic break at 22-26-9 and 10 points out of a wild-card spot.
The Hawks’ fabulous start disintegrated for a few reasons, not the least of which were injuries to Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar. Overall, I’d give them a B- to this point. The Hawks’ resiliency has been impressive and it will be interesting to see how they close out the season. Now, let’s take a look at individual grades of key contributors:
Forwards
Connor Bedard: A
We can quibble over a recent dry spell, but Bedard’s overall game has been excellent. He put a disappointing 2024-25 campaign in the rear-view mirror and has become one of the league’s most dynamic players. Bedard, who has missed 13 games, has 23 goals and 53 points to rank 33rd and 39th, respectively, in the NHL.
Tyler Bertuzzi: A
The hard-nosed veteran is on pace for a career-high 38 goals. He does everything right on the ice and behind the scenes. The Hawks are lucky to have him signed through the 2027-28 campaign.
Ilya Mikheyev: A-
The Russian isn’t exactly an offensive force (11G, 12A), but his Jedi-like anticipation and deft-stick work make him one sensational penalty killer. Mikheyev is a huge reason why the Hawks’ PK ranks No. 1 at 85.7%.
Nick Foligno: B
The captain is inspiring a new generation by how he attacks every shift. Nobody plays harder or smarter. Years from now, assuming the Hawks become a powerhouse, Connor Bedard and Co. will point back to his presence as a big reason why it all came together.
Frank Nazar: B-
I’m definitely grading on a curve here. It’s tough to expect too much from a 22-year-old rookie, and while he does have 7 goals and 17 assists, Nazar also has just 4 points in the last 16 games. Much more will be expected next year when Nazar’s six-year, $46.2 million extension kicks in.
Ryan Greene: B-
Greene has 7 goals, but just wait until he learns how to finish at this level. I see many 20-goal campaigns in his future.
Teuvo Teravainen: C+
Maybe it’s just me, but I expected more out of Teravainen in his second go-round with the Hawks. He posts decent numbers (15 goals, 43 assists last season; 10 goals, 13 assists this season), but he’s also a non-factor a bit too often. Guys like Teravainen need to pick up their games so the Hawks can make more noise in years to come.
Ryan Donato: C+
It hasn’t been a terrible season for Donato, but he’s had a 10-game pointless streak and a recent 14-game stretch with just 1 goal and 2 assists.
Oliver Moore: C+
I want to give Moore a B-, but a current 13-game goal drought brings his mark down. It will be exciting for the Hawks if the jet-engine-powered Minnesotan ascends to become a perennial top-six forward.
Andre Burakovsky and Jason Dickinson: C+
Burakovsky had a nice start, but he has just 1 assist in the last 13 games while posting a minus-13 rating. Dickinson is having a typical season — which means playing good defense while scoring the occasional goal.
Defensemen
Louis Crevier: A
A seventh-round pick who has ascended to the top pairing after starting the season as a healthy scratch? Just unbelievably impressive. Crevier is averaging 18-plus minutes the last 30 games and is the Hawks’ most consistent D-man.
Wyatt Kaiser: A-
Among D-men, Kaiser leads the Hawks with 5 goals. He also can play any role and has been paired with Artyom Levshunov for exactly that reason.
Alex Vlasic: B
Vlasic uses his 6-foot-6 frame to disrupt plays on a consistent basis and is one of the anchors of the Hawks’ top-ranked penalty kill. He’s still not quite at the elite level, however, and it will be interesting to see what his ceiling becomes in coming years.
Artyom Levshunov: C+
Maybe I’m in the minority, but I wanted Levshunov to start this season in the AHL. Having said that, I’m extremely impressed with how the coaching staff has handled the 20-year-old from Belarus. In a year or two this kid has a chance to be a star.
Connor Murphy: C+
Murphy’s ice time (16:30) is nearly a career low, but he’s having a decent season. The Hawks have to hope that fact leads to a trade with a contender in the coming weeks.
Matt Grzelcyk: C-
The veteran was brought in for some offensive punch, but he has yet to score and has 3 power-play assists despite quarterbacking the second unit.
Goalies
Spencer Knight: A-
The overall numbers (.908 save percentage, 2.62 goals-against average) look middling, but Knight has been sensational at stopping high-danger chances, ranking second at .884. He’ll be the backbone of the Hawks quite a while.
Arvid Soderblom: D+
Don’t give up on Soderblom just yet. We’ll get into why in the coming weeks.