The Chicago Blackhawks are coming into 2025-26 with a lot of youth at the top of their roster. They will be very exciting to watch, but veteran leadership is needed on every NHL team.
GM Kyle Davidson already has a few veterans on the team, such as Connor Murphy, Nick Foligno, Teuvo Teravainen, and Tyler Bertuzzi. However, he may look for one with other attributes, including more offense.
During this off-season, a handful of very good veterans who are considered NHL elders are going to be available. Players like this, despite their age, should be at the top of Chicago’s list of people to go after.
Young teams need guys like this to help them take a step as an organization:
1. Brad Marchand
Brad Marchand is 37 years old. You would not think that based on how he is playing in the Stanley Cup Playoffs with the Florida Panthers. He has been their best player in the Stanley Cup Final and is on the verge of winning it for the second time in his career.
Marchand was shockingly traded to a division rival by the Boston Bruins right at the buzzer of the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline. He was injured at the time of the trade but he made it back in time to impact the Panthers in a big way.
It’s not like the defending Stanley Cup champions needed any help, but they were smart enough to go add more anyway. Marchand’s regular season ended with 23 goals and 28 assists for 51 points. Most of that was on a struggling Bruins team or following an injury with Florida.
In the playoffs so far, Marchand has 10 goals and 10 assists for 20 points. He is in the mix for the Conn Smythe Trophy at this point.
A guy coming off a run like that would be great for the young Chicago Blackhawks. He has a lot more hockey left in the tank. His attitude, hard-working motor, and talent would be great to have around guys like Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar.
2. John Tavares
John Tavares doesn’t have the playoff resume that Brad Marchand has, but he is one of the few players who hasn’t been a complete disappointment for the Toronto Maple Leafs when the lights are brightest. If Toronto doesn’t retain the hometown guy in free agency, the Blackhawks should be all over him.
In the regular season, Tavares had 38 goals and 36 assists for 74 points in 75 games played. That is outstanding for a guy who will be 35 when the 2025-26 season begins.
Tavares can still drive a line and score goals at a high rate. With some of the gifted playmakers on Chicago’s roster, Tavares should be able to put up similar numbers. In a leadership role, Tavares could thrive as long as his offense doesn’t drop off.
3. Claude Giroux
Claude Girouz is 37 and will turn 38 in January. He doesn’t seem to have the same level of offense left in the tank as Marchand or Tavares, but he can still make plays on a good line.
During the 2024-25 season, in a much more depth role, he scored 15 goals and had 35 assists for 50 points in 81 games played. He is a candidate to see a spark in production if he played more minutes, which he would get in Chicago.
Giroux has been an elite offensive talent throughout his career, and he knows what it takes to be a superstar in the NHL. If he were placed on a line or power play with some of the youth that Chicago has, you may see remnants of the old Giroux. It is a move worth considering if you are Kyle Davidson, looking for a savvy veteran.
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