The Chicago Blackhawks’ 2025-26 season came to an end on Friday with their 5-2 win over the San Jose Sharks. The Blackhawks finished the campaign with a 29-39-14 record and at the bottom of the Central Division standings. With this, they did not qualify for the playoffs, and their offseason is now here.
This will be an interesting offseason for the Blackhawks as they continue their rebuild. They have some decisions to make when it comes to their roster, and there is a chance that two of their veteran players won’t be back in 2026-27. Let’s discuss each of them now.
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The Blackhawks reunited with Sam Lafferty this past offseason when they acquired him from the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for a 2026 sixth-round pick. However, the 31-year-old was barely used by the Blackhawks this campaign, as he played in just 29 games and was scratched far more often than not.
In his 29 appearances with Chicago this season, Lafferty had one goal, one assist, and 35 hits. Given how little the Blackhawks used him this season, it would not be surprising if they decided to let Lafferty leave through free agency this summer.
Grzelcyk is another pending UFA who the Blackhawks could decide to move on from this summer. The Blackhawks have plenty of promising young defensemen in their system, and there simply may not be a fit for Grzelcyk on the Blackhawks’ roster next season because of it.
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Grzelcyk was a decent pickup for the Blackhawks this season. In 69 games this season, the 32-year-old had zero goals and 12 assists. However, given the Blackhawks’ defensive depth, the Massachusetts native might not be back next season.
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