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3 Blackhawks veterans that are helping the most right now

By Vincent Parise

MONTREAL, CANADA - OCTOBER 14: Andreas Athanasiou #89 and teammate Corey Perry #94 of the Chicago Blackhawks talk during the third period against the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre on October 14, 2023 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Montreal Canadiens defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 3-2. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
MONTREAL, CANADA - OCTOBER 14: Andreas Athanasiou #89 and teammate Corey Perry #94 of the Chicago Blackhawks talk during the third period against the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre on October 14, 2023 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Montreal Canadiens defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 3-2. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images) /
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The Chicago Blackhawks don’t have much expected of them this season. All that they care about is the development of Connor Bedard as the number one overall pick in the 2023 NHL draft.

So far, he has looked really good and like he belongs every single shift. In fact, he is already the team’s bass player and it really isn’t even close.

Right when the Blackhawks realized they were getting Bedard, the mindset started to change just a little bit.

They wanted to bring in some savvy veterans who are going to be able to help him grow as a player in the NHL. It is not easy to step in as a teenager. The Blackhawks clearly cared about that and did everything they could to make it easy on him.

So far through a handful of games, a few of their vets have stood up. They have gone above and beyond to make it easy on the young players on the team including Bedard. The fact that they have contributed both on and off the ice is very meaningful.

In order for this thing to work it is going to take a long time which makes it even more respectable for those veterans who know they’re not necessarily part of the long-term plan. These are the three veterans that have stood out the most in terms of leadership on this young team:

1. Corey Perry

The Chicago Blackhawks made a very fun move by adding Corey Perry.

Seeing Corey Perry in a Blackhawks is still a little bit funny. He had so many battles against them in incredibly meaningful games while he was a member of the Anaheim Ducks. There is no doubt that this is still a very good player that can make an impact in the league.

Perry has now made a deep run in the playoffs with a few different teams so winning and knowing what it takes is second nature to him at this point. Bringing Perry in was a brilliant idea as this young team needed a player just like him.

Whether or not he remains with the team beyond the deadline is a mystery. There are pros and cons to both arguments but he is there right now doing a very good job.

Perry, a former Hart Trophy winner, plays in the bottom six now and he sets a great example for the younger guys both on and off the ice. He plays the game hard in all three zones, gets under the skin of his opponents, and still has his scoring touch. He is going to continue making an impact and be fun to watch.

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