Kalen Lumpkins: It’s not playoffs or bust for Blackhawks next season — but they need to provide hope

CHICAGO — The date was June 15, 2015, when the Chicago Blackhawks put an exclamation point on their modern dynasty. Hall of Famer Duncan Keith broke a scoreless tie when the rebound of his own shot got behind Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Ben Bishop late in the second period at the United Center. Patrick Kane’s slap shot in the third dashed any hopes for the Lightning as the Hawks hoisted the Stanley Cup for the third time in six seasons.

The Hawks haven’t made any notable postseason noise since that fabled summer day. A fall was bound to happen, as Kane — now with the Detroit Red Wings — put it back in November. That fall ended up being harder than the franchise would’ve liked.

More than a decade later, the Hawks find themselves still in recovery mode. General manager Kyle Davidson, upon being handed the keys full time in March 2022, made the decision to leave the past behind and rebuild. Now headed toward his fifth full season in charge and first with a new contract extension, how far along are the Hawks?

Past the starting point, but they need to show more than that in the 2026-27 season. This past season was a step forward — an 11-point increase from 2024-25. It deserves to be noted, and Davidson did just that during exit interviews.