When the Chicago Blackhawks publicly admitted to a rebuild this past offseason, there was plenty of speculation about whether Chicago's veteran core would want to see it through.
Perhaps we weren't asking the right questions. One month into the 2021 season, the Blackhawks are far more competitive than expected; at 7-5-4, Chicago is in lockstep with the Columbus Blue Jackets for the fourth Central Division playoff spot. And while the youth movement has been a driving force, we should have been asking: Is the veteran core going to expedite this rebuild?