The Chicago Blackhawks are entering the 2025-26 season with plenty of exciting young players to watch. Among them is defenseman Wyatt Kaiser, as the 23-year-old blueliner undoubtedly has the potential to hit a new level for the Central Division club. 

It was a long off-season of contract negotiations for Kaiser, as he did not sign his new two-year, $3.4 million ($1.7 million AAV) contract until earlier this week. Yet, now that he has landed his contract, the left-shot defenseman is ready to shine. 

In what was a tough 2024-25 season for the Blackhawks, Kaiser was one of their bright spots. In 57 games on the year, the Andover, Minnesota native recorded four goals, eight points, 93 blocks, and an even plus/minus rating. He also showed signs of clear improvement as the campaign rolled on, and he will be looking to build off that in 2025-26. 

When looking at the Blackhawks' roster, Kaiser has the potential to cement himself as a key part of their blueline. He is also still only 98 games into his NHL career, so there is no question that he still has the potential to improve further. 

It will now be interesting to see what kind of season Kaiser has from here, but it is hard not to feel optimistic about his future in Chicago.