Meet the New Blackhawks: Andre Burakovsky

The Blackhawks added more salary, term and age to their roster with Burakovsky instead of Veleno. But they also will be getting a better player, one who’s played as a top-six contributor for most of his career. The Austrian native (one of only 10 to ever play in the NHL) boasts two Stanley Cup championships, with the Washington Capitals in 2018 and the Colorado Avalanche in 2022. Burakovsky will be entering his 12^th season in the NHL with the Blackhawks this coming season, bringing a plethora of pro experience to the table.  

Burakovsky’s Beginning: History in Washington & Colorado

Burakovsky was selected by the Capitals in the first round (23^rd overall) of the 2013 Draft. He spent the 2013-14 season with the OHL Erie Otters, posting an impressive 41 goals and 87 points in 57 games (plus 10 goals and 13 points in 14 playoff games). The young forward played the majority of the 2014-15 season with the Capitals, contributing nine goals and 22 points in 53 games.

But Burakovsky’s NHL career really took off in the 2015-16 campaign, when he posted 17 goals and 38 points in 79 games. He was never able to reach those numbers in three more seasons with the Capitals, but he was always a rather consistent contributor. The Capitals made deep runs into the playoffs every season Burakovsky was with the team (with the exception 2018-19), while bringing home the Cup in the 2017-18 season.

In the summer of 2019, the Capitals gave Burakovsky a qualifying offer of $3.25 million, but they ended up trading him to the Avalanche to save some money against the cap. Washington’s then general manager Brian MacLellan said,

We like the player. There’s been some inconsistencies there, but when he’s on his game, he’s a good player. We’d like to keep him around but obviously his name is out there a little bit, so we do talk to some teams about him.

the GM of the Avalanche at the time, Joe Sakic, expressed his excitement about bringing Burakovsky into the fold.

We are excited to be adding a big, fast, skilled winger like Andre. He already has a lot of NHL experience at a young age and is a Stanley Cup winner who has performed well in the playoffs. At just 24, he is entering the prime years of his career and we feel with an added role, he will be a great addition to our team.

This ended up being a great transaction for both Burakovsky and the Avalanche. He enjoyed the best years of his career in Colorado, hitting 20, 19 and 22 goals, respectively, in three seasons there between 2019 and 2022. In the 2021-22 season, Burakovsky’s 22 goals, 39 assists and 61 points were all career highs. It was fitting that this culminated in another Cup win.

Struggles in Seattle for Burakovsky

The Avalanche weren’t able to keep the band together after their championship win, and Burakovsky was a much sought-after unrestricted free agent. In the summer of 2022 he signed on with the Seattle Kraken, a five-year deal with a $5.5 million average annual value.

But things didn’t go as planned with the Kraken. The winger suffered from a multitude of injuries that limited him to just 49 games apiece in each of his first two seasons in Seattle. While Burakovsky played mostly in a top-six role with the Capitals and the Avalanche, he was limited to more of a bottom-six role with the Kraken.

To his credit, Burakovsky had a slow start to the 2024-25 season but finished strong, registering 10 goals and 37 points in 79 games altogether. In his introductory media availability with the Blackhawks, he addressed his previous health issues.

…last year was a bit of a struggle to come back from those injuries, but I think I finished the season after the trade deadline really well, and that’s something I want to bring into the next season coming up here…I’m feeling healthy. I have no issues at all. So that’s a positive for sure. I’ve been working really hard this summer to be at my best again coming into next season.  

Obviously, the Blackhawks are betting on a now-healthy player to capture some of his former production with a fresh start on a new team.

What Burakovsky Brings to the Blackhawks

The Blackhawk’s new addition brings some good size to the table at 6-foot-3, 203 pounds. He also still has the element of speed, which we know the Blackhawks covet in their players. Back in his heyday, Burakovsky was known for his shot and his playmaking abilities. He hopes he can revive that in Chicago.

…I think I can bring a lot of speed. I’m a player that likes to challenge guys one-on-one, make plays, create opportunities for my teammates.”

When I’m playing at my best, I’m playing with a lot of confidence. I’m not afraid to make mistakes out there. I want to challenge guys one-on-one. I want to take the puck to the net.

As mentioned earlier, Burakovsky also provides his championship experience on what it takes to win in this league. He touched on the kind of mindset needed.   

It’s (the Stanley Cup) the hardest trophy to win in the world…to be able to win you gotta, you gotta perform every single day, every single game, every practice. There’s no rest days in practice. You gotta go all out. If you have a good practice, there’s a bigger chance that you’re going to play the game good. So that’s something I’m going to bring to the young guys to just let them know what it takes to win and just trying to help the team be better.  

Instilling this kind of work ethic in young, hungry players just entering the NHL should be a great starting point, and could go a long way towards their long-term success.

Newly re-signed Blackhawk Ryan Donato overlapped the 2022-23 season with Burakovsky in Seattle. He also thinks he has a lot of offer.

[Andre has] some special tools that you don’t see often. He’s a big body that can shoot the puck, can score, can create space, can create scoring opportunities. He’s a guy that can help the team win in a lot of different ways.

On a personal note, Burakovsky said the Blackhawks were his favorite team growing up, and his wife Johanna just told him last year she wanted to visit Chicago. Now she’ll get to live there! The couple have a daughter, with another little one on the way. Lots of positive changes for the newest member of the Blackhawks!

Burakovsky’s speed, playmaking abilities and experience should make him a good fit in Chicago. Plus, with his previous background he can slot in up and down in the lineup, depending on the role he’s needed to fill. He certainly seems excited for a fresh start, and to benefit from a bigger role with the Blackhawks. Time will tell how what kind of impact he’ll have on this young squad that’s looking to take that next step.  

That’s all for this installment of “Meet the New Blackhawks”. We’ll keep you updated on any further additions as the offseason continues. This might be the dog days of summer, but the 2025-26 campaign is fast approaching! Be sure to keep it right here at The Hockey Writers for all the latest news, analysis and updates from around the NHL and the hockey world.