2022 is here, which means it’s time to assess the current situation every Chicago team in the four major sports leagues are in. This analysis will revolve around three big questions…

1. How are things going right now?

2. What has gone right and what has gone wrong?

3. How good is the future looking?

Chicago Cubs (MLB)

Q: How are things going right now?

A: The Cubs sold off virtually the entire core that won the World Series in 2016 at last season’s trade deadline. As you would expect, the Cubs struggled even more for the rest of the season and went on to finish the 2021 campaign 71-91. This was their first losing season since 2014. Cubs management didn’t seem to have a clear indicator of what direction the team was going for next season. Some expected them to be very aggressive in the free agent market hoping a return to the postseason could happen as soon as 2022. However, shipping away the entire core for young prospects is a clear indicator of a rebuild. With the MLB currently in a lockout, no team has been able to make big free agent signings or trades since December 1st. Despite the current situation in the league, the Cubs made quite a few offseason moves before the lockout began, most notably signing starting pitcher Marcus Stroman. Clint Frazier, Wade Miley, and Harold Ramirez were also signed by the club before the lockout.

Q: What has gone right and what has gone wrong?

A: As much as it hurt Cubs fans to see fan favorites and some good talent shipped away at the deadline, it was the right thing to do. The Cubs haven’t won a postseason series since 2017, missed the playoffs entirely in 2019, and had a 50-54 record before the sell off at the deadline. It was in the organization’s best interests to go a different direction and refresh. The problem? They don’t know exactly which direction they are heading. The Cubs have already made it clear that they are not going in the direction they did in 2012 with a full on rebuild, but the current roster is still far off from contending. The pitching has definitely improved with the signing of Stroman, but there are still a lot of holes in the backend of the rotation and the bullpen. The majority of the current hitting core they have is also very young, and those who aren’t young have most likely been career minor leaguers and have barely in experience in the big leagues. The Cubs need to find and tell the fan base a clear direction of where the team is going or at least how long the process will be to build “the Next Great Cubs Team”.

Q: How good is the future looking?

A: Again, there is no doubt that the team the Cubs will put on the field in 2022 will be better than the team they put on the field in 2021. But that doesn’t mean they will be contenders, or even have a winning season. While there is a decent chance they might sign another big name when the lockout is over, it will be interesting to see exactly how much of an improvement the Cubs will make.

Chicago White Sox (MLB)

Q: How are things going right now?

A: The White Sox are coming off their first consecutive postseason appearances in franchise history. After enduring years of mediocrity and rebuilding, it will only be getting better. The next step for the White Sox is to achieve the ultimate goal and win the World Series. Now that they have a couple years of postseason experience, they are more positioned than ever to win it. Again, with the MLB in currently in a lockout, it is not possible for the White Sox to make any trades or sign big names right now. But just before the lockout, they signed relief pitcher Kendall Graveman, another excellent arm added to an already elite bullpen. While the White Sox 2021 season ended in disappointment, fans should still be excited as it’s possible that this era of White Sox baseball could be the best and most successful the franchise has ever had.

Q: What has gone right and what has gone wrong?

A: The rebuild panned out perfectly for the White Sox and has placed them into the spot they are in now. The young core has developed really well and some players have even overachieved. But the problem here is that a lot of the time, the White Sox can’t play fully healthy. Despite winning the AL Central last season for the first time since 2008 and finishing with 93 wins, the White Sox were plagued with injuries to many of their star players. They played the majority of the season without outfielders Eloy Jiménez and Luis Robert. Catcher Yasmani Grandal, who is often regarded as one of the best catchers in the league, also missed months of action, and the pitching staff, which dominated for the majority of the season, ran out of gas toward the end and were not getting consistent starts due to injury. While it is impossible for the White Sox to control any of this, they need to stay fully healthy if they want to take the next step in 2022. 2021 saw many successes for the White Sox. Just imagine how much better they would have been if they were healthy.

Q: How good is the future looking?

A: The White Sox have one of the best futures in the MLB. They have the potential to win multiple World Series with their core and to become a dynasty. If the White Sox can find one more starter and a long term player for second base, they will solidify themselves as one of the MLB’s elite. The best is yet to come for the White Sox.

Chicago Bulls (NBA)

Q: How are things going right now?

A: The Bulls have been the most surprising team in the NBA this season and are on track to make the playoffs for the first time since 2017. They could even clinch one of the top spots in the Eastern Conference. This year’s Bulls have arguably been the most fun Bulls team to watch since Derrick Rose was in his prime. Artūras Karnišovas and head Coach Billy Donovan have done a great job at bringing back the Bulls to playing good basketball and bringing Chicago back in the basketball spotlight.

Q: What has gone right and what has gone wrong?

A: The new players the Bulls added to the roster last offseason have done a great job. DeMar DeRozan is putting up MVP caliber numbers and will be starting in the All Star Game, Lonzo Ball has made a big impact on the court both offensively and defensively, and rookie Ayo Dosunmu has stepped up big when he has been needed the most. But just like the White Sox, the Bulls have barely played with a fully healthy roster. Early in the season, they lost rookie Patrick Williams who is their best defensive player, had issues with COVID in December, and have now lost Lonzo Ball, Alex Caruso, and Derrick Jones Jr. to long term injuries which could keep them out for the rest of the regular season. Even though there is still plenty of talent remaining on the active roster, the Bulls can’t afford any more injuries if they want to remain near the top of the Eastern Conference.

Q: How good is the future looking?

A: 2022 may not be the year the Bulls will win it all, but the future is still bright. If the Bulls can at least make it to the second round this season, it will give them the confidence needed to improve next season. The Bulls also need to add more depth and defense in the offseason as they are their two biggest weaknesses. But most importantly, they need to stay healthy!

Chicago Bears (NFL)

Q: How are things going right now?

A: The Bears just finished hiring their next GM and head coach. It was another season of disappoint as the Bears finished 6-11 in the final year of Matt Nagy and Ryan Pace. Since the offseason hasn’t started for the NFL yet, the Bears haven’t been able to make any trades or big signings. The main focus is to integrate new GM Ryan Poles and new head coach Matt Eberflus into the organization. It’s time for the Bears to put the woes of the Nagy and Pace era behind them and start fresh.

Q: What has gone right and what has gone wrong?

A: With how disappointing the Bears have been in recent memory, it’s very hard to easily point out what has gone right… maybe… trading up for and drafting Justin Fields last offseason? But with Fields having a tough rookie season and many bumps in his development as an NFL QB, a lot of the optimism is lost. But Bears fans will admit that even with all of the disappointment recently, that house cleaning (firing Nagy and Pace) was the best thing the organization could have done.

Q: How good is the future looking?

A: There is hope that Poles and Eberflus will turn things around, and for once keep success sustained. There is a lot of work that needs to be done to the roster however, especially on offense . Even the defense that was elite in 2018 has been slowly regressing and had problems with consistency last season. 2022 most likely won’t be anything special for the Bears, but a sign of progress will be any improvement from last season, resurgence of the defense, and big steps in the development of Justin Fields.

Chicago Blackhawks (NHL)

Q: How are things going right now?

A: Heading into the season, there was renewed optimism with the Blackhawks. Management made big moves in the offseason which included trading for defenseman Seth Jones and Vezina winning goalie Marc-André Fleury. Sure, winning the Stanley Cup or a deep playoff run was a long shot, but looking at the roster on paper, there were improvements expected compared to the previous seasons and making the playoffs through a wild card spot was definitely a possibility. However, the performance this season on the ice has been everything short of the even the realistic expectations for this team. The Blackhawks fired head coach Jeremy Colliton after an abysmal 1-9-2 start, replacing him with interim head coach Derek King. Since then, the Blackhawks have been a little better under King. In fact, they even have a winning record since he took over as of the time this article was written. But the Blackhawks have been unable to put together wins consistently, and have had some lengthy losing streaks under King. It’s now to the point where the Blackhawks are basically mathematically eliminated from the playoffs and will need a miracle to even get close to the final spot.

Q: What has gone right and what has gone wrong?

A: Just like the Bears, with the amount of disappointment the team has experienced, it’s hard to identify things that have gone right for the Blackhawks. If there was something that has gone right however, it would be the elite season winger Alex DeBrincat has been having. He was among the top of the NHL’s leaders in goals in a shortened season last year, and is on pace to score 40 plus goals this year. He truly is one of the NHL’s most under appreciated players and will be elite for years to come. On the other hand, there is a lot that has gone wrong, including the horrible start as well as disappointing seasons from both Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews. Dominik Kubalik who was a finalist for the Calder in 2020 has also been disappointing along with the 2019 number 3 overall pick Kirby Dach. These disappointing seasons from multiple players who are supposed to be the teams best players have definitely played a role in the Blackhawks horrible season.

Q: How good is the future looking?

A: It will be interesting to see what the Blackhawks will do at the trade deadline. There are multiple rumors saying that anybody is fair game but others say that Kane, Toews, Jones, and possibly DeBrincat unless there is a big offer for him, are untouchables. If the Blackhawks want to be successful once again and revert back to being a long term Stanley Cup contender like they were for the majority of the 2010’s, they will need to rebuild through the draft and other young prospects acquired in trades.