The Chicago Blackhawks have brought in some more defensive depth, signing Philip Holm to a one-year, two-way contract. The deal will pay Holm $700K at the NHL level and brings him back to North America after one year in the KHL.
Holm, 27, signed a one-year entry-level contract with the Vancouver Canucks in 2017 after a breakout season in the SHL, but ended up playing just one game in the NHL. Instead he spent most of the first part of the season with the Utica Comets before being traded to the Vegas Golden Knights and ending up in the AHL again with the Chicago Wolves. While he didn’t get much of a chance in the NHL, Holm did dominate the AHL level scoring 38 points in 63 games.
In 2018-19 with Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod, Holm ended up making the All-Star game and recording 26 points in 61 games. The puck-mover showed once again that he can contribute at one of the highest levels in the world, obviously leading to interest from the Blackhawks. Where he fits into their depth chart isn’t clear after they have completely rebuilt their defensive group, but his presence does give them another experienced option if they run into injury troubles.