Free agency is just over a month away, and teams are looking ahead to when it opens. There will be several impact players set to hit the open market in July, while many teams also have key restricted free agents to re-sign. We continue our look around the NHL with an overview of the free agent situation for the Blackhawks.
Key Restricted Free Agents
F Philipp Kurashev – As the Blackhawks continue to navigate through a rebuild, holding onto a 25-year-old forward with a 50-plus point season on his résumé makes plenty of sense, and that’s exactly what they have in soon-to-be restricted free agent Philipp Kurashev. But after a breakout 54-point campaign in 2023–24, Kurashev took a step back this past season, managing just 14 points in 51 games. So, who is the real Kurashev? And what is his value to the Blackhawks, or potentially other teams? These are the questions the Blackhawks’ front office must answer as they weigh his next contract.
D Wyatt Kaiser – No pending free agent, restricted or unrestricted, may be more important to the Blackhawks than Wyatt Kaiser, who took a clear step forward this past season. The 2020
third-round pick appeared in a career-high 57 games, recording four goals and eight points, and finishing third on the team with 93 blocked shots. Just as notable, his even plus-minus rating was the best among all Blackhawks defensemen and second-best on the roster overall, behind only forward Ilya Mikheyev’s plus-four. At just 22 years old, Kaiser may be the kind of defenseman the Blackhawks look to sign long-term as they aim to solidify their blue line for the Connor Bedard era.
G Arvid Soderblom – Despite being buried on the depth chart heading into the last season, Soderblom ended the season with more games between the pipes than any Blackhawks goalie. With Laurent Brossoit missing the season with a meniscus tear, and veteran Petr Mrázek being traded at the deadline, Soderblom saw action in 36 contests, compiling a 10-18-7 record to go with a .898 save percentage. While those numbers are unflattering by league standards, Soderblom statistically outperformed Mrazek and Spencer Knight, who came over in a blockbuster trade that sent Seth Jones to the Florida Panthers. Knight appeared in 15 games for the Blackhawks, finishing with a 5-8-2 record and .893 save percentage. While the Blackhawks may like the idea of keeping Soderblom in the mix, they already have $7.8MM committed to Brossoit and Knight next season. If Soderblom is now viewed in the league circles as a legitimate backup, another team could step in with a solid offer.
Other RFAs: D Louis Crevier, D Victor Soderstrom, F Antti Saarela, F Aku Raty, F Jalen Luypen
Key Unrestricted Free Agents
D Alec Martinez – On April 13, the day of the Blackhawks’ last home game of the season, Martinez announced that he would be retiring following the season. A three-time Stanley Cup champion, the 37-year-old was signed last offseason to a one-year, $4 million deal to bring leadership and experience to a young Chicago lineup. And while it’s difficult to measure the impact of his presence in the locker room, Martinez’s on-ice performance left much to be desired. He finished the year with 12 points and a minus-15 rating in 44 games. Martinez will finish his career with 862 games played, 289 points, and, of course, those three Stanley Cups.
F Pat Maroon – Similar to Martinez, veteran Pat Maroon is hanging up his skates after a 14-year career. Back in March, Maroon announced he would be retiring, citing a desire to start a new chapter with his family. He signed a one-year, $1.3MM contract with the team in free agency last summer, and like Martinez, was brought in to provide mentorship and leadership. In 68 games on the season, Marron totaled five goals and 19 points in a bottom-six role. He’ll finish his career with 323 points in 848 games. Like Martinez, he can also boast three Stanley Cups (winning in three consecutive years with the St. Louis Blues and Tampa Bay Lightning).
F Ryan Donato – Donato, coming off a career-best season with 31 goals and 62 points, is among the top centers headed for unrestricted free agency. If the Blackhawks hope to keep him, they’ll likely have to fend off interest from around the league. At the trade deadline, the Blackhawks held discussions with Donato about a possible contract extension and did not end up dealing him for future assets. Sc
ott Powers of The Athletic reports (subscription link) that the deal the team put on the table was a three-year offer worth somewhere around $4MM per season, essentially doubling his expiring contract. Donato did exactly what any player on an expiring contract hopes to do — post career-best numbers and set himself up for a sizable payday. The reported $4MM per season may not be a large enough figure to keep Donato in Chicago.
Other UFAs: F Andreas Athanasiou, F Zach Sanford, F Brett Seney, F Cole Guttman
Projected Cap Space
General manager Kyle Davidson will have plenty of financial flexibility this summer, as the team has nearly $30MM in cap space, per PuckPedia. If the team is serious about keeping Donato and Kaiser in Chicago long-term, their new contracts would certainly put a dent into that space, but would still leave Davidson with ample flexibility to pursue additional free agents.
Still insane that Chicago never moved Donato at the deadline considering what other inferior depth forward players got for returns. That was complete mismanagement of an asset, even worse so if he walks.
Moved him for what? A draft pick? The Hawks have 4 first round picks and 5 second round picks in the next 2 drafts. That isn’t enough for you? Look Donato had a breakout year and Kudos to him. If that’s a fact that Davidson offered him 3 years and 12 million bucks and he said no after whining he wanted to stay put for once in his life then let him go. The Hawks future isn’t Ryan Donato and after extending guys like Mrazek and Foligno on similar deals that aren’t really smart Kudos to Davidson for realizing it’s time to cut his losses and walk away. I highly doubt Donato ever has that kind of year on a team that matters but I’ve been wrong a few times before. Davidson did the smart thing and walked away. Sure the money isn’t horrible but in hockey you don’t have the luxury of just tossing it away and with some of the money they’re eating already it’s the smart play. Wish him luck and waive goodbye. Kaiser and Soderblom are much more important pieces to worry about. The Hawks don’t need more draft picks. They need impact players which Donato really isn’t. With his so called ” Career Year” were the Hawks really any better? Ask yourself.
You stock draft picks so you can trade them for more assets that help the team. Losing Donato for nothing, when they easily would have got a 2nd round pick at absolute minimum, was a very bad move. There’s so many teams that give away good young players like Devon Toews at a depressed price when they are up for a new contract. You have to weaponize that.
Name the last trade where a team gave up a really good player for a bunch of draft picks? Eric Lindros? And the Hawks already have enough to pull one off if they can find one. Hockey only has so many contracts per team my friend and the Hawks will be stretched if they make all those picks anyway. But I like the thought, It just becomes unfeasible at a certain point. I think the Hawks traded like 3 draft picks just to trade up and get Van Acker a while back. They have a bunch of guys who haven’t even started the entry level deals they signed and more in the system they have to sign. Your theory makes sense but in play it’s just not sustainable.
I agree! I want Donato to stay but only if he really wants to stay himself, and can agree to a 2-3 year extension at a reasonable cap hit. He can test free agency, but it’s about time his words match his actions.
Yes, a draft pick Michael. It happens quite often. Lose an asset with no return or cash in an asset for a return, even if not a large return? A simple investment strategy that has been working for years.
Even if you get a 2nd round pick in the 2025 draft, during the draft, you trade it for a 2nd and a 3rd in the 2026 draft. And again the next year. Draft picks are a commodity and use them to multiply while replenishing the farm with fresh young talent.
@jdgoat: And when you already HAVE an asset, you don’t need to trade those picks for one.
Look, I get that a lot of people are obsessed with Getting! Draft! Picks! to the exclusion of damn near everything else. But the point of draft picks is — sooner or later — to use them to draft players that will help your team. No team in the history of sport has won a single game by having more future draft choices than their opponent. They win by having better players.
See, that’s demented. Trading your 2025 picks for 2026 picks, which you trade the next year for 2027 picks? How does that help ANY team? You don’t replenish a farm system with future picks. You replenish it when you KEEP those picks, and use them to draft guys.
Lol, nice. Never once did I say trade all your draft picks each year for next years.
Ehlers and Marner are the guys I’m making a run at.
Bedard needs to play with actual quality NHL players who may have their best hockey ahead of them. Of their top 15 points producers, only 4 will be under 29 next season. This team is a couple years behind where they should be, they’re trying to emerge out of the “surround Bedard with Good Hockey Men who Play the Game the Right Way” nonsense that teams get suckered into, and it cost them two valuable rebuilding years Outside of Nazar, there’s no one in their 20s capable of playing top six minutes on a good team. Elite players need elite running mates. Period.
I still say that if the Panthers can’t afford Ekblad then getting someone in his prime at 30 to help keep the puck out their own net is cheaper and probably smarter way to go. With Vlasic, Arty, Rinzel and Korchinski and Kaiser all you’re missing is another RS D Man. Losing Broissoit’s 3 million dollar salary shouldn’t be hard in this years pathetic Goalie FA class. He’s had a year and a half to recover and is more highly thought of than a lot of guys. Commesso, Knight and Soderstrom are solid enough to start with. I’m not all that high on Gajan. They should draft another Goalie as you can never tell when they’ll flame out. Ehlers would be a nice get and Marner has failed with Auston Mathews so why is everybody drooling over him? I don’t get it. I don’t like that Ekblad wants 8 years because that probably won’t age well but higher salary for less years plays for me.
Ideally, if they could find a way to trade into a better position with that 2nd first-rounder, drafting Ravensbergen would be a coup. They probably won’t, but it’s what they should do.
I haven’t really had a chance to look at the whole Goalie draft prospect list yet but I’m betting that they can still get a pretty good talent at 25 or 34. Gajan had one good tournament in Juniors 2 years ago which if I’m not mistaken happened in his home country and the Hawks fell in love with him. Drafting him over Hrabal and Augistine(?) was a bad get IMO. I don’t even think he starts on his college team. I’ll do some research and see who’s who.
Always fun to watch you analyze stuff while admitting that you don’t know about the subject that you are babbling about. Please don’t stop!
Is that you Whiff? You mean like you did about Marner having said he wouldn’t play for a rebuild that you ” Read it”? That’s why I asked the question in the mailbag because I knew you are full of s___! Brian left your name out of it but we all know who you are. Changing your name won’t make you any smarter.
What in found in a second.
link to thehockeywriters.com
Ekblad is getting at least 6 years. A post 30 defender with a huge injury history is not the move. That contract would be restrictive within 3 years. Also marner is a great two way player who is under 30 with no real injury history, that’s why he’s coveted.
@unclemike, you were responding to formerly known as doghockey, not wilf
I don’t really give a crap who they are. they’re obviously the same guy. Criticizing other people’s opinions without actually saying why or what they object to. You know, Basic idiots who just go off once in awhile with no real purpose just so they can tell mommy look, I’m a published author! At least I have an actual opinion. Whether I’m right or not doesn’t matter. At least I have one of my own.
Being stuck in the echo-chamber that is their parents basement must get really lonely. Their Mom not responding to their vitreous, obscenity-laden demand for more pop-tarts and mountain dew must have been the breaking point…
I just read that some guy who won a ton of money on Jeopardy when they asked him his job he said ” I’m an unemployed stay at home son”. If that doesn’t say it all what does?I left home at 17 and couldn’t wait to leave.
No, you’re missing it, UncleMike. Mitch Marner hasn’t “failed with Auston Matthews.” He’s just failed to play on a Stanley Cup-winning team. Over half the teams in the league haven’t won the Cup this century.
Is Shea Weber a failure? HHOF member, never won a Cup. Jeremy Roenick the same; never won a Cup. Hm, going over other recent HHOF Honoured Members: Pierre Turgeon, Henrik Lundqvist, the Sedins, Roberto Luongo, Daniel Alfredsson, Jarome Iginla, Doug Wilson, none of them won Cups. Were they failures too?
My point was simply that everybody is saying that Marner is the missing piece for Bedard to become better. I’m just saying why does that have to be the case? Marner and Mathews haven’t won many Playoff games together. Why do Bedard and Marner automatically make the Hawks any different? I think a guy like Ehlers would be a cheaper , Better place to start that’s all. The way for the Hawks to get better IMO is to make the defense solid first and keep the puck out of their own net. Even eating Webers 7 million and Jones 2.5 million the Hawks still have 30 million available. That doesn’t mean just whiz it away. The Hawks defense and Goalies are a lot closer to being first class than their offense. Hey I’ve been wrong before but that’s what I’d do. Get rid of Broissoit and Murphy’s 7.5 million or whatever and make responsible pickups in FA and trades. Just because they have it doesn’t mean they have to throw it around. Make it about the kids.
You’re overthinking it.
We want to pair Marner and Bedard because Auston Matthews scored a billion goals with Marner on his wing and Bedard is another prospect with pedigree and an absolutely killer shot.
Don’t even think about playoffs yet, think about developing Bedard,
Donato will easily exceed the Hawks last offer in a paper thin FA C market – I’m projecting he signs with either Boston or Vancouver for 4 years at $5.5m per…
I would tend to say no and let me say why. Obviously Davidson wanted to flip Donato at the deadline and the offers for him must have been quite underwhelming to the point of being non existent. For the Hawks to keep him on a team that bad the offers must have been horrible which leads me to believe the rest of the league isn’t as enthralled with him as you are.
I take your point, but with all that newfound cap money sloshing around league-wide, someone may well overpay the heck out of him.
Well that’s quite true and that’s good point. But as a Hawks fan if Ryan Donato gets more than 12 million for 3 years then I’ll just say pass and move on. If Donato leaves and the Hawks get nothing in return it doesn’t move the needle one way or the other. The time for handing out contracts like that for Davidson should be over. Now it’s big fish or play kids. They signed like 5 or 6 guys who should be either players in the NHL next year or at least Rockford rotation pieces. I promise not to cry if he signs somewhere else and scores 30 goals every year, But I think it’s much more likely whoever signs him is trying to move him sooner than later. Just my opinion though. There’s no better proof that a fool and his mony are soon parted than pro sports.
I don’t blame you for being wary. I like Donato myself, but he’s had an inconsistent career, and it’s improbable he suddenly turned into a perennial 30-goal scorer.