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Blackhawks Have Shown Interest In Jack Eichel

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There are quite a few teams already that are interested in Jack Eichel and it appears that Chicago can be added to the mix.  Larry Brooks of the New York Post reports that the Blackhawks have now communicated their interest in the 24-year-old to Buffalo.

The fit is definitely an interesting one.  While the hope is that Jonathan Toews will be able to return for next season, the fact he missed all of this year means they can’t definitively count on him for 2021-22.  And while players like Pius Suter and Philipp Kurashev stepped up at times, neither of them are ideal fits in a top-line role, nor is Kirby Dach who missed most of the year after suffering a wrist injury in a pre-tournament game for the World Juniors.  Dylan Strome has shown flashes of upside but wound up a healthy scratch down the stretch so he can’t be relied on in a top role either.

If Toews is able to return, however, fitting three contracts of $10MM or more (Eichel is at $10MM through 2025-26, Toews and Patrick Kane at $10.5MM through 2022-23) may be challenging.  Per CapFriendly, they only have $6.2MM in cap room for next year though that can be extended with placing Brent Seabrook and Andrew Shaw ($10.775MM combined) on LTIR.  Even so, they do have a couple of notable restricted free agents to re-sign in Suter and defenseman Nikita Zadorov and both players have arbitration eligibility; their new deals will cut into that cap space.

As for Buffalo, there are a couple of intriguing potential trade chips from Chicago.  They’ve been believed to be seeking a high draft pick and the Blackhawks have the 11th-overall pick in next month’s draft.  That would likely need to be included in there.  It’s also reasonable to think that the Sabres will want a young center in return and Dach, the third-overall selection in 2019, fits the bill.  Put those two pieces together and that’s a pretty strong package to work with; some cap ballast to balance the books would likely be needed as well.

In a recent appearance on WGR 550 (audio link), Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman noted that Buffalo’s preference would be to move the disgruntled center (who is still wanting a new surgery on his neck that team doctors won’t sign off on) to the Western Conference as the league returns to its more traditional alignment for next season.  That would seemingly push Chicago ahead of some suitors from the East and if Dach and the 11th pick are made available, the Blackhawks should definitely be in the mix.  While there is some risk in acquiring Eichel with his neck situation and the uncertainty surrounding Toews, the potential for reward is definitely high as well if both are good to go for 2021-22.

In the meantime, this report comes off the heels of one earlier in the week that had Chicago looking into blueliners Dougie Hamilton and Seth Jones.  It certainly appears as if GM Stan Bowman is going big-game hunting this summer.

Blackhawks To Explore Moves For Hamilton, Jones

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  • The Chicago Blackhawks could be taking a big swing this offseason, as Scott Powers and Mark Lazerus of The Athletic report that the team will explore adding either Dougie Hamilton or Seth Jones. Obviously, it’s not up to just the Blackhawks if either of those players is to end up in Chicago, but the fact that they’re looking at such a big move does give some insight into where the organization wants to go in the near future. Jones, who leads the hot stove almost every night after telling the Blue Jackets he wouldn’t re-sign right now, would cost the Blackhawks a large package in trade; one source suggested to Powers and Lazerus that it would cost a first-round pick, second-round pick, and a high-end prospect to land the defenseman. Hamilton meanwhile is a pending free agent, but the Hurricanes have allowed him to speak to other teams already. Carolina GM Don Waddell mentioned earlier today that the team could pursue a trade ahead of free agency if Hamilton finds a fit, though it’s not clear what kind of return it would take to pull that off.

Jakub Pour Signs With Chicago Blackhawks

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The Chicago Blackhawks have added some more international talent, agreeing to terms with Jakub Pour on a two-year entry-level contract. The deal carries an average annual value of $842,500 and runs through the 2022-23 season. Pour explained exactly why he chose the Blackhawks to start his NHL journey:

It is a hockey dream come true. Every boy who puts on skates wants to start in the National Hockey League one day. I know that I have not reached this goal yet, but by signing the contract I have taken an important step towards it. I’m happier even more that I just signed with Chicago. Ever since Dominik Kubalík started playing for the Blackhawks, I have been following the club in great detail, the whole organization seems very nice to me. Great players, traditions, great triumphs. I’m excited and looking forward to it.

In the summer, I will prepare myself at home to be 100 percent ready for a new challenge. In Chicago, I will do my best to fulfill my dream of playing in the NHL. I believe it will be sooner than later, but I will be patient. Whether the chance comes after a month or in the second year of the contract, I have to be prepared.

Kubalik was Pour’s teammate with Plzen HC in the Czech Republic and is a great path to try and follow if you’re an undrafted European free agent. Though Kubalik was actually selected in the seventh round in 2013, he didn’t come to the NHL until 2019 with the Blackhawks. By scoring 30 goals in his rookie season, he was a finalist for a Calder Trophy and is now inspiring other young Czechs to sign with Chicago.

Pour, 22, is another big frame, standing 6’3″ with a long reach. He scored 12 goals in 48 games with Plzen this season setting a new career-high in scoring. While those numbers don’t inspire greatness, he represents another lottery ticket for the Blackhawks to test at training camp. Having only turned 22 a few months ago, he still has plenty of time to develop his offensive game or establish himself as a legitimate bottom-six option in Chicago.

Offseason Checklist: Chicago Blackhawks

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The offseason has arrived with roughly half of the league missing the playoffs and several more having since been eliminated.  It’s time to examine what those teams need to accomplish over the coming months.  Next up is a look at Chicago.

The Blackhawks were one of the early-season surprises this season.  Despite losing Jonathan Toews for the season (the hope is that he returns next year) and a very unproven goaltending trio (which appears likely to remain next season), they were in the playoff race for most of the year before falling out late.  Considering they weren’t expected by many to be in postseason contention heading into the season, being in the race as long as they were is a small victory but GM Stan Bowman will need to take some more strides towards improving the roster for 2021-22.  On top of that, some important decisions need to be made regarding a pair of players who are on the fringes of the core.

Utilize LTIR Flexibility

While there is some uncertainly with Toews’ availability for the start of next season, there isn’t any with Brent Seabrook ($6.875MM) and Andrew Shaw ($3.9MM).  Both players have effectively retired, announcing they won’t be able to play again due to their respective injuries, a hip issue for Seabrook and lingering concussion trouble for Shaw.  This past season, they were among several Blackhawks on LTIR and Bowman will have that option once again.

On the one hand, it’s possible that both go there in the summer, giving them some room to spend in free agency but Bowman has been hesitant to go that route in the past.  Whether they do it early or closer to the start of the season though, they have the ability to add a player or two, either adding to their roster or adding a future asset or two for taking on a contract as they did with Brett Connolly near the trade deadline.  With the team having to proceed as if Toews will be available, this will likely be their biggest source of cap space this summer.

Avoid Arbitration With Zadorov

The flat salary cap has already created some restrictions on the ‘middle-class’ earners in the league and that’s likely to be the case for a while.  Accordingly, that has increased the pressure for teams to work out early contracts with some of their pending restricted free agents that have arbitration eligibility where they fear the award would be too low to walk away from but too high to fit in their salary structure.  Chicago has one of those players in defenseman Nikita Zadorov.

The 26-year-old was acquired last fall from Colorado as part of the trade that saw Brandon Saad head to the Avalanche and provided his usual brand of physical play, albeit with some shaky play at times in his own end and limited offensive upside.  However, he logged over 19 minutes a night and at 6’6, few blueliners can match his size.  The 16th pick in 2013 has shown enough flashes to warrant keeping around but only at the right price tag.  After signing a one-year, $3.2MM contract upon being acquired, that number now represents his qualifying offer.  But he also has arbitration eligibility where his 411 career NHL contests could push an award higher than Chicago is willing to pay.

There have been mutual expressions of interest in getting something done between the Blackhawks and Zadorov but this also feels like a situation where the team isn’t going to give the blueliner a chance to get it to a hearing and risk a reward that they don’t want to pay; the minimum award to qualify for walkaway rights was $4.539MM and it’s unlikely Zadorov would go above that in a hearing.  Accordingly, that makes July 26th the date to watch for as that’s the deadline to tender a qualifying offer.

Strome Decision

When the Blackhawks acquired Dylan Strome from Arizona back in 2018, he made an immediate impact and it looked like he was quickly becoming a core player for the future.  His numbers dipped in 2019-20 but he did well enough to earn a two-year, $6MM bridge contract, getting a longer look in the process.

Unfortunately, that longer look did not go well.  Strome struggled offensively, did not adjust well to playing on the wing at times, and when it mattered most down the stretch when they were trying to stay alive in the playoff hunt, he was a healthy scratch.  Forget about him being a core player for years to come.  Is he even part of the plans for next season now?

Strome feels like a viable change of scenery candidate this summer.  Toews could be back as will Kirby Dach and those two should reclaim their spots down the middle while Pius Suter held his own in his rookie season.  Knowing that Strome isn’t particularly comfortable on the wing, he could be the odd man out.  However, with a $3.6MM salary, that’s a bit pricey for someone that could be viewed as a potential reclamation project which will limit his market.  Bowman will have to decide if taking a lesser return is worth it or if they’re better off holding on to him to see if he rebounds in a contract year.

Clear Forward Logjam

One thing that Bowman has done in recent years is improve their depth up front.  He has hit on recent international additions in Suter, Dominik Kubalik, and Philipp Kurashev.  Prospects Mackenzie Entwistle (trade), Brandon Hagel, Reese Johnson, and Mike Hardman (undrafted free agent signings) have shown some upside and all saw NHL action this season.  Even if none of them turn into stars, cost-controllable depth is great to have.

But they seem to quickly be reaching the point where they may have a bit too much.  Dach will be back next year, as will Alexander Nylander.  Toews could be back.  Trade deadline acquisitions Connolly (two years remaining) and Adam Gaudette (pending RFA) should still be around.  Plus, for good measure, Henrik Borgstrom has a two-year, one-way deal while one of their top prospects Lukas Reichel just signed and could make the jump quickly.

A quick look at their depth chart yields around 20 forwards who could potentially be ready for NHL action to start next season without even factoring in who could potentially be brought in using their LTIR space.  Yes, some of those are waiver-exempt and can start in the minors and there could be injuries in training camp but on the surface, it appears as if they have some expendable depth.  With affordable NHL players being of increasing importance, Bowman may want to turn some of that depth into some future pieces in the form of draft picks or prospects to keep the system well-stocked.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.  Contract information courtesy of CapFriendly.

Blackhawks Sign Lukas Reichel

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June 9: Now that the tournament is over, the Blackhawks have officially signed Reichel to his three-year entry-level contract. The deal comes with a cap hit of $925K. Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman released a statement on his newest forward:

Lukas made tremendous strides in his second year as a professional. The game appeared to slow down for him this past season, which allowed his play-making skills to be on full display. Bringing him over to North America is the logical next step for his continued development and we’re excited to be able to add such a young, dynamic player to our forward group.

May 22: After being drafted last fall, Blackhawks prospect Lukas Reichel estimated that he was a couple of years away from being ready for the NHL.  However, after a strong season with Eisbaren Berlin in Germany where he worked his way up the lineup down the stretch while transitioning from the wing to center, that timeline could be accelerated.  To that end, Reichel’s agent Allain Roy told Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times that the expectation is that the youngster will sign his entry-level deal at the conclusion of the World Championships.

The 19-year-old was a late riser in the 2020 draft and went from being ranked as a second-round pick by some agencies to the 17th pick by Chicago after a good first season with Berlin.  He followed that up by finishing fifth in scoring with Berlin this season on a veteran-laden team with 10 goals and 17 assists in 38 games while chipping in with five more points in nine playoff contests.  That helped him earn an invite to the Worlds where he is tied for the tournament lead in scoring through the first few days with two goals and three helpers in just two games.  His presence at that tournament prevents him from being signed right away which is why they’ll have to wait a couple of weeks.

Chicago doesn’t have to have Reichel in the NHL right away, however.  Though he’s still junior-aged, he is eligible to play with AHL Rockford since he wasn’t drafted out of the CHL and that might not be a bad idea for his development to ease his transition to the smaller North American ice surface.  In that event, his deal would be eligible to slide a year if he plays in nine or fewer NHL games next season.  Either way, Reichel should be playing under the watchful eye of the organization in 2021-22.

Buffalo Sabres Win 2021 NHL Draft Lottery

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For the final time for the foreseeable future, all non-playoff teams were eligible to win the first overall pick in the NHL Draft Lottery. Beginning in 2022, a team can only move up a maximum of ten spots, meaning the teams who finish No. 12 through No. 16 in the final league standings cannot move high enough to take over the top pick. The stage was set for a climactic send-off for the old format.

Well, the lottery balls decided not to take a crazy bounce in their last opportunity to move a team from the middle of the first round all the way to the top. Instead, the draft order stayed virtually the same. The Buffalo Sabres, who held the worst record in the NHL this season and thus the top odds in the lottery, retained the No. 1 pick. The expansion Seattle Kraken, awarded the same odds as the third-worst record in the league, moved up one spot, switching places with the Anaheim Ducks. New this year, there were only two lottery draws as opposed to the former three. Here is the official first-round draft order for the top 15 picks:

  1. Buffalo Sabres
  2. Seattle Kraken
  3. Anaheim Ducks
  4. New Jersey Devils
  5. Columbus Blue Jackets
  6. Detroit Red Wings
  7. San Jose Sharks
  8. Los Angeles Kings
  9. Vancouver Canucks
  10. Ottawa Senators
  11. Chicago Blackhawks
  12. Calgary Flames
  13. Philadelphia Flyers
  14. Dallas Stars
  15. New York Rangers

(As a reminder, the Arizona Coyotes forfeited their first-round pick this years as discipline for scouting violations)

This will be the second time in four years that the Buffalo Sabres will pick first overall after selecting Rasmus Dahlin at the top spot in 2018. It also means that two teams, the Sabres and New Jersey Devils, will have owned the first pick in four of the past five drafts. The two clubs are happy that the NHL’s new rule limiting teams to two lottery wins in a five-year span kicks in next year with a clean slate. Incredibly, the Sabres lottery win also further advances the mythology of Taylor Hall. Although Hall is now with the Boston Bruins, this is the fifth time in Hall’s career that his most recent team eligible for the draft lottery has won. A No. 1 overall pick himself, Hall has brought luck to the Edmonton Oilers, Devils, and now Sabres.

Perhaps bigger news than Buffalo at No. 1 is Seattle at No. 2, a major opportunity for the Kraken to draft a player who is ready to join the team in their inaugural season. The Vegas Golden Knights, with the same odds in the 2017 NHL Draft Lottery, fell to No. 6 overall and drafted Cody Glass, who has still yet to establish himself as a regular in the Vegas lineup. With the second pick, Seattle will have better odds of adding an instant difference-maker.

The 2021 NHL Draft is unique compared to recent years in that there is no consensus top prospect. In fact, it is difficult to remember a draft class in recent memory that is so undecided at the top. One major factor has been the lack of complete scouting due to canceled and shortened seasons and limited live viewings. However, even with complete information, there is still seemingly no prospect that stands heads above the rest. University of Michigan defenseman Owen Power and forward Matthew Beniers are largely considered the top players at each position and the two most likely candidates for the top pick, with Power having a slight lead according to draft pundits. However, current teammate Kent Johnson and Wolverines commit Luke Hughes, a forward and defenseman respectively, are also in the mix. Canadian junior standouts Mason McTavish, Dylan Guenther, and Brandt Clarke and European pros William Eklund and Simon Edvinsson may also be in play.

Matt Tomkins Signs In SHL

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The Chicago Blackhawks will bid farewell to one of their depth goaltenders, as Matt Tomkins has signed a one-year contract with Frolunda of the SHL. Tomkins was scheduled for unrestricted free agency this summer as his two-year contract came to an end. Frolunda’s goaltending coach released a statement (via Google translate):

Matt is a big and structured goalkeeper with a European style and a clear game idea. We have scouted him properly and he has made a good impression on us. It will be really fun to work with him next season and he is excited to come here.  

Now 26, the seventh-round pick never did get to the NHL, playing his entire career thus far in the minor leagues. In 15 appearances with the Rockford IceHogs this season he posted a .907 save percentage, but he never did really seem to be in the plans for the Blackhawks as they went with other, younger, netminders at the NHL level.

Frolunda meanwhile recently lost their starting goalie when Erik Kallgren signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs, meaning Tomkins should have a good opportunity to play overseas. Unless he takes a huge developmental step though, the now-former Blackhawks goaltender likely won’t be considered for another NHL contract down the road.

A Case To Keep Chicago's Goalie Trio, Drew Commesso Off To The Worlds

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The Blackhawks went into this season with plenty of uncertainty between the pipes with Malcolm Subban and Collin Delia battling for the number one role with Kevin Lankinen serving as a third option.  Of course, by the end, Lankinen had established himself as the starter but there is still plenty of uncertainty regarding the viability of this trio.  Despite that, Phil Thompson and Chris Sosa of the Chicago Tribune feel that the team would be justified sticking with that same goalie group for next season which would allow them to evaluate Lankinen’s potential viability as a long-term starter while determining if one of Subban or Delia is worthy of a full-time backup spot.  All three netminders are slated to become unrestricted free agents in the 2022 offseason.

  • Still regarding a Chicago goaltender, USA Hockey announced that prospect Drew Commesso has been added to their roster for the World Championships, replacing Anthony Stolarz who was injured in Sunday’s victory over Canada. The 18-year-old was a second-round pick of the Blackhawks (46th overall) back in 2020 and had a .915 SV% in 11 appearances in his freshman year at Boston University.

Bowman: Blackhawks Have Had Preliminary Talks With RFAs

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  • The Blackhawks have started contract talks with several of their restricted free agents including defenseman Nikita Zadorov, notes Phil Thompson of the Chicago Tribune. GM Stan Bowman noted that talks are at the beginning stage for each of them.  Zadorov’s arbitration eligibility makes his case a higher priority as it stands to reason that they do not want the defender to file, making him a non-tender candidate if they can’t get a deal done.  Other restricted free agents this summer include winger Brandon Hagel and forward Pius Suter.

Chicago Blackhawks Sign Arvid Soderblom

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The Chicago Blackhawks have nabbed one of the top goaltenders in the SHL, agreeing to terms with Arvid Soderblom on a two-year entry-level contract. Soderblom, an undrafted free agent, will join the organization for the 2021-22 season and carry a cap hit of $883,750.

A casual fan would be forgiven for not knowing much about Soderblom, given he had rarely even appeared at the SHL level before this season, but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t been on the radar of NHL teams. The 21-year-old posted a dominant .924 save percentage at the Allsvenskan level (AHL equivalent) last season and then continued that performance in the SHL this year. In 22 appearances for AIK Skelleftea, he recorded a 2.03 goals-against average and .921 save percentage. In two playoff starts he stopped 58 of 61 shots.

After a brilliant start to the season, Kevin Lankinen came back to earth a bit for the Blackhawks, finishing with a .909 save percentage. Though a rookie, Lankinen is already 26 and will be an unrestricted free agent after next season. The same can be said for both Collin Delia and Malcolm Subban, meaning there is still an opening in the Chicago net down the line. Soderblom has a lot more to prove before he takes that spot, but adding another talented player to the depth chart is always worth it.

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