Blackhawks Looking To Move The 27th Pick For Someone That Can Help Now
- The Blackhawks would like to move the 27th overall selection in next week’s draft for a player that can come in and help the team now, reports Mark Lazerus of the Chicago Sun-Times. The pick was originally acquired back at the trade deadline from Nashville in exchange for winger Ryan Hartman. Although Chicago missed the playoffs, they are still in win-now mode with several big contracts on the books so going for a rebuild doesn’t seem likely at this point. If they do keep the pick, Lazerus notes that the team likes Drummondville defenseman Nicolas Beaudin who is currently pegged as a late first or early second-round selection.
Chicago Blackhawks Signs Vinnie Hinostroza To Two-Year Deal
The Chicago Blackhawks are getting their restricted free agents out of the way early. After agreeing to a two-year deal with John Hayden this morning, the team has also agreed to a two-year contract extension with Vinnie Hinostroza. The deal will carry a $1.5MM average annual value.
Scott Powers of The Athletic (subscription required) reports that there is an expectation that Tomas Jurco will also re-sign, making quick work of the bulk of Chicago’s restricted free agents. In Hinostroza they likely have locked up the most important one, after the 24-year old recorded 25 points in just 50 games last season. Though he didn’t get much of a chance to play his natural position of center, Hinostroza was moved around the lineup and seemed to have a knack for finding teammates at important times. His 18 assists actually ranked him fifth among all Chicago forwards, ahead of full-time players like Brandon Saad and Artem Anisimov, and he’ll need to use that playmaking ability to secure a role on the team next season.
Contracts like these to Hayden and Hinostroza are integral to the Chicago salary structure as they continue to deal with mega-deals for Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, and Brent Seabrook. Though those players are still effective—though, that may be argued at this point for Seabrook—they aren’t able to drag the roster to the playoffs by themselves any longer and rely on contributions from the role players on the roster. If Chicago is to make any real upgrades this season they’ll need all the cap room they can get, and Hinostroza locking down a full-time roster spot for $1.5MM is certainly acceptable.
Drafted in the sixth round in 2012, Hinostroza exploded in two years at Notre Dame and proved he could carry over his junior success to a higher level. After leaving school following his sophomore season, he didn’t look back and continued to dominate at the AHL level. He’ll have to make sure his body can handle the grind of an NHL season, but at this point in his short career no level of hockey has stunted his offensive production. If the Blackhawks are in for a 40+ point season in 2018-19, they’ll certainly take it.
The biggest question remaining in Chicago’s free agent pool is what to do with Anthony Duclair, who came over from the Arizona Coyotes but still wasn’t able to prove himself as a reliable goal-scoring threat. He had just two tallies over the 23 games with Chicago, and though he did accumulate eight points there are plenty of questions about whether he’ll take the next step. After earning $1.2MM last season, Duclair would still likely push for a raise in contract negotiations. After signing Hinostroza, the team likely has less than $10MM in cap space for this summer—though Marian Hossa‘s contract is expected to be traded or put on long-term injured reserve once again.
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John Hayden Signs Two-Year Extension With Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks have signed forward John Hayden to a two-year one-way contract extension that carries a $750K average annual value. Hayden was scheduled to become a restricted free agent for the first time, but will re-sign with the Blackhawks without much trouble.
Hayden, 23, was a third-round selection by the Blackhawks in 2013, but ended up spending four years at Yale University. Though he could have waited and become an unrestricted free agent last summer, he instead signed in March 2017 and immediately jumped into games for the team. That burned through the first year of his entry-level deal, meaning this year—which he split between the NHL and AHL Rockford—was the final season of his contract. Hayden didn’t secure the big second contract that some other college players have in the past few seasons, and much of that is because of his unclear role on the team going forward. In 47 NHL games this season he recorded 13 points, but averaged fewer than 11 minutes a night.
If Chicago is to compete for the Stanley Cup again during the Jonathan Toews–Patrick Kane window, they need players like Hayden to make an impact on relatively inexpensive contracts. Nick Schmaltz and Alex DeBrincat did that this year, but weren’t enough to drag the team to the playoffs. Inconsistent goaltending and a revolving-door blue line took care of that, but with GM Stan Bowman expected to make drastic changes in those areas this summer, players like Hayden will be looked to for a big contribution up front.
Hayden did record 17 points in 24 games for the IceHogs, but isn’t a high-end offensive player. Instead, he’s a big body that can punish defenders on the forecheck and open up some room for teammates. He does have some underrated puck skills, but his role on the Blackhawks going forward is unlikely to be one on the top two lines. Unless he finds a fit like Tom Wilson in Washington, Hayden will have to use his limited minutes to make as much of an impact as he can.
Chicago Prospect Ivan Nalimov Asks For Trade
It’s not often that a player not under contract requests a trade, but Ivan Nalimov is going for it. The Chicago Blackhawks’ 2014 sixth-round pick has asked for his rights to be dealt to another NHL team, reports The Athletic’s Scott Powers. As one of the KHL’s best young goaltenders, Nalimov feels that he has earned a shot at the NHL next season, but agent Shumi Babaev feels that the opportunity won’t come in Chicago. Nalimov has already terminated his KHL contract for next season and is solely focused on the NHL, but doesn’t want to waste the prime of his career buried in the minors behind the Blackhawks’ many goalies. As a result, the young netminder would like to be moved to a team where he might have a greater chance at play time.
Nalimov, 23, is coming off of a season that was impressive for many reasons. Right away, it is easy to tell that this was a career campaign for the homegrown Russian goaltender and former KHL first-round pick. The big keeper finally put it all together in 2017-18 and posted a .938 SV% and 2.13 GAA in 23 appearances. His save percentage was among the best in the league, fourth among all goalies with 20+ appearances, and his goals against average was in the top 15 of that same group. However, a closer inspection makes those numbers even more impressive, as Nalimov was traded mid-season. Serving behind Igor Bobkov with Admiral Vladisvostok, Nalimov proved himself to be the best backup in the KHL this season with a .942 SV% and 1.98 GAA in 17 games. With his value escalating, he was moved to Salavat Yulaev Ufa to back up Ben Scrivens and hardly missed a beat in six more games there. His numbers fell off slightly, but his performance trumped the team’s existing backup and helped Ufa in their playoff pursuit, earning Nalimov some postseason appearances of his own. Nalimov not only performed at a high level this year, but did so with two teams and was unshaken by the adjustment. It’s understandable why he feels now would be the perfect time to make the ultimate adjustment and try his hand at the NHL.
Yet, Chicago is an unlikely location for that to happen. As Powers writes, the Blackhawks have three NHL-caliber goalies already under contract for next season in starter Corey Crawford and backups Anton Forsberg and J-F Berube, not to mention another pair of prospects signed to pro deals who already seem permanently relegated to the minors next season. In speaking with both Nalimov’s agent and Chicago GM Stan Bowman, Powers states that the ‘Hawks really like Nalimov, but perhaps didn’t anticipate that he would develop this quickly or wish to come overseas this soon. They also might have underestimated his ceiling, as Chicago did spend a third-round pick on German standout Wouter Peeters just two years ago. Regardless, the Blackhawks do not have to listen to Nalimov’s request and they can retain his rights perpetually, but this could sour the young goalie on coming to North America altogether. If the decision is between potentially losing Nalimov forever due to a broken relationship or trading him away for at least some type of return, Bowman and company are likely to shop the prospect this summer.
Minor Notes: DiDomenico, Redmond, Crunch
After fighting his way back to the NHL for 27 contests over the last two seasons, Chris DiDomenico has decided to return to Switzerland. The Rockford IceHogs announced today that DiDomenico had officially signed with the SCL Tigers of the NLA, leaving the minor league club after an outstanding playoff run. DiDomenico had made it back to the NHL with the Ottawa Senators before being traded to Chicago earlier this year. He never saw any time with the Blackhawks down the stretch, but did record 41 points in 35 games for the IceHogs including both regular season and playoff games.
It’s clear that DiDomenico would rather play in Europe than the minor leagues, as he already left back in 2012. Playing in Italy and Switzerland, DiDomenico dominated the lower leagues before recording 76 points in 94 games in the NLA. Once a sixth-round pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs, one would have to think this is close to the end of the NHL dream for the 29-year old forward.
- On the other hand, the Rochester Americans have signed defenseman Zach Redmond to a two-year AHL contract. That’s a big deal for a Buffalo Sabres franchise that is trying to improve the success of their minor league system without hamstringing the NHL club. Redmond is a veteran NHL player with 133 games under his belt, but won’t even take a contract spot away from the Sabres while he’s playing on this deal. The 29-year old must have either liked how the organization treated him after coming over from Montreal, or not believed that he could get a two-way contract anywhere else—or perhaps, both. Redmond recorded 47 points in 66 games for the Americans last season, and could easily be included in their leadership group this year.
- The Syracuse Crunch have also locked up a pair of players on AHL contracts, signing forwards Troy Bourke and Brady Brassart to one-year deals. Bourke was actually a third-round pick of the Colorado Avalanche in 2012, but hasn’t been able to find his footing in the minor leagues and spent most of last season in the ECHL. He dominated that league though, and along with Brassart will try to make the jump to the AHL on a more full-time basis in 2018-19.
Hurricanes Interested In Brandon Saad
- Among the pieces that the Hurricanes are interested in from Chicago in their trade talks regarding defenseman Justin Faulk and goaltender Scott Darling is winger Brandon Saad, reports Mark Lazerus of the Chicago Sun-Times. The 25-year-old failed to have the type of impact the Blackhawks were hoping for when they reacquired him last year as part of the Artemi Panarin trade. However, after averaging 51 points over the previous four seasons, it’s reasonable to expect that he will have a bounce-back campaign in 2018-19, something that Carolina likely believes as well.
Chicago Blackhawks Sign Henri Jokiharju To Entry-Level Contract
The Chicago Blackhawks have inked one of their top prospects, signing Henri Jokiharju to his three-year entry-level contract. Jokiharju played this season in the WHL with the Portland Winterhawks, while also suiting up for Finland at the World Junior Championship.
Jokiharju, 18, exploded for Portland this season, recording 71 points in 63 games and generally being one of the best defensemen in the league. Named a second-team WHL All-Star, Jokiharju would likely be in the mix for Defenseman of the Year should he return to Portland next season. That isn’t guaranteed though, as some believe he could make an impact with the Blackhawks, or perhaps return to Finland to continue his development at a higher level.
Regardless of where he plays next season, the Blackhawks are extremely excited about his early development. Selected 29th-overall in 2017, he is quickly showing he may have been a steal that late in the round. If he plays in junior or Europe next season, his contract will slide and not come into effect until 2019-20. He could even play up to nine games with the Blackhawks without burning a year.
Chicago Blackhawks Discussed Justin Faulk, Scott Darling
The Chicago Blackhawks need to find a way to get back to the playoffs next season, or risk wasting another year of Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews while they are still effective. Though there is another wave of talent coming, the Blackhawks live and die with their two superstar forwards and still believe that their championship window is open.
To that end, Scott Powers of The Athletic (subscription required) reports that the team has spoken with the Carolina Hurricanes about defenseman Justin Faulk and former Blackhawks goaltender Scott Darling. The former is expected to be on the market as the Hurricanes look to cash in on some of their defensive assets, while the latter was a disaster in his first season in Carolina and could be on the way out.
Faulk, 26, is signed for two more seasons at a $4.83MM cap hit but actually carries a salary of $6MM each year. The Blackhawks can certainly afford the bump in salary relative to cap hit, while the Hurricanes aren’t quite as flush with cash—historically at least, new owner Tom Dundon could have changed that.
The right-handed defenseman would fit perfectly into Chicago’s blue line, which struggled to create offense this season and has few reliable options on the right side now that Brent Seabrook has started his decline. Faulk is an excellent offensive player that can drive possession and score goals in all situations, something that could help take some of the pressure off of Duncan Keith, who even in arguably the worst offensive season of his career easily led all Blackhawk defenders in points.
Darling on the other hand would return to Chicago with a contract too big for his performance last season, but with the skills to still help the team in net. With Corey Crawford struggling through injury and the backup position not exactly stable, his presence could help them find some consistency should he bounce back next season.
The Hurricanes, for what it’s worth, have identified goaltending as a place for change this summer and admitted that bringing back the same two netminders would be foolish. Cam Ward is expected to reach unrestricted free agency in a few weeks, but Darling could also find himself on the way out if Carolina can land a true starting goaltender at some point.
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Chicago Blackhawks Agree To Terms With Andreas Martinsen
The Chicago Blackhawks have decided to bring back Andreas Martinsen for another year, signing the hulking forward to a one-year extension. No word yet on if the deal is a two-way contract, or what cap hit it carries. Martinsen was scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1st.
Acquired just before the season began from the Montreal Canadiens, Martinsen ended up playing just nine games for the Blackhawks. Most of his year was spent in the minor leagues with the Rockford IceHogs, where he registered 28 points in 64 games and continued to be the physical presence he’s known for in North America. The Norwegian forward once recorded 41 points in 50 games in the German DEL, but has been a fourth-liner for during his NHL career. With just 19 points in 128 games, he shouldn’t be expected to be much of a contributor to the Hawks offense next season, even if he gets the chance to play in the NHL.
The Blackhawks have several other veteran UFAs in the minors, but are facing an offseason without the huge contract negotiations they’ve faced in the past. With just a few restricted free agents, the team can instead focus a lot of their attention on finding a way to get back to the playoffs in 2018-19. The team should have a little cap wiggle room for the first time in a while, and could be players both on draft day—as they hold two first-round picks—and free agency.
Free Agent Focus: Chicago Blackhawks
Free agency is now a little more than a month away from opening up and there are quite a few prominent players set to hit the open market while many teams have key restricted free agents to re-sign. Here is a breakdown of Chicago’s free agent situation.
Top Restricted Free Agent: F Vinnie Hinostroza — For the second year in a row, Hinostroza got some quality time with the Blackhawks, totallying 99 games in those two seasons. However this year, the 24-year-old forward really showed that he can contribute at a high level. In 50 games this year, Hinostroza found himself working between the second and third lines, totaling seven goals and 25 points, while logging more than 13 minutes of ice time per game. As Chicago becomes more and more reliant on youth to fill in the gap for some of their aging veterans, the team needs Hinostroza to take that next step as a bonafide top-six center.
Having made just $925K this past year, he still is likely to have quite a low salary for a few more years, which is exactly the kind of value the ‘Hawks need to rebound and compete for a playoff spot next year.
Other RFA’s: D Adam Clendening, F Anthony Duclair, F John Hayden, F Tomas Jurco.
Top Unrestricted Free Agent: D Cody Franson — Perhaps a better word is ‘none.’ There are no key unrestricted free agents unless you look real deep on their roster. You would have to look at players who the team moved to Rockford near the trade deadline when the team decided to give their young players as much playing time as possible. Franson was one of those players, who possesses the offensive talents, but lacks the defense to compete at an NHL level and has bounced around the league looking for a permanent home. Don’t count on Chicago being that place as a recent report suggests he’s not expecting to return next season. He tallied just a goal and six assists in 23 games, but was put on waivers in January.
Other UFA’s: F Lance Bouma, F Christopher Didomenico, G Jeff Glass, F Andreas Martinsen, D Michal Rozsival, D Viktor Svedberg, F Jordin Tootoo.
Projected Cap Space: The salary cap has not been Chicago’s friend over the past few years with big contracts the team handed out to Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook, among others. However, the team has done a good job of moving some contracts and have $6.1MM of cap space available to them, and that’s not including the assumption the cap could go up $5MM next season. The team might have the ability to bring in a free agent or two to help aid the veterans in making a playoff comeback this year. While it’s not likely to include a high-priced free agent, their available cap space should be an asset for the coming season.