At 28 years old, Blackhawks center Andreas Athanasiou seems to have decided that it’s time to settle down.
Over the span of the past three years, he’s played for a total of four teams. He was signed by the Red Wings, Kings, and Blackhawks to one-year deals, and was also traded from the Red Wings to Edmonton in 2020. When asked about it last week, he said, “It’s fun moving every year,” sarcastically. With unrestricted free agency pending in July, it’s clear he’s prioritizing long-term stability and hoping to sign a multi-year deal for a change.
Rise To The Top
Athanasiou was a leader on the ice for the Blackhawks this year, especially toward the end of the season. He refused to play passively and lose games while tanking for Connor Bedard. Instead, he opted to step up, scoring 12 points (six goals, six assists) in his final eight games. In the season finale, he put up three points (one goal, two assists), almost single-handedly sending his team to overtime.
Home-Ice Advantage?
At least for now, it seems as if Chicago may have a leg up on its fellow suitors when Athanasiou hits the open market. As long as the Blackhawks can come up with a somewhat competitive offer, they should be able to retain him for the future. He believes he could be a great fit on this young, rebuilding team, helping them to get back into contention by being an experienced leader:
“There’s a lot of young skill that’s coming up here and it’s pretty exciting. To be a part of it would be fun too.”
He later said that he would “love to be a Blackhawk” at the end of this offseason, and the Blackhawks would undoubtedly love to have him back. He was a top producer for them throughout the entirety of the 2022-23 season, playing in 81 games and recording 20 goals and 20 assists.
In A Sticky Spot
However, there may not be a middle ground for Athanasiou and GM Kyle Davidson to meet at. It isn’t clear what exactly Athanasiou has in mind for his next deal. It obviously isn’t a one-year deal. There are still multiple directions it could go in, however. Is he looking for a two or three-year contract, just so that he can have more time to get into a groove with his new squad? Or is he looking to sign the final deal of his career, going under contract for the better part of the next decade?
A Small Window Of Opportunity
If his ideal contract is around the three-year deal range, there’s a chance the Blackhawks could try to retain him. In that scenario, if he signed for a reasonably low amount, he could be a staple in the top nine for the team, helping stabilize them a bit throughout their transition period and offering a veteran presence to a team currently lacking any at all.
The Blackhawks are unlikely to sign him for any longer than two or three years if they have the opportunity, no matter the size of the contract. Davidson has made it clear time and time again that he’s looking to maintain flexibility under the cap for the team’s future, so it’s doubtful that he’ll sign anyone longer than around three years (besides Seth Jones, of course).
At first glance, it seems as if the window to sign Andreas Athanasiou could be small this summer. He doesn’t want a short-term deal, and the Blackhawks can’t offer him a long-term one. However, it’s not out of the question for the two parties to be able to find a middle ground, and both might be able to muster a three-year deal or something similar.
