This offseason was one that will ultimately define the Blackhawks’ rebuild for years to come. It was generally agreed upon that Chicago wasn’t quite ready for playoff contention in the upcoming season, but GM Kyle Davidson opened the checkbook anyway, signing eight free agents and making use of his plethora of cap space.
In the flurry of moves this summer, it can be difficult to determine which ones are actually important. Sure, re-signing Joey Anderson and adding Craig Smith are moves that will ultimately benefit the team, but they don’t matter too much in the grand scope of the franchise. Five moves in particular genuinely moved the needle this summer.
5. Trading for Ilya Mikheyev
Because it came right before the draft and free agency, this move pretty much flew under the radar for many Blackhawks fans. However, Chicago acquired him for just about nothing, and Mikheyev should be a significant contributor for them this year. In a pure cap-dump situation, the Blackhawks got Mikheyev, the rights to Sam Lafferty (which they did not exercise), and a 2027 second-rounder while giving up a 2027 fourth and forcing Vancouver to retain a bit of Mikheyev’s salary. Chicago will owe him $4,037,500 for each of the next two years.
In the past, Mikheyev has been good for around 30 points a season, and he’ll be a great fit in the middle six, playing next to a skater like Andreas Athanasiou or Jason Dickinson.
4. Alex Vlasic extension
The only reason this move wasn’t higher on the list was because it was expected – Vlasic was facing RFA status after a season that cemented him as one of the league’s top defensive defensemen. However, not many predicted that he would sign such a team-friendly deal. Vlasic’s six-year, $4.6 million-AAV contract was a huge win for the franchise. His metrics are among the best at his position in the entire NHL, and assuming he continues on his path of success, Vlasic will be one of the biggest steals in the league for years to come.
3. Tyler Bertuzzi signing
Even though he was a bit expensive at $5.5 million annually for the next four years, Bertuzzi has the perfect profile to be a top-line winger for the team this fall. The 29-year-old is a physical agitator, but also possesses great scoring abilities, putting up 21 goals and 22 assists last season. He’ll be a great fit to protect Connor Bedard with his physical side while also providing a lethal scoring touch that will help the 19-year-old rack up points. His contract is also long enough to provide stability to Chicago without handcuffing them to him long-term if he takes a step back.
2. Teuvo Teravainen signing
Turbo is back! The Blackhawks highlighted this summer by re-signing their former 18th-overall pick to a three-year deal with a cap hit of $5.4 million. Teravainen is another player who should potentially slot in alongside Bedard at some point this year, though Philipp Kurashev could be the better option because of the chemistry between the two. Either way, Teravainen will undoubtedly play a huge role in Chicago’s revamped offense. He’s scored 60 points four times in his career and picked up 53 points last season. Teravainen wasn’t too expensive and will be a huge boost for a changing Blackhawks offense.
1. Laurent Brossoit signing
The signings of Teravainen and Bertuzzi made bigger waves this summer, but for my money, Brossoit will have the biggest impact of any offseason signing this year. Brossoit profiles as a backup goaltender, just like he did on the Jets behind Connor Hellebuyck last season. But in that role, Brossoit was nearly flawless, posting a goals-against average of two and a save percentage of .927 in 23 games. After a year like that, Brossoit will likely get more starts with Chicago – I expect him to serve in a more 50/50 role with Petr Mrazek. After trudging through a year with Arvid Soderblom in net, the Blackhawks having two of the better goaltenders in the league will be a breath of fresh air, especially as the defense improves in front of them at the same time.
