Three Ideal Free Agency Scraps For The Blackhawks

June 28th was a big day for the Blackhawks because they added a new top defenseman to their prospect pool along with two high-upside forwards in the draft, but that was mere child’s play compared to July 1st, which proved to be the biggest day of the summer for Chicago. The team was shockingly active from the moment free agency opened that day, signing the biggest class in the NHL with a total of eight players.

Now that we’re a month and a half removed from that thrilling day, things have quieted down around the NHL considerably. Pretty much every big-name free agent has found a new home and it seems like every GM is hibernating in preparation for a flurry of decisions in next month’s training camp. The Blackhawks have plenty of roster decisions to make themselves, but those can be put on hold until the players return to the ice.

Despite the fact that NHL free agency has gone dormant, a few intriguing names have slipped through the cracks. A handful of players who belong on NHL rosters, like Tyler Johnson, are still waiting to be signed. Though the Blackhawks’ roster is jammed enough as it is, adding talent is never a bad thing, and they could be poised to do so by snatching up free agents for pennies on the dollar. Three names in particular stand out as possible candidates, unlikely as it may seem.

James van Riemsdyk

Widely considered the best remaining free agent on the market, van Riemsdyk would be an interesting name for the Blackhawks to target. He’s 35 years old, so there’s not much long-term appeal there, but Chicago has also made it clear this summer that they aren’t limiting themselves based on a player’s age, provided that player can contribute to the team’s success this season. JVR has the track record to prove he can do just that – his production has slipped a bit in recent years but is still a near-lock for 35-45 points. Van Riemsdyk has enough left in the tank to be a valuable role player for any team, and the Blackhawks would have to pay him almost nothing to join their bottom six.

Filip Zadina

On the other side of the NHL age range, a 24-year-old Zadina could be of interest to the Blackhawks as well. He’s coming off a terrible season with the Sharks in which he logged 23 points and a plus-minus of -44, but is also a former sixth-overall pick who has exhibited a two-way, complete game at times in his young career. Though Zadina may have expected to stay in the NHL during free agency, he hasn’t been signed yet and would put pen to paper on any deal. Chicago could offer him the league minimum on a two-way contract, letting the high-upside forward eat in Rockford for the time being. Then, if and when injuries open up a hole on the forward lines, Zadina could be a serviceable placeholder that would allow the younger skaters to not rush their development.

Nick Cousins

There’s no such thing as too many power forwards on a team, and Cousins is an example of an agitator who would fare well in Chicago. The Blackhawks’ roster has gotten unquestionably bigger, stronger, and more experienced, but there’s still room for a 31-year-old forward who holds things down defensively, using his physical play to free up his teammates to score. Cousins won’t contribute a ton offensively, but with little cost to acquire him, Chicago should at least take a closer look.

At this point in the Blackhawks’ rebuild, I would love to see a handful of young stars begin to trickle their way into the lineup between the veterans brought in this summer. It appears Chicago has plenty of help after a big first day of free agency last month. However, the remaining free agents could be signed for near the league minimum and can still contribute one way or another, provided they don’t hamper the development of the Blackhawks’ future cornerstones.