The Chicago Blackhawks and Kyle Davidson wasted no time making moves when NHL free agency opened on July 1. Signing reports began circulating early Monday morning, showing that Davidson means business this offseason.
Here are all the moves the Blackhawks have made so far.
Forward Joey Anderson
The Blackhawks are bringing back Joey Anderson, who reportedly agreed to terms on a two-year extension with a salary cap hit of $800,000.
The Blackhawks did not extend a qualifying offer to Anderson before Sunday’s deadline, but that was because he was arbitration eligible. The two sides continued to talk about an extension and quickly resolved it on Monday.
Anderson, 26, started last season with the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs and was waived midway through the season due to a ridiculous amount of injuries with the Blackhawks. He played so well that he stayed up for good after racking up a career-high 17 points (five goals, 12 assists) in 55 games.
With the free agent signings of Tyler Bertuzzi, Teuvo Teravainen and Craig Smith, the acquisition of Ilya Mikheyev and the imminent return of Taylor Hall
The Blackhawks have signed forward Tyler Bertuzzi to a four-year, $5.5 million contract.
Bertuzzi, 29, recorded 43 points (21 goals, 22 assists) in 80 games last season with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He had four points (one goal, three assists) in seven postseason games.
Bertuzzi is exactly the type of top-six forward the Blackhawks needed to land this summer. He’s a disruptive player to play against and makes his living going into dirty areas, which sounds like an ideal winger for Connor Bedard.
Bertuzzi scored 30 goals and 62 points in 80 games with the Detroit Red Wings just two years ago. He also has a respectable offensive ceiling.
The Blackhawks have signed forward Teuvo Teravainen to a three-year, $5.4 million contract.
Teravainen was originally selected by the Blackhawks with the 18th overall pick in the 2012 NHL Draft. He played three years in Chicago and was part of the Stanley Cup-winning team in 2015 before being traded to Carolina, where he has spent the past eight seasons.
Teravainen, 29, had 53 points (25 goals, 28 assists) in 76 games last season with the Hurricanes. He has scored 60 points on four occasions and 20 goals on four occasions.
The Blackhawks have signed veteran defenseman Alec Martinez to a one-year, $4 million contract, according to Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff.
Martinez, 36, recorded 17 points (four goals, 13 assists) in 55 games last season for the Vegas Golden Knights. He missed some time with a lower-body injury but averaged 19:02 of ice time when healthy.
Martínez is a three-time Stanley Cup champion after winning two with Los Angeles (2012 and 2014) and one with Las Vegas (2023). Among his notable achievements are the game-winning goal in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals against the Blackhawks in overtime in 2014, and the Stanley Cup-clinching goal in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals. Stanley Cup against the New York Rangers.
The Blackhawks have signed three-time Stanley Cup champion Pat Maroon. It’s a one-year deal with a $1.3 million cap hit.
Maroon, 36, recorded 16 points (four goals, 12 assists) in 49 games with the Minnesota Wild last season before being traded to Boston. He appeared in just two regular-season games with the Bruins but had two assists in 13 postseason games.
Maroon brings a veteran presence, some grit to his game, experience and a winning attitude to the young Blackhawks locker room. He won a Stanley Cup with St. Louis in 2019 and two with Tampa Bay in 2020 and 2021.
Goalkeeper Laurent Brossoit
The Blackhawks are signing backup goaltender Laurent Brossoit to a two-year contract with a $3.3 million cap hit, according to multiple reports.
Brossoit, 31, went 15-5-2 with a 2.00 average against, a .927 save percentage and three shutouts in 23 appearances last season with the Winnipeg Jets. He spent the previous two seasons in Las Vegas, where he was part of a Stanley Cup after playing in eight postseason games and winning five of them.
With Petr Mrazek firmly entrenched as Chicago’s number one goalie for the next two years, the Blackhawks added some help with the addition of Brossoit. Arvid Söderblom has had a rough season and appears to be competing for a spot on the team.
The Chicago Blackhawks have reportedly agreed to terms with forward Craig Smith on a one-year contract. It is expected to carry a $1 million salary cap hit.
Smith, 34, recorded 20 points (11 goals, nine assists) in 75 games last season with the Dallas Stars. He also had two assists in 14 postseason games.
Smith can play either full-back or centre, but hasn’t played much in the centre lately. He’s better suited to playing in the back six, probably in more of a fourth-line role.
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