A total of 21 prospects quietly became unrestricted free agents over the weekend. Chicago has dipped their toes into the market once again as PuckPedia reports (Twitter link) that the Blackhawks have signed winger Cameron Morrison to a two-year, entry-level contract. Financial terms of the deal are not yet known.
Morrison was a second-round pick of Colorado back in 2016 (40th overall) out of Youngstown of the USHL where he finished tied for second in league scoring. While his production didn’t entirely carry over to his college career at Notre Dame, he was quite consistent offensively, picking up between 21 and 27 points in each of his four seasons. He saved the best for last, picking up 13 goals and 14 assists in 37 contests this year.
The 21-year-old didn’t reach an agreement with the Avalanche so with his college eligibility now exhausted, he became a free agent although he wasn’t on the market for long. Chicago has a long track record in recent years signing college players and several of them have worked their way into the lineup along the way. On the surface, it’s unlikely that Morrison would crack their roster for next season but he should start with AHL Rockford; as things stand, they’re hoping to start the 2020-21 campaign in December similar to the NHL’s plans.