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Blackhawks Sign Taige Harding To Entry-Level Deal

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The Blackhawks announced they’ve agreed to terms with defenseman Taige Harding on a two-year entry-level contract for the 2025-26 and 2026-27 seasons. His contract carries a cap hit of $880K and breaks down as follows, per PuckPedia:

2025-26: $775K NHL salary, $92.5K signing bonus, $57.5K games played bonus, $80K minors salary
2026-27: $800K NHL salary, $92.5K signing bonus, $32.5K games played bonus, $80K minors salary

While Harding won’t be eligible to make his NHL debut until the fall, he’ll get his first taste of professional hockey down the stretch on a tryout with AHL Rockford, the team confirmed. The Scotland native and Canadian national lands a deal after four seasons with Providence College, which also saw 2024 first-round pick Trevor Connelly sign his entry-level contract with the Golden Knights today.

Harding was a third-round pick by Chicago in 2021 from the Fort McMurray Oil Barons of the Alberta Junior Hockey League. The monster 6’6″, 235-lb lefty jumped to the Friars midway through the following season. While his ability to box out opponents, given his size, is the foremost aspect of his upside, he’s a good outlet passer and has had his point totals reflect that in college. He totaled a respectable 8-32–40 scoring line through 123 games at Providence, boasting a +20 rating. This year, Harding recorded a career-high 46 PIMs and posted 2-12–14 in 37 games with a plus-nine mark.

The 23-year-old isn’t among the top 15 prospects in an exceedingly deep Blackhawks prospect pool, and Scott Wheeler of The Athletic wrote in February that he most likely tops out as AHL depth. Nonetheless, he’s got the tools to peak as a bottom-pairing presence for Chicago someday after a quietly stable run of play in college. He’ll be an RFA in 2027; he also becomes the 31st player under contract for the Hawks next year.

Poll: Which College Signing Will Make The Biggest Impact In 2024-25?

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A contract signing frenzy has broken out across the NHL as the NCAA season draws to a close. Teams are in a mad dash to lock up their star prospects, or sign impactful free agents who slipped through the cracks of the draft. The range of outcomes for these fresh pro recruits will stretch across the hockey world. Some will finish their seasons on amateur try-out contracts in the minor leagues, while others have earned a proud AHL shot, and even more find themselves suddenly thrust into the NHL lineup. The group of signees is headlined by prospects with years of anticipation behind them, joining teams with important games left on the docket. Those big additions lead to the natural next question – which college signing will make the biggest impact through the remainder of the year?

University of Minnesota star Jimmy Snuggerud may be an easy top guess. The 20-year-old right-wing has joined a St. Louis Blues team in the midst of a nine-game win-streak that’s propelled them into a confident playoff spot. St. Louis’ success has come in no small part thanks to rookie Zachary Bolduc, who has 16 goals and 31 points in 65 games this season. He’s been backed by other thriving young forwards, like Dylan Holloway and Jake Neighbours. The Blues have leaned into their youth movement by promoting top AHL scorer Dalibor Dvorsky to the top flight, after he potted 20 goals and 43 points in 57 minor league games. Now, St. Louis also adds the snappy shot of Snuggerud after he managed a dazzling 24 goals and 51 points in 40 games of his junior season. Snuggerud doesn’t shy away from physicality and plays a cool, calm, and collected game that should blend well with a Blues offense that’s firing on all cylinders since the calendar turned over.

But St. Louis’ Central Division rivals have a pair of new faces who could find their way to a big splash. The Chicago Blackhawks may be well outside of postseason contention, but they’ve received their own injection of young potential by signing Snuggerud’s UMN teammates, centerman Oliver Moore and defenseman Sam Rinzel. Both players filled top-end roles for the Gophers this season, to dazzling results. Rinzel took home the Big Ten’s ’Defenseman of the Year’ honors this year, after recording 10 goals and 32 points in 40 games of his sophomore season. Moore just narrowly outscored him, potting 12 goals and 33 points in 38 games of his own. The pair have already made their NHL debuts – and while neither scored, they were both instantly noticeable amid a Blackhawks offense that’s slowed down as of late. Chicago is looking towards the future as the season draws to a close, and strong performances out of Moore or Rinzel could go a long way towards cementing their top-of-the-lineup role through next season. It seems Rinzel’s spot may already be locked up – after he recorded over 20 minutes of ice time and four shots on net in his debut.

There’s even more to watch from Gopher alums in the Central Division – with Matthew Wood inking a deal with the Nashville Predators after completing his junior year at UMN. Wood ranked second on the Gophers in scoring behind Snuggerud, with 17 goals and 39 points in 39 games this season. It was an impressive performance for the fresh-transfer – but perhaps even more impressive, it was Wood’s first time not leading his team in scoring since he made his junior hockey debut in the 2020-21 season. He’s a fierce shooter, with the heft and skating to push his way into space, even against top competition. He could quickly find a role on a Predators team that lost Mark Jankowski at the Trade Deadline – and one that’s in desperate need of a booming top prospect to spark hopes.

While the Gophers look to take control of the Central Division, the Metropolitan Division could soon be controlled by Eagles. Boston College stars Ryan Leonard and Gabe Perreault have inked their first pro deals, signing with the Washington Capitals and New York Rangers respectively. The duo are absolute top prospects who have spent the vast majority of the last four seasons playing on the same line. Leonard is a beefy sniper capable of driving down the boards with speed and getting the puck on net quick. Perreault is a bit more nimble – and uses a strong drive to overwhelm opponents on the forecheck and quick hands to beat them in his paths to the net. Both have done nothing but sparkle with their individual efforts, and seem fully capable of translating at least some of their upside to the NHL right away. Leonard will join the best team in the league, while Perreault will join a squad currently in tight contention for the Eastern Conference’s second Wild Card. Both roles should lead to major roles that could lead the top names to quick scoring.

Plenty of other signings across the hockey world could pay off sooner rather than later. Even if they don’t, the chance to watch top prospects finally donning their NHL jerseys is hard no to be excited over. Who do you think will make the biggest impact? Vote below:

For mobile users, click here to vote.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports.

Blackhawks Prospect Sacha Boisvert Enters Transfer Portal

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It has been a busy few days for some of Chicago’s first-round picks.  Over the weekend, the Blackhawks signed defenseman Sam Rinzel (a 2022 first-round pick) center Oliver Moore (a 2023 first-rounder) to entry-level contracts and gave them their NHL debuts on Sunday.  One of their first-round picks from 2024 will have a new team as well, just not at the professional level.

Scott Powers of The Athletic reports (Twitter link) that center Sacha Boisvert has entered the NCAA transfer portal.  After spending his freshman year at the University of North Dakota, he’ll be on the lookout for a new school to play for next season.

Boisvert was the 18th-overall selection last June following a solid second year with USHL Muskegon.  The 19-year-old recorded 36 goals and 32 assists in 61 games with the Lumberjacks last season which had him ranked in the 20s by most scouting services.  Clearly, Chicago felt a little stronger about his upside, selecting him with one of the top post-lottery picks.

On the surface, Boisvert’s decision to play elsewhere is a bit surprising.  He had a solid freshman year for the Fighting Hawks, tallying 18 goals and 14 assists in 37 games.  His 32 points led the team which is particularly notable among a group of skaters that featured 14 NHL draft picks.  Already getting a prominent role, he’ll look to find a better fit somewhere else in the coming weeks.

When he was drafted, Boisvert was viewed as a bit of a project selection who would need several years of college hockey before being ready to turn pro.  This news doesn’t accelerate that timeline, instead likely cementing it.  But after a strong first season of college, Boisvert seems to be on the right track development-wise, even if he’s setting out to chart a new path.

Blackhawks Sign Sam Rinzel

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11:03 AM: The Blackhawks officially confirmed Rinzel’s signing.

10:17 AM: It appears Oliver Moore won’t be the only prominent prospect that the Blackhawks will be signing.  Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli reports (Twitter link) that Chicago is also inking defenseman Sam Rinzel to a three-year, entry-level deal that begins this season.  PuckPedia adds (Twitter link) that the contract will break down as follows:

2024-25: $830K salary, $95K signing bonus, $25K games-played bonus
2025-26: $855K salary, $95K signing bonus, $500K ‘A’ bonuses
2026-27: $855K salary, $95K signing bonus, $750K ‘A’ bonuses

The above works out to a cap hit of $942K and an AAV of 1.363MM.  Rinzel isn’t eligible for ‘A’ bonuses in his contract this season since they’re unachievable with how little time is remaining in the schedule.

The 20-year-old was the 25th overall selection by Chicago back in 2022 out of Chaska in Minnesota’s high school system.  At the time, he was viewed as a high-ceiling but a long-term development project.

Rinzel spent his post-draft season exclusively with USHL Waterloo after spending a bit of time there the year before as well.  After a strong year offensively with them, he went on to the University of Minnesota where he has spent the last two seasons.  In his freshman year, Rinzel put up two goals and 26 assists in 38 games while this season, he notched 10 goals and 22 helpers in 40 contests, ranking him sixth among all Division I blueliners in points.

It appears Chicago feels Rinzel is ready for the next test.  Because the contract starts this season, he will not be eligible to play with AHL Rockford once Chicago’s season ends but there’s a good chance he’ll see some time with the IceHogs next season with GM Kyle Davidson shifting toward giving his top prospects a chance to play a prominent role in the minors before getting an extended NHL look.  But for now, Rinzel will be able to get his feet wet at the NHL level and get into a few games with the Blackhawks down the stretch.

Blackhawks Sign Oliver Moore To ELC

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11:02 AM: The Blackhawks officially confirmed Moore’s signing.

9:43 AM: The Chicago Blackhawks are expected to sign college center Oliver Moore to an entry-level contract (as per Scott Powers and Scott Wheeler of The Athletic). Moore was a Blackhawks first-round pick in 2023 (19th overall) and will be leaving college early to sign a pro contract and join Chicago.  PuckPedia reports that the deal, which will carry a cap hit of $942K and an AAV of $1.34MM, breaks down as follows:

2024-25: $830K salary, $95K signing bonus, $25K games-played bonus
2025-26: $855K salary, $95K signing bonus, $600K ‘A’ bonuses
2026-27: $855K salary, $95K signing bonus, $600K ‘A’ bonuses

Moore’s NCAA season came to an end on Thursday when the University of Minnesota was knocked out of the NCAA Tournament, and the expectation is that the 20-year-old will join the Blackhawks today for practice and possibly dress for his NHL debut tomorrow.

Moore finished fourth on the Golden Gophers in scoring this season, his second in the NCAA. The Mounds View, Minnesota native tallied 12 goals and 21 assists in 38 games, along with a +13 plus/minus. In his rookie season last year, Moore posted very similar numbers with nine goals and 24 assists in 39 games and was named to the Big Ten All-Rookie Team. Moore’s college career ultimately ended in disappointment when Minnesota was knocked out of the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, however, he did finish his career on a high, recording points in eight of his final nine college games and ten points overall to wrap his collegiate career.

Moore has also had a decorated international career, winning gold medals with Team USA at back-to-back World Juniors, including this past year where he registered a goal and four assists in seven games.

Moore went through some offensive inconsistencies this season, but he remains a high-end prospect with elite skating abilities and should be an impact player for the Blackhawks in the near future. His versatility will be an asset, and he should bring energy to a Blackhawks team that continues to stockpile young talent.

Blackhawks To Recall Kevin Korchinski

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The Blackhawks are calling up top left-handed defense prospect Kevin Korchinski from AHL Rockford, reports Scott Powers of The Athletic. The seventh overall pick of the 2022 draft could make his first NHL appearance in three months tomorrow night against the Golden Knights.

Korchinski joins a Chicago blue line that boasted just one defender over the age of 23 in its last outing, with veterans T.J. Brodie (healthy) and Alec Martinez (upper body) not dressed. They’ve recently brought up top right-shot prospect Artyom Levshunov, the 2024 second-overall pick. That high-powered duo joins other young names like Louis Crevier, Ethan Del Mastro, and Wyatt Kaiser, who have seen in-season promotions, as the Blackhawks evaluate which of them could appear on their opening night roster next fall.

Unlike Levshunov, Korchinski isn’t a rookie. The 20-year-old was a full-timer on Chicago’s blue line last year but understandably struggled without much support. After being limited to 5-10–15 with a -39 rating in 76 games in 2023-24, the Blackhawks deemed it best for his long-term development to spend more time down a level in Rockford. The IceHogs aren’t the strongest club offensively, producing 2.87 goals per game, and that’s reflected in the team’s stars’ semi-conservative point totals. Korchinski still leads their blue line with 3-24–27 in 54 games, but he’s still behind the curve defensively as he adjusts to professional hockey. His -17 rating is the worst on the team.

However, his upside always primarily stemmed from his skating, offensive involvement, and power-play versatility. He ranks third among Chicago prospects and 28th overall on Scott Wheeler of The Athletic’s most recent ranking of league prospects. While there remains concern about his defensive-zone decision-making, he’s a good stick-checker that could make him an effective transition defender – once the rest of the Blackhawks’ roster is filled out enough to play better system-oriented hockey.

In nine NHL games this season, coming on a December recall, Korchinski went without a point and logged a minus-five rating while seeing 16:46 of ice time per game. He controlled 46.6% of shot attempts and 50% of expected goals at even strength, however, both notable improvements on last year’s possession numbers (44.4 CF%, 40.4 xGF%).

Korchinski, a World Juniors gold medalist with Canada in 2023, still has one year remaining on his entry-level contract and will be a restricted free agent in 2026. He’s under team control for at least five seasons beyond this one and won’t be arbitration-eligible until he logs four seasons with at least 10 NHL games.

Image courtesy of Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports.

Blackhawks’ Jason Dickinson Out For Season

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Blackhawks head coach Anders Sorensen told reporters today that center Jason Dickinson is done for the year after sustaining a wrist injury (via Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times). For now, Chicago still has 12 healthy forwards, so don’t expect a corresponding move – at least not immediately.

A couple of weeks ago, Dickinson returned to the lineup after a high ankle sprain sustained just before the 4 Nations break held him out of a month’s worth of action. He then hurt his wrist while fighting Blues forward Jake Neighbours in the first period of Saturday’s loss and missed Sunday’s game against the Flyers.

He ends his season with 7-9–16 in 59 games, a far cry from his career-best 2023-24 campaign that earned him a two-year, $8.5MM extension. His career high was 22 points when Chicago acquired the pivot from Vancouver during training camp in 2022, but he put up back-to-back 30-point campaigns to begin his Blackhawks tenure – including 22 goals and 13 assists for 35 points last year while playing in all 82 games. It was Dickinson’s first time hitting double-digit goals in his 10-year career, and his plus-four rating on a team with a -111 goal differential earned him outside Selke Trophy consideration.

While Dickinson’s shooting percentage has remained at a respectable 12.5%, he’s not generating individual chances near the rate he did last year. He averaged 0.95 shots on goal per game in 2024-25 compared to 1.54 in 2023-24. He’s also attempting 12% fewer shots per game than last season. Some of that can be attributed to a marginal decrease in average ice time (15:42, down from 16:34), but it’s still a disappointing regression.

He remains an effective checking forward, winning under 49.5% of his draws while contributing 53 blocks and 102 hits. Unfortunately, his substantial possession impacts from last year also nosedived in 2024-25. His expected rating dropped from -4.3 to -10.9 at even strength, while his CF% decreased from 46.4 to 43.4. That’s amid a slight overall increase in Chicago’s 5v5 possession play, checking in at 44.7% of shot attempts so far in 2024-25 after finishing with 44.3% in 2023-24.

Dickinson had spent the majority of his time in the lineup centering a line with Ilya Mikheyev and Teuvo Teräväinen. Captain Nick Foligno assumed that role against Philly and could do so for the remainder of the year, although the Hawks have shuffled their lines frequently in the past few months.

Jason Dickinson and Alec Martinez Out With Injuries

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Chicago Blackhawks’ forward Jason Dickinson and defenseman Alec Martinez were both out of the lineup in today’s 7-4 win against the Flyers after leaving yesterday’s game early with injury, per WGN Radio reporter Charlie Roumeliotis. Both players sustained undisclosed injuries in Saturday’s 4-1 loss against the Blues and both only registered six shifts before being removed. In 59 games, Dickinson has recorded 7 goals and 16 points this season, a disappointing showing after setting a career high 22 goals and 35 points last season in Chicago. The veteran Martinez has recorded 12 points, 80 blocked shots, and a minus-15 rating in his first season with the Blackhawks. Martinez, who has appeared in 861 career games, signed a one-year, $4MM contract with Chicago this past summer and will be a free agent at the end of the season.

Jason Dickinson, Alec Martinez Out With Injuries

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  • The Chicago Blackhawks lost a pair of players during yesterday’s loss to the St. Louis Blues, announcing forward Jason Dickinson and defenseman Alec Martinez had each left the game due to injuries. Chicago hasn’t provided any meaningful updates to either player’s status at the time of writing, and both are questionable for today’s afternoon contest against the Philadelphia Flyers. Neither Dickinson nor Martinez played in more than five minutes of yesterday’s contest, and the pair went scoreless.

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Dach Out Due To Elbow Injury

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  • Blackhawks winger Colton Dach won’t play tonight against St. Louis due to an elbow injury, relays NHL.com’s Tracey Myers (Twitter link). The 22-year-old has been a regular for Chicago since being recalled in early January, getting into 25 games.  In those outings, he has two goals and five assists along with 86 assists while averaging a little over 12 minutes a night in his first taste of NHL action.

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