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Blackhawks Place Nikita Zaitsev On IR, Recall Louis Crevier

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The Blackhawks placed defenseman Nikita Zaitsev on IR with a right knee injury Wednesday, per NBC Sports Chicago’s Charlie Roumeliotis. To replace him on the active roster, the team recalled Louis Crevier from AHL Rockford.

Zaitsev logged 8:46 in last night’s shootout win over the Sharks before leaving the game. The 32-year-old had played in all eight Blackhawks games since New Year’s Day after missing the last two games of 2023 with an illness.

A frequent healthy scratch to begin the campaign, Zaitsev stepped into a more regular role in the lineup last month with injuries decimating Chicago at every position. Their defense has gotten healthier recently with the return of Seth Jones, but veteran Connor Murphy is now day to day with a lower-body injury. Zaitsev is the only Blackhawks defender on IR, joining a remarkable eight forwards – many of whom would be in the team’s top six if healthy.

Zaitsev’s bloated seven-year, $31.5MM contract is coming to an end next summer, but he’s providing a tad more value this season with more zone starts in the offensive end. He’s notched 2-5–7 in 26 games this year, and his pairing with rookie Kevin Korchinski has been Chicago’s best at controlling possession with a 46.9% expected goals share, per MoneyPuck. Interestingly, Korchinski has graded out far better defensively alongside Zaitsev than when paired with either Jones or Murphy.

The massive Crevier, who stands at 6-foot-8 and nearly 230 lbs., receives his second recall of the season. The 22-year-old played in 13 games between Dec. 2 and Jan. 9, logging three assists and a -7 rating in 16:08 of ice time per game. The 2020 seventh-round pick has notably gone without scoring a goal since May 25, 2022, during the QMJHL postseason as a member of the Québéc Remparts. In 80 games with AHL Rockford since turning pro in 2022, he has 10 assists and a -1 rating.

Mutual Interest Between Blackhawks And Petr Mrazek In A Contract Extension

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The Blackhawks have been busy in recent days with the two-year extensions that they’ve handed out to winger Nick Foligno and center Jason Dickinson.  It appears as if they may not be done on that front as ESPN’s Kevin Weekes reports (Twitter link) that there is mutual interest in exploring a possible extension with goaltender Petr Mrazek; Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli suggests the netminder is likely to be the next one to ink a new deal to stay in Chicago.

The 31-year-old came to the Blackhawks back in 2022 in a salary-dumping move by Toronto.  Mrazek struggled in his first season with the team but has fared much better this season, posting a .913 SV% through his first 29 games.  That puts him in the top 20 league-wide among goalies with at least 10 appearances so far while doing so on an injury-ravaged rebuilding team that’s in a battle for the basement.

Mrazek is currently making $3.8MM and while that amount might seem high for a netminder who has been more of a platoon player throughout his career, the market rate for those types of goalies has gone up in recent years.  A year ago, it looked as if he was heading for a considerable cut in pay but now, something around this price point, if not a small raise, is within the realm of possibility on a short-term agreement.

The Blackhawks have 24-year-old Arvid Soderblom as their other goaltender and he has struggled considerably this season, posting a save percentage of just .875.  Meanwhile, Drew Commesso is one of their better prospects but the 21-year-old has struggled a bit with the IceHogs, posting a .894 SV% through his first 17 appearances.  Jaxson Stauber, who made six appearances with Chicago last season, hasn’t fared any better with Rockford either.

Accordingly, having a veteran netminder around for another year or two makes some sense for GM Kyle Davidson.  It seems that his preference for now is that Mrazek continues to be that veteran option, a desire that appears to be mutual.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Connor Murphy Out With Lower-Body Injury

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  • Joining the growing list of injured members of the Chicago Blackhawks, defenseman Connor Murphy is out with a lower-body injury according to Mark Lazerus of The Athletic. He will not play in the team’s game tonight against the San Jose Sharks, but the team is hoping Murphy can draw back in tomorrow against the Buffalo Sabres. Now one of the longest-tenured Blackhawks on the team, Murphy has scored two goals and eight points in 43 games, averaging nearly 20 minutes of ice time per game.

    [SOURCE LINK]

Blackhawks Sign Jason Dickinson To A Two-Year Extension

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The Chicago Blackhawks have announced that they’ve signed forward Jason Dickinson to a two-year, $8.5MM contract extension that will keep him with the club through the 2025-26 season. Dickinson was set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1st but opted to remain with the Blackhawks for the next two seasons. The extension comes just four days after the Blackhawks re-signed forward Nick Foligno to a two-year, $9MM contract extension signalling that the Blackhawks have no intention of dealing either player at this year’s NHL trade deadline.

Dickinson is in the third year of a three-year, $7.95MM contract he signed with the Vancouver Canucks back in August of 2021. He was effectively a salary cap dump by the Canucks when they traded him to Chicago in October 2022 alongside a second-round pick for defenseman Riley Stillman. Dickinson then went on to have a career year in Chicago last season with nine goals and 21 assists in 78 games. This season, Dickinson has shattered his career high in goals as he already has 14 on the year in just 43 games fueled by a shooting percentage of 21.2%, which is more than doubled his career average of 10.2%.

The extension for Dickinson is a nice bit of security for the 28-year-old who looked like a buyout candidate just two summers ago. Dickinson has settled into his role in Chicago and could reach 25 goals this season if he continues shooting at his current pace.

For the Blackhawks, this contract is another short-term overpayment, but it’s not likely to hurt the club long-term. Dickinson is a good pro who can help the younger players in the Blackhawks organization get acclimated to the league while providing physicality and a bit of offense.

Snapshots: Ovechkin, Vlasic, Petan, Bellows

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Washington Capitals star winger Alex Ovechkin is officially sidelined, now set to miss his second straight game with a lower-body injury, per team reporter Bailey Johnson. Ovechkin has been dealing with the injury for about a week, taking part in the optional practices and traveling with the team to New York. Ovechkin’s next chance to play will be when the Capitals face the Anaheim Ducks at home on Tuesday.

Ovechkin is experiencing the lowest goals-per-game pace of his career this season, boasting just eight through 39 games this season. But that hasn’t limited his scoring upside, with the 38-year-old still leading the Washington roster with 27 points. He also leads all Capitals forwards in ice time, averaging roughly 19-and-a-half each game. It’s been an impressive year for the 1386-game veteran of the league, who is proving just how effective he still is, even if his illustrious chase of Wayne Gretzky’s goal-scoring record may be dwindling.

Other notes from around the league:

  • Chicago Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson spoke about the likelihood of signing high-end rookie defenseman Alex Vlasic to a long-term deal – sharing that the team is definitely considering weighing the idea but wants to be sure before committing to a long-term cap hit. Vlasic currently has 10 points in 37 games this season, adding 25 penalty minutes and a +7. He ranks second in scoring among Hawks defenders, and first among the team’s multiple rookie defenders.
  • The Minnesota Wild have sent forward Nic Petan back to the minor leagues. Petan was recalled on December 31st, appearing in the team’s last five games. He managed two points and a -2 over the stretch. Petan has also appeared in 26 AHL games this season, scoring 10 goals and 28 points.
  • Kieffer Bellows has signed a minor league deal with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies, officially joining the team through the rest of the season. Bellows has already appeared in 25 games with the club, scoring 14 goals and 26 points, leading the team in goals and ranking second in points. Bellows played in 27 NHL games with the Philadelphia Flyers last season, scoring three goals and recording a -7. The New York Islanders drafted Bellows 19th-overall in the 2016 NHL Draft and is one of seven players from that First Round to not yet play in 100 NHL games. He remains five games short, managing 31 points in 95 career games.

Nick Foligno Out Week-To-Week, Seth Jones To Return

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Blackhawks winger Nick Foligno is already on injured reserve with a fractured finger sustained last week against the Devils but has remained without a recovery timeline. Today, he told reporters (including the Chicago Sun-Times’ Ben Pope) that doctors have informed him he’ll be on a week-to-week timeline.

The Blackhawks’ most veteran player, at 36 years old and 1,100-plus games played, is fresh off signing a two-year, $9MM extension. He’s seen heavy deployment with rookie Connor Bedard this season, although both are now sidelined due to separate injuries both sustained against the Devils. He’s been elevated back to first-line minutes for the first time since 2021, his last season as captain of the Blue Jackets, partly due to additional injuries to other Blackhawks forwards like Taylor Hall. With eight goals and 17 points through 39 games, he’s fourth on the team in points behind Bedard, Philipp Kurashev and Jason Dickinson.

  • Sticking with Chicago, number-one blueliner Seth Jones is officially back in the lineup tonight against the Stars after missing 15 games with a lower-body injury, per NBC Sports Chicago’s Charlie Roumeliotis. Coming out to make room is veteran Jarred Tinordi, who had two points in his last three games. Jones, who has averaged over 25 minutes per game this year, returns to a top-pairing role with youngster Alex Vlasic to his left. Despite his injury, Jones and Vlasic have still seen the most ice time together of any Blackhawks defense pairing this season at 254 minutes in 25 games, per MoneyPuck. In 27 appearances on the year, Jones has 11 assists and a -5 rating.

Jones Takes Part In Full Practice, Could Play Saturday

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  • Blackhawks blueliner Seth Jones was a full participant in practice today for the first time since suffering a shoulder injury just over a month ago, notes Charlie Roumeliotis of NBC Sports Chicago. The original diagnosis was that he’d miss two weeks but further testing doubled that timeline.  Jones, who has 11 points – all assists – in 27 games this season, is hoping to be cleared to return to Chicago’s lineup tomorrow against Dallas.

Blackhawks Sign Nick Foligno To Two-Year Extension

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The Chicago Blackhawks have announced that they’ve signed veteran forward Nick Foligno to a two-year extension worth a total of $9MM. Foligno was acquired by Chicago from the Boston Bruins last June alongside Taylor Hall in a move that saw Ian Mitchell and Alec Regula go the other way. After the trade, The Buffalo, New York native was promptly signed to a one-year extension for $4MM.

Foligno was a first-round draft pick of the Ottawa Senators back in 2006 (28th overall) and is a veteran of 1,120 career NHL games in which he has posted 223 goals and 319 assists.

He has been a steady presence for the Blackhawks this season in what has been a tumultuous year for the team both on and off the ice. In 39 games with Chicago, the 36-year-old has eight goals and nine assists and has provided his usual physicality and steady defensive work.

Chicago has struggled to ice a healthy lineup in recent weeks as their forward ranks have been decimated by injuries. Foligno is currently on the injured reserve with a fractured left finger but that didn’t stop the Blackhawks from locking him up for the next two seasons.

The Blackhawks have a relatively blank slate when it comes to NHL contracts beyond the 2024-25 season. With Foligno’s extension, he becomes one of only three players signed to a one-way NHL contract for the 2025-26 season alongside Seth Jones and Connor Murphy. The new deal is a bit of an overpay but given Chicago’s lack of long-term commitments and the value Foligno’s experience will provide, they likely aren’t too worried about a short-term mid-tier contract.

“Several” Teams Have Shown Interest In Corey Perry

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Multiple NHL teams have shown interest in picking up UFA veteran Corey Perry as the 2023-24 season rounds the halfway mark, ESPN’s Emily Kaplan reports Thursday. Per Kaplan, one unnamed team “is doing major due diligence” to determine if past workplace behavior issues exist aside from the undisclosed incident that got his contract with the Blackhawks terminated earlier this season.

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman confirmed late Wednesday that Perry is eligible to sign with a team and will not face a blockade from league commissioner Gary Bettman. Perry has met with Bettman since the contract termination at the player’s request, per Friedman, and was given Bettman’s “blessing” to return. He has not yet filed a grievance with the NHLPA against his termination, and the union has until January 28 to decide if it wants to proceed with one.

The Blackhawks signed Perry, 38, to a one-year, $4MM contract after acquiring his signing rights from the Lightning in a late June trade. The capable veteran notched four goals and nine points through 16 games in Chicago before the team removed him from the lineup and eventually the roster for an incident that the team said violated the terms of his contract and organizational standards. Perry issued a statement shortly after his termination, stating he would “discuss his struggles with alcohol” with behavioral health experts.

Perry’s 0.56 points per game pace in third-line minutes in Chicago is a strong indication that he can still bring it, especially considering the lack of depth around him. That pace would be third on the Blackhawks today behind Connor Bedard’s 0.85 clip and Philipp Kurashev’s 0.68.

If Perry does get another contract to extend his career past the 1,300-game mark, it will almost surely be for the league minimum $775K. No teams have been reliably linked to Perry yet, although former Maple Leaf Carlo Colaiacovo posited on TSN 1050 radio today that there may be mutual interest between Perry and Toronto. There, he would assumedly slot in a fourth-line right-wing role and, even in his late 30s, would provide a major upgrade over declining enforcer Ryan Reaves and AHL call-up Bobby McMann. The 2007 Stanley Cup champion with the Ducks also still lives in London, Ontario, where he played his junior hockey with the Knights. It’s understandable why he would have an interest in signing without having to make a mid-season move.

Blackhawks Assign Brett Seney To Rockford

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Charlie Roumeliotis of NBC Sports Chicago is reporting that the Chicago Blackhawks have sent forward Brett Seney back to the Rockford IceHogs of the AHL. Seney has been with the Blackhawks since January 1st and played four games during his NHL recall. Seney struggled during that time tallying no points in the four games as the club spent more of the time being dramatically out-chanced while his line was on the ice.

The 27-year-old is in his second season with the Blackhawks organization after he was originally signed as a free agent back in July of 2022. Last year he had a much better NHL audition in Chicago, dressing in seven games and registering one assist. In 66 NHL games spread across five seasons, Seney has six goals and eight assists and has played for three different organizations.

The London, Ontario native stands just 5-9 and only weighs 156 pounds. He seemed to have a hard time staying strong on the puck during his recall, however in the AHL he has been a consistent offensive threat for the past three seasons including this year where he has eight goals and 13 assists in 29 games.

With so many injuries throughout the Blackhawks forward ranks, it does seem likely that Seney will receive another recall before the end of the year. Particularly if he can continue his strong play in the AHL.

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