- The Blackhawks have started contract talks with several of their restricted free agents including defenseman Nikita Zadorov, notes Phil Thompson of the Chicago Tribune. GM Stan Bowman noted that talks are at the beginning stage for each of them. Zadorov’s arbitration eligibility makes his case a higher priority as it stands to reason that they do not want the defender to file, making him a non-tender candidate if they can’t get a deal done. Other restricted free agents this summer include winger Brandon Hagel and forward Pius Suter.
Blackhawks Rumors
Chicago Blackhawks Sign Arvid Soderblom
The Chicago Blackhawks have nabbed one of the top goaltenders in the SHL, agreeing to terms with Arvid Soderblom on a two-year entry-level contract. Soderblom, an undrafted free agent, will join the organization for the 2021-22 season and carry a cap hit of $883,750.
A casual fan would be forgiven for not knowing much about Soderblom, given he had rarely even appeared at the SHL level before this season, but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t been on the radar of NHL teams. The 21-year-old posted a dominant .924 save percentage at the Allsvenskan level (AHL equivalent) last season and then continued that performance in the SHL this year. In 22 appearances for AIK Skelleftea, he recorded a 2.03 goals-against average and .921 save percentage. In two playoff starts he stopped 58 of 61 shots.
After a brilliant start to the season, Kevin Lankinen came back to earth a bit for the Blackhawks, finishing with a .909 save percentage. Though a rookie, Lankinen is already 26 and will be an unrestricted free agent after next season. The same can be said for both Collin Delia and Malcolm Subban, meaning there is still an opening in the Chicago net down the line. Soderblom has a lot more to prove before he takes that spot, but adding another talented player to the depth chart is always worth it.
Patrick Kane Played Through Injury In 2020-21
You wouldn’t know it by his 66 points in 56 games, but Chicago Blackhawks star Patrick Kane played through a nagging injury all season. According to NBC Sports’ Charlie Roumeliotis, Kane disclosed in his exit interview that he had been dealing with an “issue” since before the 2020 playoff bubble. He opted to persevere through the pain of the undisclosed injury and it seems that was the right choice. Kane remarked that he does not need off-season surgery, nor will he miss time in his summer training. Instead, Kane believes that he will merely focus on more off-ice work in the off-season.
Kane, 32, only showed the slightest hint of wear and tear, as Roumeliotis points out that Kane had several maintenance days down the stretch. Yet, Kane still managed to play in every game for the Blackhawks. He has now missed one game or less in five of his past six seasons, showing no signs of slowing down in his 14th season. Again, even while battling injury, Kane also posted his third consecutive season of scoring at a point-per-game pace or better. It was the tenth time that he has achieved this mark.
Of course, Kane’s nagging injury begs the question of what he may have been able to do at full strength this year. Even without career running mate Jonathan Toews, Kane was still Chicago’s leading scorer by a wide margin and even adjusted his game to be more play-maker than scorer. The Blackhawks were in the playoff mix for a good portion of the season, so with a healthy Kane (and Toews) next season, the team could be a threat to return to the postseason next year.
Chicago Blackhawks Agree To Terms With Henrik Borgstrom
When the Chicago Blackhawks acquired Henrik Borgstrom at the trade deadline, he came without a contract. The young forward was playing overseas and it wasn’t clear if the team would be able to convince him to come back to North America right away. Turns out there was nothing to worry about. The Blackhawks have agreed to terms with Borgstrom on a two-year contract, according to Scott Powers of The Athletic. PuckPedia reports that the deal will carry an average annual value of $1MM.
Borgstrom, 23, scored 21 points in 30 games for HIFK this season in Finland, after spending nearly the entire 2019-20 season in the minor leagues. Selected 23rd overall in 2016, it has been a rocky road for Borgstrom since he left the University of Denver. In 58 career NHL games, the rangy center has just 19 points, but could be getting a much bigger opportunity in Chicago next season.
The center depth that the Blackhawks have built is interesting. Jonathan Toews missed the whole season with a mysterious medical issue, and top prospect Kirby Dach was out for most of the year with a wrist injury. That left a huge hole for the team to fill down the middle, giving an opportunity to relatively unknown names like David Kampf and Pius Suter. The former struggled to create any offense, scoring just one goal in 56 games, but Suter took full advantage of the minutes and ended up scoring 14 goals and 27 points. Both are restricted free agents this summer and could be brought back, likely as direct competition with Borgstrom depending on what happens with Toews.
The big question mark is really Dylan Strome, who has one year left on his deal but never did step into that top-line center role this year. The 24-year-old ended up with just nine goals and 17 points in 40 games, a huge drop off from his previous numbers with Chicago. There were even whispers that Strome could be available come deadline time, meaning he is a player to key an eye on as the draft and offseason approach. If the Blackhawks believe Borgstrom can fill a third-line center role, perhaps Strome or others become expendable.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Niklas Hjalmarsson Considering Return To Sweden
Veteran defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson is nothing if not loyal. In his 14-year NHL career, Hjalmarsson has never once tested the free agent market. Instead, he has always signed an extension with his current team, each time arguably below market value as well. Hjalmarsson spent a decade in Chicago to begin his career, playing a key role in three Stanley Cup championships. Then, after the team traded him to the Arizona Coyotes, Hjalmarsson again decided to re-sign with his team, despite an unfamiliar rebuild underway in the desert. This season, in the final year of his current contract, Hjalmarsson even told the Coyotes that he would not waive his No-Movement Clause, opting instead to stick it out with his team.
It should come as no surprise then that, with the 33-year-old finally expected to become a free agent this summer, he is considering a return to a former team. No, not the Blackhawks. Swedish new source AftonBladet reports that Hjalmarsson is considering a return to the SHL’s HV71, the club with whom the blue liner played his developmental hockey. Hjalmarsson spent four seasons with HV71 before making the move to North America in 2007, but clearly the club has not forgotten their star alumnus. The report quotes the club’s GM, Johan Hult, as stating that Hjalmarsson is a “dream recruit”. Hult also notes that he has met with Hjalmarsson multiple times – at his home near HV71’s Jonkoping no less – to discuss the possibility of this move.
Of course, Hult admits that the move is dependent on Hjalmarsson not being blown away by an NHL offer this summer. It will be interesting to see what kind of attention, if any, Hjalmarsson draws in the off-season. Formerly a dominant two-way defenseman, Hjalmarsson’s game has slipped over the past few years. With two games left in his 2020-21 season, the veteran defenseman is on pace to record career-lows (among his full NHL seasons) in points per game, plus/minus, and time on ice per game, while his blocks, hits, takeaways, and possession numbers are all down as well. With that said, veteran presence still has value and contenders could still see Hjalmarsson as an experienced third-pair option – at the right price. However, the potential to return home to HV71 to play a major role may be more enticing to Hjalmarsson than chasing a fourth Cup as a depth piece. With the regular season ending soon, we could know shortly what Hjalmarsson’s next step may be.
Snapshots: Kempny, Dach, Danforth
The Washington Capitals have sent Michal Kempny to the AHL Hershey Bears on a long-term injury conditioning stint, suggesting that the defenseman is closing in on a return. In October, Kempny underwent surgery to repair a torn Achilles tendon suffered in offseason training and was given a six to eight-month recovery timeline. He has been skating with the Capitals for the last little while, but it was still unclear if he would actually play this season.
A conditioning stint would indicate that the 30-year-old Kempny may actually be able to play for Washington, at least once the playoffs start. The team does not have the cap space to activate him from LTIR right now, but that issue would go away in the postseason when the salary cap ceiling is lifted. Where he fits into the lineup at this point isn’t clear, especially coming off such a long injury, but adding depth at the position for the playoffs is never a bad thing.
- Speaking of coming off a long injury, Chicago Blackhawks’ Kirby Dach won’t play again this season after reaggravating the problem in his wrist. Dach “continues to have some post-operative discomfort” according to team physician Dr. Michael Terry and he will be held out the final three games of the year. The 20-year old forward didn’t make his season debut until March 27, but that was much earlier than his initial timeline suggested. The team didn’t hold him back, letting Dach play more than 20 minutes in each of his first two games of the year. While there’s no guarantee this situation could have been avoided, it is a frustrating end to a disappointing season for the young forward. After scoring 23 points in 64 games as a rookie, Dach will finish this year with two goals and 10 points in 18 games.
- Interested in seeing what all the fuss is about with new Columbus Blue Jackets forward Justin Danforth? Tune into the IIHF World Championship later this month, where Danforth is expected to represent Canada according to Brian Hedger of the Columbus Dispatch. The undrafted 28-year-old signed his first NHL deal just a few days ago after three dominant seasons overseas. Danforth recorded 23 goals and 55 games in the KHL and will get to test his skills alongside some other NHL players at the tournament.
Chicago Blackhawks Sign Jakub Galvas
The Chicago Blackhawks have signed prospect Jakub Galvas to a two-year entry-level contract that will begin in the 2021-22 season. The deal carries an average annual value of $867,500 and keeps Galvas from becoming an unrestricted free agent. Had Chicago not signed him by June 1, he would have hit the open market.
Galvas, 21, was originally selected 150th overall in 2017, but his game has come a long way since then. The Czech defenseman suited up twice for his country at the World Juniors and transitioned to the Finnish Liiga in 2019, taking on tougher competition and faring admirably. Though he will never overcome his size deficiencies—Galvas measures in at 5’11” 161-lbs—he’s learned to navigate professional hockey as a small player and use his elusiveness to his advantage. In 47 games with Jukurit this season he registered 11 points.
It’s hard to know if he will ever be able to handle the grind of an NHL game, but Chicago at least believes that he was worthy of an entry-level deal. He’ll join a growing list of young defensemen in the Blackhawks system that must battle for playing time in the coming years.
Blackhawks Prospect Slava Demin Transfers To UMass
Another NHL prospect is changing colleges. After entering the transfer portal two weeks ago, Blackhawks prospect Slava Demin has found his new school as Ryan Kennedy of The Hockey News reports (Twitter link) that he is off to UMass after spending his first three seasons at Denver.
The 21-year-old was a fourth-round pick (99th overall) of Vegas back in 2018 and was moved to Chicago as part of the deal that also saw them acquire Malcolm Subban and a second-rounder (Drew Commesso) in exchange for Robin Lehner.
Demin was more of an offensive defenseman in his BCHL days back with Wenatchee but that hasn’t translated to the college ranks with any consistency. His career high in points came in his freshman year when he had four goals and ten assists in 41 games although he put up a slightly better point per game rate in this pandemic-shortened season with three goals and five helpers in 21 contests.
UMass has lost a couple of blueliners to the pros recently in Zac Jones (Rangers) and Marc Del Gaizo (Predators) so it stands to reason that Demin should have an opportunity to step in and play a big role right away in the hopes of securing an entry-level deal with the Blackhawks.
Nikita Zadorov Hopes To Re-Sign, Doesn't See Flat Cap As Impediment In Contract Talks
The flat salary cap is going to make for a nervous time for many restricted free agents with arbitration this summer in the days leading up to the qualifying offer deadline with some notable names likely to be non-tendered to avoid the risk of being awarded too high of a contract. Blackhawks defenseman Nikita Zadorov is certainly in that group as the 26-year-old is owed a $3.2MM qualifier in his final RFA season. However, he told reporters today including Scott Powers of The Athletic (Twitter link) that he’s hoping to re-sign and that he doesn’t see the cap situation affecting his contract talks. Zadorov has logged nearly 19 minutes a game in his first season with Chicago but unless they’re able to agree on a deal before the deadline, it’s hard to see them being willing to take the risk of him being awarded a bigger contract from an arbitrator that they’re comfortable paying.
KHL Off-Season Opening Day Round-Up
The KHL off-season opened today and the league did not waste any time in making moves that have meaning to NHL fans. A number of familiar names have hit free agency today and some are already agreeing to new deals. Meanwhile, others are being traded on the first day to do so, including the rights to some players currently in North America. Keep up with all of today’s action as the KHL’s clubs get their summers started early with significant moves:
- One of the first players to sign with a new team early this morning was former NHL forward Teemu Pulkkinen. A Detroit Red Wings draft pick who also spent time with the Minnesota Wild, Arizona Coyotes, and most recently the Chicago Blackhawks in 2017-18, Pulkkinen will be entering his fourth season in the KHL and is already on to his fourth different team. After splitting this season between Dynamo Moscow and Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, collecting 30 points in 46 games, Pulkkinen has signed a two-year deal with Traktor Chelyabinsk. The 29-year-old has scored at a .67 per-game clip in his KHL career and shows no signs of slowing down.
- SKA St. Petersberg and Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod have made an interesting futures swap, trading the rights of two current NHLers. Torpedo received the rights to Edmonton Oilers winger Jesse Puljujarvi (as well as minor league forward Danil Voyevodin) while SKA landed the rights to young San Jose Sharks goalie Alexei Melnichuk. The deal is tricky on a number of levels; while Puljujarvi is undoubtedly the biggest name in the trade, it is Melnichuk who commanded the larger side of the return. It was also KHL powerhouse SKA who received the prospect netminder and gave up the established scorer. This could be a simple case of different likelihoods of those player rights having any value. While Puljujarvi previously left the Oilers for Europe, he has finally found his NHL stride in his return this season and is unlikely to leave again. Even if he does, Puljujarvi may just return home to the Finnish Liiga as well. On the other hand, Melnichuk was born and bred in the SKA system and the team may have some insight into his future plans. The 22-year-old keeper is valued by the Sharks and even made his NHL debut this year in his first season in North America, however his AHL play has underwhelmed and he doesn’t look like a realistic full-time NHL option for San Jose next season. If the young goalie grows tired of playing in the minors in North America, he would probably be happy to jump back to his old team and take on a starting role in the KHL.
- Former Boston Bruins forward Joonas Kemppainen has signed a one-year extension to remain with SKA. The Finnish power forward didn’t work out in his lone NHL season back in 2015-16, recording five points in eleven games with Boston, but has been a productive player in the KHL for five years now. That includes a 15-goal, 29-point campaign with St. Petersberg this year that earned him an extension. The 33-year-old veteran is not a candidate to ever return to North America, but still has plenty to offer in Russia.
- Vladimir Zharkov feels like ancient New Jersey Devils history at this point, but the former top prospect continues to produce in the KHL. Zharkov, 33, spent four seasons with the Devils early in his career and was a nice fringe piece, but lacked starting upside. In the KHL since 2012-13, Zharkov has become a reliable two-way forward and locker room leader, spending many years with top programs like CSKA Moscow and Salavat Yulaev Ufa. Now he’s off to the top team in the league, signing a two-year deal with recently-crowned Gagarin Cup champions Avangard Omsk, replacing the veteran presence of the departed Ilya Kovalchuk.
- Torpedo jumped right back into the action, signing an exciting forward to a one-year deal. Marek Hrivik gave his all to a career in North America, developing in the QMJHL and spending six seasons primarily in the AHL for the New York Rangers and Calgary Flames. However, he never could earn a full-time opportunity and returned home to Europe in 2018. Even then, his first go-round in the KHL did not go all that well. However, after back-to-back stellar season in Sweden, he is ready to give it another try with Torpedo. Hrivik totaled 81 points in 90 games with the SHL’s Leksands IF these past two years and if that can translate to the KHL then the 29-year-old could become a star in Russia.
- Another trade involving NHL property has landed, but this one could have more immediate dividends. Defending champions Omsk have acquired the rights to Boston Bruins prospect forward Peter Cehlarik from Yaroslavl in exchange for the rights to Anaheim Ducks defenseman Kodie Curran. Cehlarik, 25, is already in Europe, having left Boston this past off-season to join Leksands IF in Sweden. Cehlarik always showed great promise in the AHL, but couldn’t translate it to the NHL for the Bruins. After recording 20 goals and 40 points in 45 SHL games this season, Cehlarik may want to return to Boston, who continues to hold his rights, in an attempt to prove himself once more. However, the talented winger could be tempted to join the KHL’s current kings this off-season instead. As for Curran, 31, he already did his stint in Europe and made his return to North America. The Calgary native spent the previous four seasons in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden before earning his first NHL contract with the Ducks this past off-season. While he hasn’t see any action in Anaheim just yet, he has 11 points in 17 AHL games this season and his one-way, $1MM contract still has another year remaining. However, if Curran is still not being utilized by the Ducks after next season and doesn’t draw any other NHL offers as a result, he has a new home to return to in Europe in Yarolslavl.
- After signing his entry-level contract with the Carolina Hurricanes, Pyotr Kochetkov has inked another deal – a one-year extension with Torpedo. The 21-year-old landed in Novgorod late in the season, but excelled down the stretch and in the postseason with save percentages of .931 and .932, respectively. Kochetkov could very well be in line for the starting role for Torpedo next season while playing on loan from Carolina.