The Chicago Blackhawks Signed These 6 Players in Free Agency
Under the guidance of first-year general manager Kyle Davidson, the National Hockey League’s (NHL) Chicago Blackhawks seem intent on rebuilding its roster. In July 2022, the team traded burgeoning superstar Alex DeBrincat to the Ottawa Senators and young center Kirby Dach to the Montreal Canadiens in separate deals for draft picks. Chicago also acquired additional draft picks from the Toronto Maple Leafs in a trade involving goaltender Petr Mrazek.
Since winning the Stanley Cup three times in six seasons from 2009–10 to 2014–15, Chicago has failed to advance past the first round of the playoffs and missed the playoffs altogether in four of the last five seasons. The team finished the 2021–22 season with a 28–42–12 record while recording its lowest points percentage (.415) since the 2005–06 season.
“Going through a rebuild, it’s not fun,” commented Davidson on the team’s new direction. “There’s going to be tough days like this where you see familiar faces [leave], but . . . it’s necessary to get to where we want to be.”
After unloading some of its core players, Chicago has signed several depth players in free agency to round out its roster for the 2022–23 season. The following are six of its recent signings.
1. Andreas Athanasiou
Chicago signed free agent Andreas Athanasiou to a one-year, $3 million contract on July 13. A 27-year-old Canadian center originally drafted by the Detroit Red Wings, Athanasiou earned $2.7 million last season on a one-year contract with the Los Angeles Kings. He scored 11 goals and added six assists in 28 regular season games. Athanasiou had 23 points in 47 regular season games the year prior with Los Angeles.
A veteran of 378 career games, Athanasiou has 105 goals and 91 assists for 196 points. He spent the first five years of his NHL career with the Red Wings and posted a career-best 54 points in the 2018–19 season.
2. Max Domi
A 27-year-old Canadian center, Max Domi also signed a one-year, $3 million contract with the Blackhawks on July 13. The seven-year veteran made $5.3 million in each of the last two seasons.
A standout player in junior with the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), Domi was selected by the Arizona Coyotes 12th overall in the 2013 NHL Draft. He recorded 52 points as a rookie during the 2015–16 season and produced a career-best 72 points in 82 games in 2018–19, his first of two seasons with the Montreal Canadiens.
Domi split last season between the Columbus Blue Jackets and Carolina Hurricanes and registered 39 points in 72 regular season games. He also had six points in 14 playoff games for the Hurricanes.
3. Colin Blackwell
Colin Blackwell was the third player to sign with the Blackhawks on July 13, the first day of NHL free agency. Blackwell signed a two-year, $2.4 million contract with the team and will carry a cap hit of $1.2 million in the 2022–23 season. He earned the league minimum on his last contract, signed with the New York Rangers in October 2020.
A 29-year-old center from Lawrence, Massachusetts, Blackwell played at Harvard University and was selected by the San Jose Sharks in the seventh round of the 2011 NHL Draft. He made his NHL debut with the Nashville Predators in the 2018–19 season and has since played for the Rangers, the Seattle Kraken, and the Toronto Maple Leafs. He has 52 points through 138 career regular season games.
4. Dylan Sikura
Dylan Sikura was drafted by and started his career with the Blackhawks and is returning to the team for the 2022–23 season after signing a one-year contract at the league minimum of $750,000. He spent last season in the Colorado Avalanche organization, recording one assist in five NHL games and 73 points in 60 games with the Colorado Eagles of the American Hockey League (AHL).
An alumnus of Northeastern University, Sikura has 17 points in 58 career NHL regular-season games. He had a career-best eight points in 33 games with the Blackhawks during the 2018–19 season.
5. Brett Seney
Also signed to a league minimum contract, Brett Seney has 13 points in 55 career NHL games. He appeared in two games last season with the Maple Leafs and recorded 59 points in 62 games with the team’s Toronto Marlies AHL affiliate. The 26-year-old Canadian left winger recorded 13 points in 51 games with the New Jersey Devils during the 2018–19 season.
6. Luke Philp
Chicago added another depth player in Luke Philp during free agency. The 26-year-old Canadian center has yet to play in an NHL game but has been a solid player in the AHL. He spent the last three seasons with the Stockton Heat, the minor league affiliate of the Calgary Flames, and accumulated 92 points in 148 games. He previously spent three seasons at the University of Alberta and played junior hockey with the Red Deer Rebels and Kootenay Ice of the Western Hockey League.
