As we get nearer to the top of the 2023-24 postseason — by the best way, congrats to the Edmonton Oilers for extending the collection in opposition to the Florida Panthers and no less than making it attention-grabbing — followers of the Chicago Blackhawks and those that cowl the staff need to July 1 to see who is on the market in free company.
The Blackhawks might have way more than $30 million in cap area, and whereas the staff continues to be in rebuild mode, many are hoping Chicago tries to usher in gifted gamers that may assist them enhance from the bottom-feeder they’ve been the previous couple of seasons.
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Whereas there’s loads of highly-skilled forwards getting into the market this summer season, most notably Sam Reinhart, Jake Guentzel, Jonathan Marchessault and extra, one participant I imagine might be obtainable for the Blackhawks is Elias Lindholm.
The Swedish ahead turns 30 subsequent season, and whereas he’ll possible be searching for a long-term deal that may pay him $7 million-plus for the subsequent few years, I can see a path for him to signal a profitable short-term cope with a Blackhawks group that’s trying to enhance their top-six ahead group.
Let’s take a look at how this might occur.
Stories Say Lindholm Will Possible Go away Canucks
On the June 10 episode of The Jeff Marek Present, Sportsnet hockey insider Elliotte Friedman stated the Canucks had a contract in thoughts for the Swedish ahead, however what he might make on the open market is likely to be too wealthy for them.
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“We talked about the way it sounded just like the Canucks had been prepared to go (seven years at $7 million common annual worth) for Lindholm, but it surely doesn’t appear to be it’s going to occur,” Friedman stated. “So the Canucks are this like: we’re most likely not going to have the ability to preserve Lindholm, what’s our subsequent choice?”
In case you had been questioning, this assertion by Friedman was the place I bought the $7-million determine I discussed earlier. Whereas I can admire that Lindholm, who was taken fifth total within the 2013 NHL Entry Draft by the Carolina Hurricanes, and his brokers are searching for an costly contract now that he’s an unrestricted free agent (UFA), I’ve a tough time believing groups can be prepared to signal him to a long-term deal — for that a lot cash — for a participant who had his worst offensive season in six years.
Too usually in skilled sports activities, once we consider obtainable free brokers, we consider their most efficient seasons. When Lindholm’s title comes up on the community panels main as much as July 1, the footage that can be enjoying beneath the analysts’ voices can be from his time with the Calgary Flames, displaying a handful of the 42 targets he scored with the membership in 2021-22, or possibly a number of the 42 assists he contributed in 2022-23.
Whereas there’s no doubting he’s had some highly-productive seasons, this previous season, his final full one in his 20s, represented a downturn. Because it turned an increasing number of clear that the Flames weren’t going to compete for a playoff spot, and that there wasn’t a path for the staff to re-sign the pending UFA, the staff dealt him to their divisional rival within the Canucks for ahead Andrei Kuzmenko, prospects Hunter Brzustewicz, Joni Jurmo, a first-round and conditional fourth-round choose within the 2024 NHL Draft.
Earlier than the commerce, Lindholm was on a 53-point tempo, the bottom complete of his profession over a full season since 2017-18 when he was nonetheless with the Hurricanes. After the commerce, that dropped to a 37-point tempo, and after scoring twice in his first sport with the membership, he solely scored 4 extra instances in his remaining 25 video games. Canucks’ head coach Rick Tocchet wasn’t afraid to place Lindholm down decrease and decrease within the lineup, and at one level in early March, he averaged lower than quarter-hour per sport over a six-game span.
I can provide credit score to the 29-year-old, too, as his sport appeared to step up within the Stanley Cup Playoffs, serving to the Canucks go to seven video games in opposition to an Oilers squad that’s simply two wins away from lifting Lord Stanley’s trophy. His 10 factors in 13 video games, together with 5 factors within the closing 5 video games of the Canucks/Oilers collection, is probably going what’s induced groups to assume he’s price greater than $7 million per season, and his capability to play a grinder’s sport with a sprinkle of talent makes him engaging in free company.
Nevertheless, I really feel like it will likely be the 75 regular-season video games earlier than the post-season which will scare some groups away from a long-term deal. That’s the place the Blackhawks are available.
GM Kyle Davidson Must Add Talent on July 1
There’s many issues this rebuilding Blackhawks squad wants so as to add for them to get higher, however their high precedence must be surrounding 2023 first-overall choose Connor Bedard with extra talent. The 18-year-old (he’s STILL 18, no less than till July 17) led Chicago in all offensive classes with 22 targets and 39 assists for 61 factors throughout his rookie season, a feat all of the extra spectacular when you think about he solely performed 68 video games after lacking time with a damaged jaw, and that the closest teammate to him in factors was Philipp Kurashev, who had 54 factors in 75 video games.
The purpose is, Bedard is rattling good, however he must be surrounded with extra expertise within the Blackhawks’ top-six ahead group. The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun wrote on June 12 that Blackhawks’ Basic Supervisor Kyle Davidson is making calls across the league, and “it’s clear from what we’re listening to from different entrance workplaces that he’s trying round for a top-six ahead and maybe a middle-six ahead, too.” (Pierre LeBrun, ‘NHL rumblings: Commerce discuss heats up on Laine, Necas, Ehlers and extra, plus newest on Cooper-Canada,’ The Athletic 6/12/24)
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That’s no shock, and whereas the staff does have loads of cap area, they possible don’t need to decide to long-term offers that can be anchors within the fifth, sixth and seventh seasons of the contracts. That is the place I feel Lindholm and the Blackhawks have a possible match.
I could also be confirmed fallacious on July 1, however I actually have a tough time believing a staff pays Lindholm within the $7 to $8 million per 12 months vary on a long-term contract. Gamers seldom get higher with time, and whereas he had flashes of talent in 2023-24, it’s clear he’s not the 70-, 80-point participant he was throughout his time in Calgary.
I do assume, nonetheless, he can proceed to supply at a 50- or 60-point tempo, and his robust two-way sport mixed with some desperately-needed secondary scoring will help Chicago accumulate just a few extra wins in 2024-25. That doesn’t imply committing to a six- or seven-year deal that he’ll be searching for, but when the mud settles on July 1 and he hasn’t been inked to that sort of deal, that’s the place the Blackhawks can take benefit.
Gamers and their brokers aren’t afraid to signal one- or two-year offers to with a excessive AAV as a kind of “present me” contract, proving to the league that they’re definitely worth the cash they requested for the earlier 12 months (I wrote a column earlier this month outlining how that describes Max Domi). That form of deal might show precious to each Lindholm and the Blackhawks, the place if he can’t get the quantity he’s searching for with the opposite groups within the league, Chicago might pay him between $7 and $8 million on a one- or two-year deal.
Whereas this staff wants assistance on the wing, giving Lindholm second-line tasks and a few power-play time with Bedard — in addition to relieving a number of the defensive tasks that had been assigned to Bedard all through his rookie season — might be one of many savviest strikes Davidson makes this offseason.
Once more, I’d be shocked if Lindholm will get the costly, long-term deal he’s searching for, however then once more, that is the NHL. Former league government Brian Burke as soon as advised reporters throughout free company in 2011: “I feel our group (of common managers) make extra errors July 1 than we do the remainder of the 12 months all collectively.” He’s proper, which is why we might see somebody pay Lindholm $8 million per season till 2031.
But when nobody bites and desperation begins to seep in, there’s a marketplace for the Blackhawks to step up and provide some huge cash for one or two years to get a “employed gun,” a timeframe the place he might show to the remainder of the league he’s price investing in long run.
