The Chicago Blackhawks are getting ready, along with the rest of the National Hockey League, to partake in free agency. 

Although there aren't any star-level players on the market this year, good players who are looking to make big impacts for new teams will be on the move. 

For Kyle Davidson and the Blackhawks, the big thing will be their contract extension with Bowen Byram. They traded two draft picks and Louis Crevier to acquire Byram, and now they will make him one of the highest-paid defenders in the NHL. 

This announcement may or may not come right away on Wednesday, or it may take a few days to be finished. They are eligible to make this transaction as of Wednesday, which is why it is a part of this news cycle. 

An extension worth a lot of money and term is coming for Connor Bedard at some point, but he's been eligible for that since last July. They may make it official soon, but both parties are keeping all details close to the chest. 

Outside of that, the Blackhawks may not be as active as other teams. They are likely going to lose out on Ilya Mikheyev, who had one foot out the door as the off-season was beginning. 

Mikheyev earned this free agent bid based on his play over the last two years with Chicago. He is a penalty killing specialist, and he can get anywhere from 15-20 goals a season with almost no power play time. 

As far as bringing in any players via the free agent market, the early expectation is that Davidson will avoid it. He hasn't overspent on free agents in the past, and this year should be no different. 

This is not a notable class. In fact, it is one of the worst in the history of the league. There is going to be unnecessary money thrown at players that aren't worth that kind of salary, as desperate teams will act silly. 

The Blackhawks don't need to block young players from developing in their lineup in favor of players like Anthony Mantha, Viktor Arvidson, Mats Zuccarello, or Anders Lee, amongst others.

Would any of them make the team better? Maybe in the short-term, but contracts for these players could also put the teams they sign with in a bad spot. Nothing would be worse for the rebuild than having albatross contracts keep them from making winning moves down the line. 

If the Blackhawks really wanted to make their team better in the present and future, they would make a trade for one of the top targets like Jason Robertson or Alex DeBrincat. These snipers would be great for Connor Bedard's wing. 

Another wrinkle to talk about with this free agent class is Patrick Kane. Of course, Kyle Davidson made it pretty clear a few years ago that having Kane (and Jonathan Toews) on this team throughout the rebuild would make it hard to develop. There may or may not be some truth to that, but Kane could bring some value to the team at this stage. 

It is unlikely, but nothing should be ruled out. There will be plenty of suiters lined up for Kane's services as a depth scoring option. He doesn't bring much away from the puck, but he can help a power play or be a great complementary piece at even strength. 

Unless something happens with Kane, the Blackhawks are likely to be one of the quieter teams when it comes to adding free agents. Byram's contract, however, will ensure that he's a big part of the core for multiple years. 

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