Chicago Blackhawks General Manager Kyle Davidson likes the idea of keeping Ilya Mikheyev around.
The Chicago Blackhawks had a “big four” when it came to realistic tradable assets. Three of the four, Connor Murphy, Jason Dickinson, and Nick Foligno, were all traded away. That left Chicago with Ilya Mikheyev, who provides a lot of value to the team.
The reason Mikheyev (along with the other three mentioned) was on the trade block is that he is a pending unrestricted free agent, and the Blackhawks are not going to the playoffs.
Mikheyev, out of them all, makes the most sense to keep around. The reason for this is that he is an intense defensive forward and an elite penalty killer. He’s also good for 15-20 goals a season, all at even strength.
After the trade deadline passed, GM Kyle Davidson spoke and was very candid about wanting to keep Mikheyev around for a while, if he can.
"I want to keep [Mikheyev] around,” Davidson said. “I really like what he brings to the team. If someone was going to approach us, they had to make it worth our while, and that certainly didn't happen. And frankly, I'm glad I didn't have to make a tough decision there."
Davidson made tough decisions with the other guys mentioned, and tough decisions were made in previous years, but it is pretty clear that he likes Mikheyev from a hockey perspective and thinks he can be a part of a good Blackhawks team in the coming years.
The Blackhawks had a similar situation with Ryan Donato last year. He is a different kind of player, but he was on an expiring contract. Instead of trading him, they kept him past the trade deadline. It was risky business because of his pending UFA status. However, the two sides were faithful, and an extension was done after the season ended.
Now, Kyle Davidson is hoping for a similar situation. He can extend Mikheyev at any time, but that may not happen until the summer, if it does at all.
Why wouldn’t Mikheyev want to stay in Chicago? They want him; he’s had his best career years there, according to multiple metrics, and his skills match what the Blackhawks lack. Neither side would truly benefit from his departure.
When Davidson has his mind set on something, he’s been good at getting the job done. Extending a high-end penalty killer with upside in other areas of the game is never a bad idea.
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