Blackhawks Kyle Davidson has the No. 1 pick and the right to select generational talent Connor Bedard at the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. Beyond that, stay tuned, says the NHL's youngest GM.
Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson says anything is on the table heading into the 2023 NHL Draft and free agent signing season.
“It’s going to be an interesting road,” he told reporters at the NHL Scouting Combine in Buffalo.
So what do we know?
The Blackhawks are expected to select Connor Bedard with the No. 1 pick at the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.- The Blackhawks have the No. 1 overall draft pick and are expected to select Connor Bedard on June 28 at Nashville. The Hockey News will cover it from Nashville and Chicago.
- Chicago has 11 picks in total, including two in the first round and four in the second, heading into the draft.
- The Blackhawks had 14 players under NHL contract as of June 21, the most recent deal being a two-year pact with forward Andreas Athanasiou that was announced on June 8.
- The team’s cap hit was just under $46 million as of June 21. The salary floor for 2023-24 is $61 million and the cap is about $82.5 million.
"I don’t’ think we’ll spend to the cap,” Davidson said. “That would be pretty tough given our situation and the contracts we have on the books.”
He has no concern about reaching the salary floor.
So what philosophy is Davidson following?
Davidson likes his team's roster flexiblity.Even if the Blackhawks draft and sign Bedard – and he performs like hockey’s next generational talent at age 18 next season – they have a long way to go in their rebuild. Bedard would be a huge boost and a terrific foundation, but not a turnkey solution.
So Davidson will not commit to long-term free agent contracts right now. He wants flexibility and assets.
A free agent who is ascending in his career and wants a lengthy and lucrative deal to maximize his career earnings — e.g. former Blackhawks sniper Alex DeBrincat – probably won’t find a suitor in Chicago.
“We have a ton of flexibility moving forward,” Davidson said. “We’ve got tons of flexibility this year.”
Speedy forward J.T. Compher is a UFA and from Northbrook, Illinois. The 28-year-old also is coming off his best season and figures to want more than the $3.5M he earned with Colorado and a longer-term deal.Remember the deals to secure Stanley Cup “core stars” Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Duncan Keith and, gasp, the albatross, eight-year pact for Brent Seabrook signed in September 2015. Ain’t gonna happen in Chicago for a while. A one- or two-year contract for a journeyman or 30-something might.
See who’s on the 2023 NHL free agent list: https://www.capfriendly.com/browse/free-agents
Is bringing back forward Max Domi via free agency a good fit for the Blackhawks? It might be if Domi doesn't want a long-term deal and big raise from the $3M he earned last season.As you create your own wish list, remember this isn’t just about numbers, but a good fit for the player’s career and interest.
Does the player want to win now or before his personal window is over? Could he be a productive placeholder, leader/teacher or support man in the Blackhawks' long-term plan?
Trades are possibility too.
“I think there’s options via trade where there’s a player we proactively go out and get or (there’s a) contract people are looking to move,” Davidson said. “I’m open to anything.”
That includes trading draft picks as part of deals to bring the team additional assets.
And the GM has said he's happy with Petr Mrazek and Arvid Söderblom as the team’s goalies next season. Drew Commesso – probably the netminder with the most upside -- and Jaxson Stauber figure to be waiting in the wings in Rockford.
BTW: Seabrook is set to be paid $6.875 million this season, the final one in the eight-year deal. Chicago got it off the books by trading Seabrook to Tampa Bay in July 2021 as the defensemen went on long-term injury reserve. The Blackhawks got forward Tyler Johnson and a second-round 2023 draft pick in the deal. Tampa Bay actually wrangled more cap space through the process and went on to return to the Stanley Cup Final in 2022.