Just about at the buzzer before the Chicago Blackhawks started training camp practice, they agreed to a contract extension with RFA Wyatt Kaiser.
After a strong 2024-25 season, the young defenseman wasn't looking for long-term or a lot of money. They just needed to agree on something that worked for both sides.
Kaiser's contract is a two-year deal with an average annual value of $1.7 million. He will be a regular part of Chicago's rotation on defense. He may not play every game, but he is someone who can be relied on to be in the lineup on a nightly basis.
At 23 years old, he fits right into the youth movement, but he's shown that he can be a responsible player in his own end. Some might say that he's "wise beyond his years".
During the 2024-25 season, Kaiser played a career high 57 games. He scored four goals and had four assists for eight points. Those aren't the numbers of a high-end contributor on offense, but that wasn't his role.
There were times that he looked like someone who could contribute offensively, but he never cheats his positioning as a defender.
In Tuesday's preseason game, he made a play that made him look like an elite sniper. After accepting a perfect pass from Aidan Thompson as he entered the offensive zone, he wired it into the net to tie the game (at the time) for the Blackhawks.
Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) on X
Aidan Thompson ➡️ Wyatt Kasier ➡️ 🚨
If he picks his spots and jumps into the play like that at times in 2025-26, he will have even more value to this team on the back-end.
"That was probably one of the few times in the game we won a battle." Head coach Jeff Blashill said about the goal. "Great talk by [Wyatt], he's one of the guys that talks a lot out there. That will be a clip we show as a real positive."
Artyom Levshunov and Aidan Thompson made a great play to find Wyatt Kaiser with a clean lane to the net. Blashill seems impressed with Kaiser's ability to use his voice to help others recognize what is happening around them. It led to a goal in this instance.
Kaiser was wearing an "A" on his sweater during this game, so the coaching staff sees him as one of the young leaders on the team. He likely won't have a letter on his sweater during the regular season once the veterans are in the lineup, but you don't need that to be a vocal leader on and off the ice.
When asked about the goal after the game, Kaiser deflected the credit to Levshunov and Thompson before saying what he did to make the goal happen. Again, the signs of a leader on the team.
The Blackhawks didn't need this goal from Kaiser to know that he would be a part of the team in 2025-26, but it does reassure everyone else that he should play an important role on the team over the 82-game season.
Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.