The Athletic's Chris Johnston recently ranked the NHL's top 50 pending unrestricted free agents [https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7338917/2026/06/08/nhl-free-agency-rankings-big-board-centers/] (UFAs) heading into the summer. Chicago Blackhawks forward Ilya Mikheyev made the cut, as he was given the No. 31 spot. Seeing Mikheyev be ranked among the top pending UFAs in the NHL is not too difficult to understand. The 31-year-old forward is coming off back-to-back seasons with at least 34 points and is a highly impactful penalty killer. Because of this, it is very likely that he will generate a good amount of interest from teams looking to boost their bottom six if he tests the free agent market this summer. Mikheyev appeared in 77 games this season with the Blackhawks, where he recorded 18 goals and set a career high with 36 points. This is after he posted 20 goals and 34 points in 80 games for the Blackhawks during the 2024-25 campaign. With this, he has been a solid part of the Blackhawks' roster over the last two seasons. It is going to be interesting to see what happens with Mikheyev leading up to July 1. Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/chicago-blackhawks/latest-news/report-chicago-blackhawks-have-ilya-mikheyevs-negotiating-rights-on-trade-block] last month that the Chicago has made Mikheyev's signing rights available for trade. Yet, with how well Mikheyev has played for the Blackhawks, it would not be surprising if they continued to try to keep him in Chicago.
