The Chicago Blackhawks are entering the summer with several pending free agents, both unrestricted and restricted. With this, the Blackhawks have some decisions to make this summer. According to The Athletic's Scott Powers [https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7370501/2026/06/19/blackhawks-byram-trade-target-blashill-overtime/], the Blackhawks are not expected to send qualifying offers to restricted free agents (RFAs) Dmitry Kuzmin and Ryan Mast. Kuzmin has been with the Blackhawks organization since they acquired him from the Winnipeg Jets in January 2025 in exchange for Issak Phillips. Since then, Kuzmin has exclusively played at the AHL level with the Rockford IceHogs. In 46 games this past season with the IceHogs, Kuzmin recorded six goals, nine assists, and 15 points. This is after the 5-foot-10 defenseman posted two goals and five points in 30 games with the IceHogs during the 2024-25 season. As for Mast, the Blackhawks acquired him and a seventh-round pick last summer from the Boston Bruins in exchange for Victor Soderstrom. The 6-foot-5 right-shot defenseman spent all of this season in the AHL with the IceHogs, where he recorded zero goals, 14 assists, and a plus-2 rating in 46 games. If the Blackhawks officially do not send qualifying offers to Kuzmin and Mast, they would both become unrestricted free agents (UFAs) on July 1.
