4 Blackhawks Could Exceed Their Contracts This Season – Hockey Writers – Chicago Blackhawks

After injuries and youth led the Chicago Blackhawks to just 52 points last season, the team will look to bounce back as injured players return and young players build on the experience they gained filling in. The team added some veterans to the roster, signing Tyler Bertuzzi, Alec Martinez, Pat Maroon, and others to help the team and allow young talent to develop. Four players could easily lose their contracts this season as the Blackhawks look to improve compared to last season.

Connor Bedard

While this may seem like a no-brainer/slam dunk, what makes this pick even more important is that Connor Bedard will only make $950,000 in the second year of his entry-level contract. This is a huge benefit for a player who looks like the real deal and had 22 goals and 61 points in 68 games last season. Even a small increase in point production this season would make his contract a bargain.

With continued physical growth and a year of professional experience, Bedard should evolve from a good rookie to a legitimate No.1 center. He’ll get some much-needed reinforcements from wings Bertuzzi, who stood out for the Detroit Red Wings before stints with the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs, and Teuvo Teravainen, the 2015 Stanley Cup champion who returned to the Windy City after eight seasons with Carolina. Storms. The Blackhawks will enjoy two more seasons of this contract before Bedard becomes a restricted free agent.

Ryan Donato

Donato was signed as a free agent on July 1, 2023, with a maximum salary of $2 million. The 28-year-old has scored 16, 14, and 12 goals over the past three seasons, but brings his 50 points with the team’s equal strength. Look for Donato’s goal total to increase this season, as his shooting percentage should return to his normal 9.7 average. He’s not the fastest skater, but he likes to go to the net. Due to the injuries of many players last season, the Blackhawks felt Donato’s ability to play anywhere in the lineup, since he was at the forefront with Bedard for a while and played well with this guy.

The versatile forward is also physically present in the lineup, recording more than 100 hits. In addition, he had 43 touchdowns given just 25 last season. Even though Donato isn’t a great scorer, the Blackhawks are happy to have him on the roster as he plays his role well and is a great addition to this season.

Pat Maroon

The 36-year-old signed a one-year, $1.3 million contract with the Blackhawks on July 1, 2024, after being traded to the Minnesota Wild and Bruins last season. Maroon brings experience to the team, including a Stanley Cup win with St. Louis Blues in 2019 and the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020 and 2021, he became one of the few players to win back-to-back championships with different teams. This site is important to a young team that needs to learn how to win and compete for NHL playoffs.

Maroon will bring another physical presence to the team. In his short time in Boston, he made a memorable appearance in the first game of the Bruins’ first-round playoff series against the Maple Leafs when he laid down a huge check in the first half that sent Leafs defenseman Timothy Liljegren flying into the Bruins’. the bench. He’s also a vocal leader, echoed former Bruins teammate Brandon Carlo. “When you hear a guy like that talking, everyone listens. Everyone takes care of what they will learn based on their words, because of their experience and their leadership. He is a great asset to all of us and a great leader.”

Alec Martinez

It’s no secret that the Blackhawks’ blueline wasn’t very good last season. The addition of Alec Martinez, a three-time Stanley Cup winner who is still logging more than 19 minutes a night in 37 games, will go a long way in bolstering the defense. He played 818 regular season games and 131 playoff games. He won three Stanley Cups with two different franchises and has been one of the most consistent, hard-working, determined defenders in the league.

Related: Blackhawks’ Training Camp Is a Sign of Team Turning Around

Martinez would also be another player who could provide veteran room for the Blackhawks. After leaving the Vegas Golden Knights, teammate Alex Pietrangelo said “He’s probably one of the best teammates, if not the best teammate, I’ve ever had. You won’t meet many people better than him.” Having this kind of presence on and off the ice is another important and valuable asset to a young team.

After struggling through their first five preseason games, the Hawks finally hit the “W” column with a 6-2 win over the Blues on Saturday (Oct 5). Chicago will open the season on the road against the Utah Hockey Club and get their first chance to improve on last season’s effort. It may also allow us to see if these four players will exceed their contracts this season.