The Chicago Blackhawks did not have any players listed among those who filed for contract arbitration. The only player eligible was Drew Commesso, but he decided against it.
Commesso is an RFA, and he will work out a contract with the Chicago Blackhawks without the guidance of an arbitrator. This is a positive, because arbitration can get messy as both sides argue over how much the player deserves to make. A player has to hear why a team thinks they aren’t worth more money, which is never constructive.
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Connor Bedard, Kevin Korchinski, and Ethan Del Mastro are also RFA’s, but they were not eligible for an arbitrator this summer. They all received qualifying offers, and only time will tell what the final number looks like.
By not electing for arbitration, Drew Commesso could, in theory, receive an offer sheet, but that won’t happen. He is a promising young goalie, but he has proven nothing over a long period of time in the NHL. The Blackhawks would likely match any offer sheet for him or just let him go for whatever compensation is needed, but it isn’t realistic to expect one.
There is still reason to worry about other Blackhawks receiving offer sheets, specifically Connor Bedard, as they seem to be becoming a trend in the modern-day NHL.
Drew Commesso only appeared in three games for the Chicago Blackhawks last season, but he is expecting to compete with Arvid Soderblom for the backup job coming into the year. Spencer Knight is the established number one.
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With the way the league goes these days, it will be important to have three goalies that can be trusted in any situation, which is why the Blackhawks and Commesso must agree. Not filing for arbitration is a great start, as both sides can come together for mutual benefit.
This is the list of players who filed:
There are some very good players listed there, including Kirby Dach, Jamie Drysdale, and Trevor Zegras. There is even one elite player there in Jason Robertson.
By going to arbitration, as mentioned before, they all forfeited their right to receive an offer sheet. They all, however, could have their rights traded. Would any of them interest the Blackhawks? Surely, but Chicago might have to figure out their own players first.
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