Saga Over: Chicago Blackhawks, Perlini Agree to 1 Year Deal

Brendan Perlini has officially signed and will be back with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2019-20.

The Brendan Perlini saga has finally ended. The streaky scoring winger agreed to terms on a one year, $874,125 deal to return to the Chicago Blackhawks’ stable of forwards.

Perlini will now be in the mix for the last few roster spots once training camp opens. He also adds another layer of competition with an already exciting training camp overflowing with talent.

Brendan Perlini’s first season in Chicago was one of low lows and high highs, as he struggled to find his footing after being dealt to Chicago, along with Dylan Strome, for center Nick Schmaltz.

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Strome flourished with the Blackhawks while Perlini floundered, unable to find a consistent spot in the Blackhawks line up.

In Perlini’s first 30 games in a ‘Hawks sweater, he was only able to muster 3 goals and 1 assist. He occasionally spent time in the press box.

However, Perlini’s season would take a sharp turn on March 2nd in Los Angeles, where he would turn in a two-goal game in a disappointing loss to the Kings.

From that point on — in his final 17 games — Perlini would net 9 goals and two assists, including a hat trick against his former team the Coyotes.

During his late-season surge, Brendan Perlini was spending a good chunk of his minutes with the offensive dynamo of Alex DeBrincat and Dylan Strome.

With a new contract in hand, and coming into his first full season with the Chicago Blackhawks, what can we expect for the streaky scorer?

I think Perlini is a bit of an oddity in that he showed that he can produce goals consistently at the NHL level, with 14+ goals in each of his first three seasons.

Does that mean he is a top-six kind of player who should be getting time with the likes of DeBrincat and Strome?

Personally, I don’t think so. I think Brendan Perlini is a good depth option who can step up in a pinch, but I don’t see him as a player who has earned consistent minutes in a top-six role.

With the re-signing of Perlini, and the injection of young forwards in the system, this training camp is going to be a competitive one.

Will Perlini’s NHL track record give him the upper hand, or will his reasonable contract make him an expendable asset?

Only time will tell, but if he can perform like he did at the end of last season, Brendan Perlini could be a great value for the Blackhawks.