Chicago Blackhawks: 2020 Free Agents To Re-Sign

3. Dylan Strome (RFA)

It worries me that Dylan Strome still hasn’t signed a contract with the Blackhawks. As an RFA, they will have the ‘rights’ for him this summer. That gives them a leg up on any signing. If Strome doesn’t want to stay in Chicago, which he does, the Blackhawks would be receiving draft picks in return.

When Alex DeBrincat was re-signed three-years for $6,400,000 AAV, I was expecting a contract extension for Strome to come right after. The DeBrincat-Strome connection is going to be the future in Chicago, as long as they keep them together.

Since being traded to Chicago, Strome has 82 points in 105 games. Before that, in Arizona he played in 48 games, he only had 16 points there.

He has turned his career around, to say the least. Strome is worth a big contract in the summer. I believe the DeBrincat deal was too short. Both Strome and DeBrincat need to be locked up for a long time.

Strome is worth around $4,500,000 AAV. I could see him signing a four-year deal for $4,500,000 AAV. My worry comes when both Strome and DeBrincat’s contract expires. Who knows how good they’ll be by then.

Of course, Kane and Toews’ contracts will have expired. They’ll be getting less money, so it’ll open up money for DeBrincat and Strome. Adding to them though, there will be Kirby Dach and Adam Boqvist to re-sign a few years down the line.

There will be a huge salary crunch in a few years. That is why the Blackhawks have to be smart now and re-sign their stars for a long time, while they’re young and worth-less money.