Blackhawks: Dylan Strome signs two-year contract extension

There have been rumblings around various Chicago Blackhawks’ outlets that the team was working to re-sign a key player. The long-awaited contract was finally revealed today.

The Blackhawks announced today that they have re-signed forward Dylan Strome to a two-year contract extension valued at $3 million, keeping the 23-year-old in the Windy City through the 2021-22 season.

Strome has been with the Blackhawks since the 2018 season after being traded from the Arizona Coyotes. He became a restricted free agent at the end of this year, and given the Blackhawks’ well-documented salary cap issues, some feared that re-signing the forward might not have been possible.

Despite this, General Manager Stan Bowman remained confident that they would get Strome re-signed. Bowman stated on last week’s episode of the Blackhawks Talk Podcast that negotiations were still very much open, and that “we’re hopeful we can get something done and that [Strome] will be in camp, but I guess it’s only a few days away here, so we’ll see how it plays out in the next few days.”

Strome has been a key aspect of the team’s forward core over the past few years. With the recent injuries to Kirby Dach and Alex Nylander, and Jonathan Toews out with illness, this contract extension is certainly welcome news. While Strome struggled last season offensively, he is still quite young and has time to improve aspects of his game.

Strome, the brother of New York Rangers forward Ryan Strome, was drafted third overall in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft by the Arizona Coyotes. He never really fit in with the ‘Yotes, only scoring seven goals in three seasons in the desert. However, he has scored 29 goals and 60 assists in 116 games with Chicago. Hopefully, this contract extension will be a catalyst for Strome to break out of his shell and have a terrific year.

With the numerous players sidelined on the roster, Dylan Strome should get ample playing time this upcoming season. It should definitely be a much-needed boost to the Blackhawks to have #17 skating on United Center ice later this month.