Blackhawks: Three upcoming free agents that could be a great fit

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Mar 28, 2021; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Blackhawks head coach Jeremy Colliton stands behind the bench during the first period at United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports /

There really is one quick way the Chicago Blackhawks rebuild could come to an end, signing free agents.

With the Salary Cap going to be flat for the next couple of seasons, the free-agent market will make less money than anticipated, which could be a benefit for the Blackhawks. The team is in rebuild mode, but one or two real game-changers could put them over the edge.

While the Blackhawks probably won’t sign any big-name players like the ones on this list, they need to improve their team somehow, and maybe that means signing a veteran player or two and paying them what they are worth.

Dougie Hamilton

Dougie Hamilton is one of the best defensemen available this summer. The current Carolina Hurricane’s defenseman is a beast in his own end and one the Blackhawks would be wise to sign. Out of all the names on this list, Hamilton will be the most expensive and the most necessary to the team’s success.

The Hawks do not have a true number one defenseman, while Keith and Murphy have been doing their best this season. Bringing in Hamilton would be an instant upgrade, one that could lead to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Dougie Hamilton paired with Duncan Keith, or one of the young guys like Wyatt Kalynuk or Riley Stillman would give the Blackhawks a nice unit to help keep games close. There are a lot of options available, and all the Hawks need to do is find their guys.

Antti Raanta

Would it really be a new Chicago Blackhawks season if Stan Bowman did not bring back a former member of the team? Antti Raanta would be a great fit for the organization. He is a veteran goaltender that really helped the Arizona Coyotes get into the playoffs last season. Plus, he is another example of an undrafted addition that helped the Blackhawks win.

The Blackhawks would be a great fit for Raanta as he originally started his career in Chicago. I think everyone can see that while Lankinen, Delia, and Subban played great, they are not the true number one goalie this team needs. With Raanta around maybe, Lankinen and him can split things a little bit closer.

One of Raanta’s best seasons came in 2017-18 when he played in 47 games and had a .930 save percentage. Of course, any goal the team signs will only be as good as the defense in front of him.

Tyson Barrie

Tyson Barrie had a great season with the Edmonton Oilers this past year, and now they are gearing up for a playoff run. The 29-year-old defenseman is in for a pay raise this off-season as he currently makes 3.75 million a season, but if it came down to him or Zadorov at around the 4 million dollar mark, I think I would take Barrie.

Barrie is a proven offensive defenseman, something this team does not have. Yes, a lot of the younger defensemen on this team are offensive-minded, but they do not have the points to show for it and are not ready to be a number one guy.

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Barrie would be a great addition to the Blackhawks and someone I wouldn’t mind seeing him play with Duncan Keith or maybe even Connor Murphy. Either way, there are a lot of players the Blackhawks could sign this off-season.

While some deals might be harder than others with the salary cap, the Blackhawks could get something done. I mentioned a few days ago that the Blackhawks could learn from the New York Rangers, and that is still true now as New York signed big-name free agents like Artemi Panarin despite rebuilding the team.

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There really is one quick way the Chicago Blackhawks rebuild could come to an end, signing free agents.

Dougie Hamilton

Antti Raanta

Tyson Barrie

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