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Morning Chirps: West invited to Summer Showcase, two veterans to hit free agency

A recent Chicago Blackhawks first-round pick has chance to represent the U.S. on the international stage.
ByGreg Boysen|
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Jun 27, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Mason West is selected as the 29th overall pick to the Chicago Blackhawks in the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft at Peacock Theater. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Jun 27, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Mason West is selected as the 29th overall pick to the Chicago Blackhawks in the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft at Peacock Theater. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

July 1 marks the opening of free agency in the National Hockey League; however, this year’s class lacks the star power we have seen in the past. In fact, this might be one of the worst groups ever. We’ll see how active the Chicago Blackhawks are today.

Blackhawks Chirps

  • With the free agent market open for business today, I profiled three unrestricted free agents who make sense for the Blackhawks to sign.
  • We predicted where some of the top free agents and trade targets will end up, plus talked to Mason West and Vaclav Nestrasil on the CHGO Blackhawks Podcast yesterday.
  • Speaking of West, he was one of 47 players invited to Team USA’s World Junior Summer Showcase Camp that will run from July 26 to Aug. 1 in Windsor, ON.
  • On this date in 2009, the Blackhawks made the greatest free agent signing in franchise history. They inked future Hall of Famer Marian Hossa to a 12-year, $63.3 million contract. He was a huge part of three Stanley Cup championships.
  • Blackhawks Birthday Roll Call, July 1: Les Ramsay, Mike Eastwood, and Adam Berti.

NHL Chirps

  • The Florida Panthers acquired their replacement for Sergei Bobrovsky. They sent forwards Evan Rodrigues, Jesper Boqvist, and Ben Steeves to the New Jersey Devils for goaltender Jacob Markstrom and forward Angus Crookshank.
  • The St. Louis Blues placed Jonathan Drouin on waivers to buy out the last year of his contract. Later in the day, they signed Jonatan Berggren to a one-year, $2 million contract after not giving him a qualifying offer.
  • When free agency opens, two veterans will be available to sign with any team. Mats Zuccarello did not come to an agreement to stay with the Wild, as he will be a casualty of Kirill Kaprizov’s new $17 million cap hit. Anders Lee told the New York Islanders that he is heading to free agency after spending 14 seasons with the franchise.
  • The Vegas Golden Knights were busy ahead of free agency. First, they traded defenseman Kaedan Korczak to the Pittsburgh Penguins for fellow blueliner Parker Wotherspoon, with the Penguins retaining 50% of his salary. Later in the evening, they signed Jeremy Lauzon to a six-year, $24 million contract extension.
  • The Anaheim Ducks signed A.J. Greer to a four-year, $17 million contract. This is a guy I really wanted the Blackhawks to make a run at, but it wasn’t in the cards.
  • NHL Birthday Roll Call, July 1: Bill Beveridge, Rod Gilbert, Steve Shutt, John Barrett, Shawn Burr, Dan McGillis, Jarome Iginla, Brett Ritchie, Pierre-Olivier Joseph, and Mikulas Hovorka.
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