Cole Smith can prove to be a solid depth replacement for the Blackhawks in 2026-27

Cole Smith was one of the Chicago Blackhawks biggest free agents signings because he got the most term, with a three-year, $9M deal.

The Blackhawks foresee the 30 year old filling some significant voids and making himself known in a depth role. So, his 2026-27 storyline will follow how that looks on the Blackhawks.

Smith could fill the void of Mikheyev & Dickinson

Losing Ilya Mikheyev to the Tampa Bay Lightning in free agency and trading Jason Dickinson to the Edmonton Oilers was tough for the Blackhawks. Both became significant presences in the bottom six and on the penalty kill. And they knew that had to be made up somehow.

That is where Smith comes in. That sentiment was brought up to general manager Kyle Davidson in July when he was asked about Smith playing a Mikheyev-type role on the penalty kill: "Yeah, the penalty killing. But I think he brings physicality to his game, especially, you know, if you watched the playoffs, he was a little bit of a wrecking ball on the forecheck, and getting in, and you look at some of the hit totals, they were pretty high, and so that's an element we wanted to add to our group. (We) felt it was something we probably lacked a little bit, especially after the deadline, once Nick (Foligno) went to Minnesota.

"And so, just bringing that into our lineup, and another element to our game, and trying to make life a little more difficult on the opposition was something that we intended on adding, and we did that with (Jordan) Greenway, too. We think he can really add something along those lines as well. But again, we want some guys that have had some success in the league on special teams in those specialty roles, like penalty killing, just to make sure that we've got people that can do that kind of lifting and not have to, again, throw that on the shoulders of young players that might be trying to find their way in the NHL."

Smith was with the Nashville Predators for six years before getting traded to the Vegas Golden Knights in March, where he reached the Stanley Cup Final.

Smith said about his role throughout his NHL career, “I think it’s a big thing, especially in the NHL. There’s a lot of good players in the NHL and AHL, and I think finding a niche or finding a part of your game that makes you stick is very important. I think I’ve been able to find that and be consistent with that, and that’s how I’ve been able to stick and sign contracts in the NHL, and be around here for a couple years, is getting really good at my role. My role to me is that physicality, energy, you know, when a team needs to kind of change momentum in a game, go out and have a good shift, or take d-zone face-offs and try to end in the o-zone; those kinds of things. And so, it’s kind of been my way to be successful, and obviously, Chicago liked the game that I had, and I’m excited to bring it to Chicago.”

Smith can become a key piece

Physicality will be a big element, as he had 173 hits combined between Nashville and Vegas last season. His career-high in hits is 235, which he had in 2023-24, and then, as Davidson said, his special teams experience will be important, too.

He had 10 points in 42 games before getting traded to Vegas, where he had two points in 21 games, including six points in 22 playoff games. He can bring significant offense at times, as his career-high is 23 points in 80 games. But it seems like his main strength with the Blackhawks will be more based on being a dependable role player.

Smith also said about signing in Chicago, "What stood out to me is how much they wanted me to be a part of their group..."

They pursued Smith hard for a reason, and they will need him. If he can help carry on the success of the penalty kill while also providing key depth on the bottom six alongside players like Greenway, Ryan Donato, etc, he can prove to be a solid addition.

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