Ilya Mikheyev's time with the Blackhawks is reportedly over

It certainly sounds like Ilya Mikheyev’s tenure with the Chicago Blackhawks is coming to an end. On today’s new episode of 32 Thoughts, Elliotte Friedman had an update on where things stand with the veteran winger.

“It was let known across the league that Chicago probably isn’t going to be able to sign Ilya Mikheyev, so his rights are available if any team wants to talk to him in advance of free agency,” he reported.

Davidson Has a Huge Hole to Fill

While this is disappointing, it is not all that surprising. Mikheyev is coming off two great seasons in Chicago. He scored 20 goals and set a new career high with 34 points in his first season. He followed that up with 18 goals and 36 points this past season. The added offense is just a bonus on top of the excellent defense he plays.

With a very lean free agency market this summer, and at 31 with only 11 games of playoff experience, this is likely Mikheyev’s last chance to get a big payday and choose where he gets to play. There is little doubt that plenty of playoff contenders will bid for his services. If someone wants to get the jump, they can trade for him now, so they have exclusive rights to talk to him. This happens every once in a while, but don’t expect much of anything more than a sixth or seventh-round pick coming back in any trade.

Acquiring Mikheyev was one of general manager Kyle Davidson’s better moves. He gave up a fourth-round pick to take on the final two years of his contract and the Vancouver Canucks’ second-round pick in 2027 to avoid any salary retention. We still don’t know what will come out of that pick, but Mikheyev was a great addition to the Blackhawks' lineup.

Mikheyev was a big reason why the Blackhawks had one of the NHL’s top penalty kills all season long. His mix of awareness and speed made him the best defensive forward on the team. He personified exactly how head coach Jeff Blashill wants to play by exemplifying how defense creates offense.

His departure leaves a giant hole in the lineup next season. It’s hard to find guys who play elite defense and can score 18-20 goals. This could be a chance for a guy like Oliver Moore to excel in a similar role. It isn’t just Mikheyev’s work on the penalty kill that will be missed, but his 5-on-5 defense is among the best in the league. Wanting a group of young guys to rise to that level is a big ask.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow