3 dream defenseman for the Chicago Blackhawks to target in free agency
By Kyle Bokota
Tyler Myers (RD, 34 years old, 6'8 and 229 lbs)
Tyler Myers would be a very on-brand signing for the style of hockey that Luke Richardson loves for the Hawks to play.
Myers is a human wrecking ball, hitting anything and anyone that has a pulse, and imposing his will on the ice with his towering height and intimidating attitude. While he won't add much offense, his defensive awareness and experience on the penalty kill make him a desirable addition to the Hawks' bottom four defenseman.
I believe that Myers fits exactly what the Hawks are looking for in a depth defenseman. He has experience, aggression, and has been a reliable defensive defenseman throughout his career. Essentially, Myers would only be asked to fill the Jarred Tinordi/Jaycob Megna role from last season and I believe that he would represent a significant upgrade in talent and ability from those players.
I do believe that Myers' age may be concerning to some, but at the same time, another veteran voice is very welcome in a locker room full of young defensemen.
Myers is also unique in that he is likely to demand a far smaller contract than the $6.0 million per year that he was getting on his last deal. However, If Myers doesn't want to take a significant pay cut to stay with the Canucks or to go to a contender then I could see the Hawks offering him a one-year deal at his same $6 million value (or maybe a hair less at $5.5 million) to convince him to spend a year knocking players off their skates just to warm Luke Richardson's heart.