5 best bargain forwards the Blackhawks can target in free agency

Warren Foegele would be a strong pickup for Chicago’s middle-six

Thanks to his productive play this season, Warren Foegele could work his way into the top-six with his current team, the Edmonton Oilers, should they keep him around with a contract extension. However, Foegele is also young enough to justify bringing to town for between $3.5 and $4 million a year, which is something Kyle Davidson can easily fit into his budget. 

With just over a half-point per game this season and career-highs in goals and assists, Foegele is enjoying an outstanding year offensively for the Oilers, and his defensive game would also make for a welcome asset in Chicago. 

He has stolen quite a few pucks since his first full season in the league in 2018-19 when he was with the Carolina Hurricanes. He’s also not afraid to finish checks, which would add more edginess to a Blackhawks team that has a solid 23 hits per game. 

Foegele doesn’t play a ton of special teams, but he has periodically pitched in each season since entering the league, both on the man advantage and when his team is shorthanded. Even if his offensive game remains so-so from a productivity standpoint, a career Corsi of 54.2 percent is another plus for Foegele, as his presence will certainly help the Blackhawks in Year 2 of this massive rebuild.