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The Chicago Blackhawks Should Extend These 3 Pending Unrestricted Free Agents

By Todd Welter |
/ Daniel Bartel-USA TODAY Sports
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The Chicago Blackhawks made sure to keep their unofficial captain around for the middle stages of the rebuild when Nick Foligno agreed to a two-year contract extension.

Foligno might not be the offensive force he once was, but his leadership has been invaluable. He is sticking around to help guide the young players that the franchise hopes will become the core of the next great Blackhawks team.

The Chicago Blackhawks have three other players set for unrestricted free agency that they should try to extend to help Foligno build a great culture for the next great team.

However, it all comes down to the years these players will want. General manager Kyle Davidson wants to maintain salary cap flexibility during these rebuilding years. He is not going to give huge dollars for a long period. That is one reason Foligno's extension was such a good deal for the team.

The team did give him $9 million over two years, but his $4.5 million AAV is going to be off the books pretty quickly. It was not a salary cap-killing deal like Brent Seabrook's.

If these three players are favorable to a short-term deal, then the Blackhawks need to extend these three veterans...

Colin Blackwell

The scrappy forward has been the shot in the arm this team has needed since he returned from an injury that cost him the second half of last season and two months this season. He immediately made an impact in his return game against Colorado. He laid a hit on Nate MacKinnon which he is probably still feeling.

He also made a big impact on the Hawks' most recent victory over Calgary with two goals and an assist. It was needed too as that was the first game the Blackhawks skated without rookie phenom Connor Bedard.

He must have worked on his offensive game while he was out as he has been much better with the puck since last season. Blackwell has been great on the power play too. The most important part is he is willing to shoot with 17 shots this month. The Hawks are playing a basic get-the-puck-to-the-net offensive system and his willingness to do that has kept the Blackhawks competitive since Bedard went down.

The fact that he plays hard every night is the big reason the Hawks need to keep him around during the rebuilding phase. They need a hard-nosed player on the ice to show the young studs you must bring it every shift.

He is currently a $1.2 million cap hit, so another two-year deal with a bump in pay would be reasonable.

Jason Dickinson

Dickinson's offseason work on his shot has paid off. He is second on the team in goals and third in points.

This is the first time in his career he has reached double-digit goals. He blew past his career high in the middle of December. He has played so well this season that he has become one of the team's six most important players.

The conflict with Dickinson is this just could be his career year. His trade value might never be this high, especially with a $2.65 million cap hit. Teams right up against the cap might be interested in adding his goal-scoring ability this season since he would not be that tight of a fit for those franchises compared to others who might be on the trade market.

Then again, he might need to be part of a package deal to maximize his trade return.

He is viewed as a leader on the team. He has been wearing the "A" since Seth Jones went on IR.

Dickinson will be 30 next season, so it is not like his best hockey is behind him. Bringing him back on a two-year deal around the same money as Foligno would not break the Blackhawks. This team needs someone to score goals during the rebuild and Dickinson has worked hard to provide that. In addition, it would be a good way to get to the salary cap floor to bring him back.

However, if a team is willing to give up a premium pick, then trade him. If the Hawks do not move him before the deadline and another team offers him more years on the market based on this season's production, then let him walk.

Petr Mrazek

/ Daniel Bartel-USA TODAY Sports

Mrazek's 3.17 goals against average and .903 save percentage seem pedestrian. His numbers lack context as Mrazek has been vital to the Hawks' chances of victory.

He has been stopping just enough shots to give the Blackhawks a chance at winning every time he is in goal. You only need to look at his most recent performance against the NHL's best team, the Winnipeg Jets. He blanked one of the best offenses for 56 minutes.

The only reason the Hawks lost was the blue line fell apart in front of him during the game's last four minutes.

The other welcomed surprise is Mrazek has avoided his traditional trip to the injured reserve. Mrazek has a case to be the team's replacement for Connor Bedard in the All-Star Game.

Think about that for a moment. The Toronto Maple Leafs gave the Hawks a first-round pick last year to take on his salary and he would return to that city to play in the All-Star Game.

His strong season might be attractive to a contending team needing goaltending help. At the same time, Arvid Soderblom's struggles this season have created a huge question on if he will ever be a No. 1 goaltender. Drew Commesso is the other goalie prospect that the Hawks have with the talent to be a top goalie. He needs another season in Rockford before he is ready to take on the NHL.

That is why Mrazek should be considered for an extension as a bridge goalie until Commesso is ready or until Soderblom proves he is the man in goal.

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