Evaluating Chicago Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson's past free agent signings

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What do Zach Hyman and Carter Verhaeghe have in common? Aside from being elite goal scorers on Stanley Cup finalists, they were also free agent signings by the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers, respectively.

The free agency period is a crucial time of the year for general managers as they look to add players to help their team reach its goals, whether that be Stanley Cups or lottery picks. Of course, it is imperative not to overpay, as a bad deal signed in July can cripple a team’s cap structure in the future.

Since he took the GM post in Chicago, Kyle Davidson has used free agency as a way to plug holes in the NHL roster while prospects developed in junior, overseas, or the AHL. That may change this summer, as the Hawks will be looking to add some quality players to supplement their young core and win more games than last season. With that being said, let’s take a look at some of Davidson’s more impactful free-agent signings.

Alex Stalock

Stalock, a career journeyman, performed reasonably well as the backup behind a brutal Hawks roster in 2022-2023. He won nine of his 27 starts while posting a .908 SV% and a 3.01 GAA. For just $750k, Stalock was a nice signing as he outperformed expectations and earned a nomination for the Bill Masterton Trophy for his “perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey” after overcoming myocarditis.

Cole Guttman

Guttman led the Denver Pioneers to a National Championship in 2022 and signed an entry-level deal in Chicago that summer. He was over a point-per-game in Rockford this season and has 14 points to his name in 41 career NHL games. At 25, Guttman may not be a part of the Blackhawks’ plans, but he is a solid depth piece that can contribute some offense in bottom-six minutes when need be.

Jack Johnson

The former third-overall pick was brought in to bring some stability to a shaky Chicago defense corps in 2022. Johnson was serviceable for 58 games in a Hawks sweater before Davidson dealt him back to Colorado in exchange for Andreas Englund. The defenseman is a classic example of Davidson bringing in a cheap veteran to eat up minutes while younger prospects such as Alex Vlasic matured in Rockford.

Colin Blackwell

A fiery competitor and leader in the locker room, Blackwell inked a two-year deal in the Windy City in July of 2022. Despite a penchant for finding himself on breakaways, Blackwell only tallied 22 points in 97 games for the Hawks. The Harvard product likely won’t be brought back as players like Frank Nazar, Landon Slaggert, and Colton Dach will compete for his spot in the lineup come September.

Ryan Donato

A college teammate of Blackwell’s, Donato joined the Hawks on a two-year, $4 million pact last summer. He proved useful this season as he played up and down the lineup and generated 12 goals and 30 points. At 28, Donato may not be offered an extension and instead end up dealt to a contender at the deadline in March.

Max Domi

Davidson found Domi in the free agent bargain bin two summers ago and gave him a $3 million prove-it deal. Domi rewarded Davidson as he became the Hawks’ first-line center and produced 49 points in 60 games. Dallas liked what they saw and acquired him for a second-round selection in 2025 and Anton Khudobin. Davidson did a nice job with Domi, turning a distressed asset into a quality draft choice.

Corey Perry

Perry was signed to provide some leadership to a young Hawks room this past summer but had his contract terminated for violating his contract and team policies “intended to promote professional and safe work environments.” Despite tallying nine points in 16 games in Chicago, Perry’s signing was a miss by Davidson and one he certainly would take back if he could.

Nick Foligno

Foligno is arguably Davidson’s best signing. At 36 years old, the former All-Star notched 37 points in 74 games this season. More importantly, he was the team’s heartbeat, voice of reason, and was a tremendous leader for Connor Bedard and other young Blackhawks. Foligno will be sticking around for a couple more years thanks to his new extension and all Hawks fans are grateful for that.

Andreas Athanasiou

Athanasiou was signed to bring some more firepower to the Hawks’ offense, and he certainly provided that in his first year with the team. However, after 20 goals and 40 points in 2022, he managed just 2 goals in 28 games in 2023 while battling injuries. With one year and $4.25 million remaining on his contract, Athanasiou is likely playing his last season in Chicago.

Overall, Davidson has signed mostly roster fillers during his tenure as GM but also nailed a couple signings (Foligno and Domi). Hawks fans are hopeful he will bring in some more impact players this summer that can help Bedard and Company take the next step in their development and bring the Hawks closer to a seventh Stanley Cup.

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Evaluating Chicago Blackhawks General Manager Kyle Davidson's past free agent signings