What should the Chicago Blackhawks do with their 2024-2025 pending free agents?

Chicago Blackhawks General Manager Kyle Davidson is always thinking about the future of his franchise. Arguably, his biggest responsibility is managing the salary cap.

Davidson has already taken care of several contract extensions since the season concluded, most notably rewarding Alex Vlasic for his stellar first season with a six-year pact and giving Lukas Reichel a two-year, $2.4 million extension. These deals are both considered wins for the front office and the players involved. They give the players some financial stability for the coming years and allow Davidson to plan out how much cap space he will have at his disposal in the coming years.

According to Capfriendly.com, the Hawks will have $57,681,667 in cap space following the 2024-2025 season. That number will decrease after this summer, as Davidson will look to bolster his roster with some free agent or trade acquisitions.

Nevertheless, he should have plenty of money to extend the six players currently on the roster set to hit unrestricted or restricted free agency in July 2025. Let’s take a look at who those players are, if the Hawks will extend them, let them walk, or trade them, and what salaries they could command if re-signed.

Andreas Athanasiou

Athanasiou had a difficult second season as a Blackhawk. After tying for the team lead with 20 goals in 2022, Athanasiou received a two-year, $8.5 million extension. This season, he battled injuries and posted just two goals and nine points in 28 games.

He showed some chemistry with Reichel late in the year, but, as of now, it doesn’t appear Athanasiou, 29, will be re-signed following next season, as the Hawks will look to make room for theirrising forwards prospects in the lineup. Davidson will have to retain salary in a trade, but Athanasiou’s elite speed and skill could gain some modest attraction at the trade deadline.