These 3 forwards would be perfect summer steals for the Chicago Blackhawks

The Chicago Blackhawks are in need of adding some punch to their lineup to improve its scoring, ranked in the league’s bottom third. But with some major free agents poised to break the bank, the Blackhawks can ill afford to bet the farm on players who may turn into expensive lawn ornaments.

While the Blackhawks could spend a few bucks, the team would be better off looking at under-the-radar options to make every dollar count.

With that in mind, he is a look at three forwards who could become summer steals for the Chicago Blackhawks.

Luke Kunin

Luke Kunin is not the type of player who will set the scoresheet on fire. He’s a hard-nosed bottom-six forward with grit, punch, and who can occasionally put the puck in the back of the net.

Kunin could be the sort of character guy that the Chicago Blackhawks could use to round out their middle six while providing depth and a physical presence. He’s a solid playoff performer, notching five points in 14 postseason games.

The 27-year-old forward is coming off a one-year $2.75 million deal. While that may be a little high for his offensive output, the Blackhawks could bring his AAV down with a multiyear deal somewhere in the three to four-year range.

For the right price, adding Kunin could bolster the Blackhawks' depth without breaking the bank.

Joel Kiviranta

Joel Kiviranta had his best NHL season this past year. He notched 23 points in 79 games for the Colorado Avalanche, becoming a heart-and-soul guy in the Avalanche’s bottom six. He jumped to the top six at times of injury, not looking out of place, by the way.

As such, Kiviranta could be an interesting option for the Chicago Blackhawks. He’s coming off a $775K deal, meaning that he could be signed for a rock-bottom deal, especially if it’s a multi-year deal.

It’s worth pointing out that the Blackhawks would be betting on Kiviranta’s potential moving forward. The team would be hinging this signing on Kiviranta building on his 23 points and potentially moving into the 40-point range.

At 29, some skepticism may surround the Blackhawks signing Kiviranta. Still, it would be worth kicking the tires on the Finnish forward as he could be one of the summer’s biggest under-the-radar signings.

Pius Suter

Pius Suter had a breakout year for the Vancouver Canucks this season. Suter, a former Blackhawk, put up career highs across the board. He topped 25 goals and totaled 46 points in 81 games.

Moreover, Suter emerged as the Canucks’ top-line center after J.T. Miller had been traded and Elias Pettersson went down with injury.

Suter is coming off a deal that paid him $1.6 million AAV. He’ll surely get a much better multi-year deal this summer. The Canucks will try their best to lock him up. But given the direction the Canucks are taking, Suter may be compelled to return to Chicago and take over a more prominent top-six role.