The Chicago Blackhawks are expected to take a forward with the No. 3 pick in the draft. Chicago has plenty of youth at centre, with 2023 first-round pick Connor Bedard and 2022 first-round pick Frank Nazar expected to help lead the team in the upcoming season.
The Blackhawks enter free agency with the fifth-most cap space in the NHL. While general manager Kyle Davidson has said he won’t do anything too crazy in the free agency, Chicago is expected to try and land quality veteran help for the future as the team’s young core develops.
Chicago Blackhawks urged to sign Mitch Marner
Mitch Marner, the No. 4 pick in the 2015 draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs, has been linked to the Blackhawks this offseason. In an article on the top free agent for each NHL team, Scott Powers of The Athletic urged Davidson to go after the right-handed right wing, even if he’s considered a long shot to join Chicago.
“Marner is probably a long shot, and the Blackhawks may not even sign a significant unrestricted free agent,” Powers wrote. “It’s possible they’ll be more aggressive in trying to acquire someone through trade. But of the current UFAs, Marner is the one who makes the most sense from age and talent standpoints.”
Marner, 28, scored 27 goals and recorded 75 assists last season. He made the All-Star Game in 2020, 2023, and 2024. He earned NHL First All-Star Team honors in 2021 and 2022.
Marner has played in 657 games in his nine-year NHL career. He’s scored 741 points on 221 goals and 520 assists. Marner would be the perfect veteran to feed Bedard and Nazar, but it will come at a steep price for Chicago.
Per ESPN, Marner is expected to sign for nearly $14 million per year on his next contract.
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