Kyle Davidson, the general manager of the Chicago Blackhawks, is always considering the future of his team. Possibly his most important duty is overseeing the pay cap.
Since the season ended, Davidson has already handled a number of contract extensions. Most notably, they gave Lukas Reichel a two-year, $2.4 million agreement and rewarded Alex Vlasic for his outstanding rookie season with a six-year deal. Both the front office and the players involved view these trades as victories. They allow Davidson to predict how much cap space he will have available in the upcoming years and provide some financial certainty for the players.
The Hawks will have $57,681,667 salary cap space after the 2024–2025 season, per Capfriendly.com. After this summer, that figure will drop as Davidson looks to add additional free agents or trade acquisitions to strengthen his team.
Even so, he ought to have more than enough cash to keep the six players on the team into July 2025, when they are scheduled to become free agents. Let’s examine those guys, their potential wages if they sign with the Hawks again, and if the team will trade, let them walk, or extend their contract.
Andreas Athanasiou
Athanasiou’s second season with the Blackhawks wasn’t easy. Following a tie for the club lead with 20 goals in 2022, Athanasiou was granted a $8.5 million, two-year contract extension. He struggled with injuries this season, managing just two goals and nine points in 28 games.
Athanasiou, 29, appeared to have some chemistry with Reichel towards the end of the season, but it doesn’t seem like he will be re-signed when the Hawks tried to make place in the roster for their developing forward prospects. In the event of a deal, Davidson’s contract will have to be retained, but Athanasiou’s exceptional talent and quickness may draw some interest at the trade deadline.
Leave a Reply