Reports of my death (free agency) are completely accurate: 2026 NHL Offseason thread

[MartyFunkhouser]

Only a few games left in the season. Time to move focus over to the upcoming offseason.

Free agency, yeah, that is dead. Best player on the market is Alex Tuch. You then are looking at a 40 year old Alex Ovechkin. Not much out there on the blueline in terms of quality free agents.

The NHL has changed and you are going to have to build from the draft or through trades. There is no Marian Hossa out there anymore to kick start a rebuilding process.

This year's draft is fascinating. We have had 3 years with a consensus top pick. 2023 (Bedard). 2024 (Celebrini). 2025 (Schaefer). All 3 of them are the future of the league and amazing franchise cornerstones. Gavin McKenna was a early consensus, but that is clearly gone now.

The more that I look at it, the more I like the Blackhawks going blueline in this draft. It is tempting to try to find a permanent line mate for Bedard, but I'm not sure it is there at the top of the draft. I am fully onboard now with the Blackhawks drafting Chase Reid, Keaton Verhoeff, or Albert Smits.

Stenberg and McKenna duplicate what the Blackhawks already have way too much. If the Blackhawks decide to go with a forward, I think it will need to be Ethan Belchetz because of his size. He could be the power winger to pair with Bedard.

[MartyFunkhouser]

Can we get the playoffs over already so that we can get more draft/offseason news. I'm dying over here.

[MartyFunkhouser]

Priorities in the offseason:

Connor Bedard Contract Extension. This obviously has to get done. If you can get 8-years of term, I'm fine with up to 15 million. It would be amazing if the Blackhawks could get term and 12 million, but I don't see it happening.

Sign Kantserov. The second biggest priority is to get Kantserov into Chicago. The Blackhawks need to see what they have there.

Mikhayev Signing. Given what Mkhayev does on the penalty kill, bringing him back as a bottom 6 forward makes sense. Yes, it takes up a spot, but you can still keep some of the younger players down in the AHL.

Trade Targets. I think may time to go out there and see if there is a possibility of getting Knies, Richardson, or Thomas. Knies and Thomas are locked in long term and fit the timeline. Richardson fits the timeline as well. One thing is, I could see waiting until the next offseason. See what you have in Kantserov. See if you get Ivar or McKenna in the draft and see what their long term future in the NHL looks like. If it isn't necessary to gut the system for a major trade, maybe wait on it. You could also make a deadline type move.

Draft Pick. As much as it bothers me to bring in another small player, I think you have to go with Ivar or McKenna if you get the first or second pick. In some ways, I'd be okay with the Blackhawks pick 3rd or 4th and end up with one of the higher end defenseman.

Veteran Defenseman. I know a lot of people want the Blackhawks to sign a veteran defenseman. I don't think it is that important. You aren't a playoff team. Roll with the young guys.

[falafel]

Why are we talking offseason? Keep your loser team details to yourself.

[MartyFunkhouser]

Why are we talking offseason? Keep your loser team details to yourself.

Your team may join us soon. Just saying.

[falafel]

Your team may join us soon. Just saying.

We will never join you, because you are not a playoff team. But also, 2-2 coming back to Vegas!

[MartyFunkhouser]

Draft lottery tomorrow

I think that I'm now on the winger bandwagon instead of going with Chase Reid, so hoping for a top 2 pick. I'd be cool if the Blackhawks won the lottery and took McKenna. Some speculation that if Chicago drops to 3rd that they might actually go with Malholtra who really seems to be rising. If they draft Malhotra, at some point they have to move some of the centers to winger. It seems like Chicago is committing to Frondell at center. If they draft another center, they are going to have to move Nazar to the wing.

[MartyFunkhouser]

That sucked. Couldn’t imagine a worse lottery result.

[MartyFunkhouser]

While I initially though the Blackhawks wouldn't get their top defenseman pick, I do think it is going to shake out that way.

I think it is pretty clear that Maple Leafs go with McKenna. McKenna is a player that could provide some immediate help. San Jose should go with the blueline, but I think they end up taking Stenburg.

Vancouver is going with Caleb Malholtra. I think the fact he is a center, they have tons of needs across the board, and Malholtra's connection to Vancouver ends up with them taking him. The early reads out there is that they are pretty locked in on him.

If it goes down that way, maybe the Blackhawks do select Chase Reid. The issue is he largely duplicates what Levshunov does. It may be better to go with Carson Carels. He slots in really nicely next to either Levshunov or Rinzel.

I also can see a scenario where Stenburg still falls to the Blackhawks. If the Sharks decide to go with Reid, which they should do, I still think Vancouver goes with Malholtra. In that case, you draft Stenburg or Malholtra if Vancouver goes with Stenburg.

It would have been nice to not fall, but Blackhawks are sitting fine in this draft. The worse thing about the lottery was San Jose moving up. Glad San Jose is in the Pacific.

[MartyFunkhouser]

Kantserov terminates his KHL contract, so he should be in Chicago next year. Kantserov was the first 21 year old to lead the KHL in goals since Kaprizov. Kantserov's stats in the KHL were really impressive. He should immediately slot into a line with Bedard. He may finally be the high end offensively winger that Bedard needs.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/726...t-termination/

[MartyFunkhouser]

Lots of mock drafts have Chase Reid to the Sharks. It is the right call for them to do that, unless they think Stenburg is a much better prospect. If it is close, Reid has to be the pick.