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Report: Blackhawks Pending UFA Receiving Interest From Several Teams
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- Report: Blackhawks Pending UFA Receiving Interest From Several Teams
Report: Blackhawks Pending UFA Receiving Interest From Several Teams
July 1 is now only two weeks away, and it's looking increasingly likely that pending unrestricted free-agent forward Ilya Mikheyev 's time with the Chicago Blackhawks is coming to an end.
Despite GM Kyle Davidson voicing his desire to re-sign Mikheyev this summer on numerous occasions since the end of the 2025-26 season, he's been unsuccessful in his attempts thus far. NHL insider Elliotte Friedman reported in mid-May that the two sides had reached a deadlock in negotiations; however, The Athletic's Scott Powers mentioned shortly after that the Blackhawks were still hopeful an extension could be reached.
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But the latest update on Mikheyev's status doesn't bode well for his chances of returning to Chicago, as ESPN analyst Kevin Weekes claims he's garnering interest from several clubs ahead of the market opening. Weekes also believes Mikheyev is viewed as a comparison to San Jose Sharks ' forward Kiefer Sherwood , who signed a five-year, $28.5 million extension in March. Sherwood's contract carries a $5.75 million cap hit and various no-trade clauses.
Weekes' report is the first time a potential dollar amount has been disclosed regarding Mikheyev's next contract. While the Blackhawks would have no issue offering Mikheyev roughly $5-6 million per year to keep him around, it would have to come on a short-term deal, and that's likely been the holdup on his extension.
During his two seasons in Chicago, Mikheyev has established himself as one of the best defensive and penalty-killing forwards in the league, while also being a reliable 15-20 goal-scorer as a depth piece. Set to turn 32 in October, he surely recognizes this will be his final opportunity to cash in as a free agent, and with a lackluster crop of forward talent available, he'd be one of the top options available.
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The problem from the Blackhawks' perspective is that, because of Mikheyev's age, he could be a regression candidate moving forward. It would be somewhat risky to offer him a four or five-year contract with that high of a cap hit, especially when numerous young players are coming off their entry-level deals in the near future. Davidson doesn't want to back himself into any corners when there's still so much to be learned about his team's rebuild. It's a reasonable decision, although one he surely doesn't feel great about, given how highly he thinks of Mikheyev's abilities.
With Weekes stating that Mikheyev is highly coveted ahead of free agency, the Blackhawks surely won't be the highest bidder here. It was believed their offer near the trade deadline was for 2-3 years with a $4.75 million cap hit, and that's seemingly not going to cut it come July 1. Even if Davidson is willing to budge on the figure, he won't go past a three-year offer.
Because multiple clubs are interested in Mikheyev, perhaps the Blackhawks' chances of trading his negotiating rights have slightly increased. But as a reminder, a team would have to acquire Mikheyev's rights without having discussed an extension previously. When Friedman reported that Chicago and Mikheyev reached a standstill in negotiations, he also mentioned the organization had made his rights available for trade. They permitted Mikheyev's camp to speak with other teams about potential offers in free agency.
However, the NHL reportedly took issue with that matter, as the Blackhawks were warned about the league's tampering rules . Allowing Mikheyev to speak with other teams, when they don't possess his negotiating rights, is seen as tampering and could result in a fine of up to $5 million and/or the loss of draft picks. Fortunately, the NHL didn't strike down hard on Davidson, but this was the second occasion he's been warned about tampering.
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Without being able to negotiate with Mikheyev before acquiring his rights, it's doubtful the Blackhawks will find a willing trade partner before July 1. It wouldn't make much sense for another team to give up an additional asset without comfortably knowing an extension will be reached. However, with plenty of interest in Mikheyev, maybe someone will be eager to jump to the front of the line.
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The post Report: Blackhawks Pending UFA Receiving Interest From Several Teams appeared first on Chicago Hockey Now .
