The earliest any player can only sign a contract before becoming a free agent (UFA or RFA) is one year. July 1 is when contracts end, even though the season ends prior to that. Due to that, players with expiring contracts in 2026 can sign extensions in two months from now.
The Chicago Blackhawks have plenty of these players they will either sign, let walk, or even trade prior to July 1 of next year. This group of players includes Connor Bedard, Frank Nazar, Ilya Mikheyev, Jason Dickinson, Nick Foligno, Joe Veleno, Lukas Reichel, Kevin Korchinski, Connor Murphy, Colton Dach, Ethan Del Mastro, Nolan Allan, and Spencer Knight.
Mikheyev, Dickinson, Foligno, and Murphy are the UFAs and ones to keep an eye on as any of them could be dealt ahead of the trade deadline next season. This is assuming the Blackhawks don't jump from 31st to right into the playoffs race. There is also the possibility that someone could be traded this offseason too, but unless it's Murphy, I don't see that happening.
There is also a reason I left TJ Brodie out of this group as his contract ends after next season as well. He is a likely buyout candidate this offseason and there is just no need for him while he's declined past the point of the many prospects the Blackhawks have.
Of the four UFAs, I could see Mikheyev signing an extension. He was much better than expected and Chicago would get him at a reduced price. With his speed, penalty killing, and hard work, having a veteran bottom-6 player for a year or two extra wouldn't hurt.
As for the RFAs, this will be of high interest to many as Bedard will be a topic of conversation. That is unless he signs a long-term deal right away. I can see Bedard signing sometime in July or August, but there is no use for the Blackhawks to delay this one. He is a first overall pick and has proven that he is going to be an elite player in the NHL doing what he has as a teenager already while on very bad teams.
I'm not going to predict the AAV Bedard will sign at, but whatever it is, it will likely be worth the cost. Nazar is most likely to sign the next-longest or even an eight-year deal as well. He might wait as he has had less time in the NHL though. On the other hand, the Blackhawks could see his potential and offer him a contract he would have a tough time turning down as well.
Seeing as Knight is the Blackhawks' starting goalie and who they think is the answer in net, given what he has done in Chicago so far, I can envision the team offering him a four-year deal at a fair price, maybe around what he is currently making. If the Blackhawks offer a two-year deal, that would take him to his UFA year and they would want him under team control for longer than that. I may be wrong, but he will be the second or third 2026 RFA on the Blackhawks that signs, and it should come before the start of the regular season.
The rest have much more to prove, though bridge deals are likely for all. This includes Veleno, Riechel, Korchinski, Del Mastro, Allan, and Dach. For some, it will heavily depend on the strides they take from this season to next and where they spend the majority of the season. Dach, Allan, and even Del Mastro are in danger of spending some time in the AHL. That will see bridge deals around $1 million AAV or less end up happening instead of three-plus years at a higher AAV.
There is plenty to do for Kyle Davidson, and even though all of these possible extensions aren't urgent, they do have to be thought about and considered into the plans.
