The Chicago Blackhawks have built up a great group of young players, both in the NHL and not. The team has to still sign RFAs Wyatt Kaiser, Arvid Soderblom, Louis Crevier, and newly drafted Anton Frondell, but there are nine young players in the NHL and AHL that are heading into the final year of their deals and can be extended already.
While there may be nine eligible to sign, most of them likely won't just yet until the Blackhawks see more of them or they feel like they can prove themselves and earn a better contract. The list of players who will be RFAs at the end of next season and are eligible to sign their next contract with Chicago include Connor Bedard, Frank Nazar, Spencer Knight, Ethan Del Mastro, Lukas Reichel, Colton Dach, Nolan Allan, Kevin Korchinski, and Drew Commesso.
Reichel is the only player not on an entry-level contract and there have been rumors the Blackhawks are shopping him. With the lack of space in the roster, this makes a lot of sense. Unless he puts up over 40 points and works his way up the lineup like Ryan Donato did, I don't see him being with the Blackhawks the entire season.
Bedard and Nazar are the only two I think both them and Chicago would be on the same page about an early extension. Bedard is going to get a lot and Nazar is going to get paid, but both players are also expected to improve. That would likely increase the contract AAV. Both are going to get 7-8 year deals.
Knight needs more time in Chicago before the team can accurately judge what kind of money they want to give him and for how long. His extension will likely come during the season. I predict even sooner if Soderblom happens to be traded to a desperate playoff-bound team.
The other five - Del Mastro, Dach, Allan, Korchinski, and Commesso could all spend time in the AHL, but some will definitely get much more time in the NHL than others. There is no reason to extend Commesso yet unless he is fine with a sub-$1 million extension. He won't be an everyday NHLer for at least two seasons.
The forwards and defense of the Blackhawks are too crowded right now to see all of them play everyday in the NHL or even be on the roster for the full season. I would give the best shot to Allan, but again, unless any one of those young players are willing to take a bridge deal of $1-1.2 million or less for 1-2 years like Riechel signed, I think they all wait until the latter half of the season or next offseason for a new contract.
