Is Eight Enough? Blackhawks Lengthen Free Agent Flurry, Sign D-Man T.J. Brodie on Monday Evening

Blackhawks coach Luke Richardson hinted early on Monday afternoon that his team might not be finished signing free agents after Chicago's total already had reached seven on the opening day of the signing period.

"Right now I'm just kind of happy where we're going and where the lineup is starting to fill out," Richardson said. "But we're not done yet. So we'll have to see where we finish."

Chicago's third-year coach wasn't kidding.

The Blackhawks agreed with 34-year-old minutes-eating defenseman T.J. Brodie on a two-year contract that pays $3.75 million per season later in the day. 

The Blackhawks signed eight UFAs on Monday as general manager Kyle Davidson tried to make good on a promise to improve his team from a 31st place finish last season. Chicago went 23-53-6 and set a franchise record for losses.

Brodie slipped late in the 2023-24 season with the Toronto Maple Leafs and was a healthy scratch for the first time in his career. Still, he was second on the Leafs in ice time per game, averaging 21:43 through 78 contests and trailing only fellow defenseman Morgan Rielly. Brodie led Toronto with 159 blocked shots.

The veteran D-man is an upgrade from the likes of Jarred Tinordi and Jaycob Megna — and what Richardson and his hockey department bosses were looking for to make Chicago harder to play against, shift after shift. See Richardson in the following video.

Support For Bedard And Other Youngster

Connor Bedard will still be the undisputed star of the show in Chicago, but the 2024 Calder Trophy winner will have a drastically improved and experienced supporting cast next season.

Here's who's coming to the Windy City's Original Six team:

• Physical forward Tyler Bertuzzi from the Toronto where he scored 21 goals and 43 points last season. The rugged 29-year-old nephew of Todd Bertuzzi got a four-year contract that pays $5.5 million per year.

• Winger Teuvo Teravainen, the Hawks first-round draft pick in 2012, will return after posting 23 goals and 53 points with Carolina last season. The 29-year-old Finn got a three-year deal with a $5.4 million AAV.

• Goalie Laurent Brossoit, the backup to Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck in Winnipeg in 2023-24, inked a two-year deal that pays $3.3 million per year. Brossoit, 31, was 15-5-2 in 23 games with 2.00 GAA and .927 save percentage. He'll be a strong backup to Petr Mrazek in Chicago while Arvid Söderblom can work in his game and confidence with AHL Rockford.

• Defenseman Alec Martinez, 36, who comes from Vegas. The stay-at-home veteran signed for one year deal for $4 million and will help anchor Chicago's deep batch of promising young blueliners. Martinez is a three-time Stanley Cup champion, including in 2012 with Los Angeles when his overtime goal in Game 7 of the Western Conference Final knocked out the Blackhawks.

• Forward Patrick Maroon, also a three-time Cup winner. The 36-year-old got a one year, $1.3 million contract after posting four goals and 16 points in 49 games with Minnesota last season

• Center Craig Smith signed a one-year, $1 million contract. The 34-year-old depth forward had 11 goals and 20 points with Dallas last season and will enter his 14th season.

• Winger Joey Anderson, an RFA that the Blackhawks didn't give a qualifying offer to. Anderson won't be a new face in Chicago, but signed a two-year deal with a $800,000 AAV after posting five goals and 12 points last season with the Hawks and leading the team with a plus-5 mark. He was a reliable winger next to center Jason Dickinson on the team's shutdown line.

And finally (possibly..?) Brodie who posted one goal and 25 assists and was a plus-17 in his 14th NHL season.

He was a healthy scratch for the first time as a Maple Leaf in March, then appeared in just one of seven playoff games in Toronto's opening round loss to Boston.