One day after the hockey world was rocked by three massive moves nearly at the same time — Montreal trading P.K. Subban to Nashville for Shea Weber, Edmonton dealing Taylor Hall to New Jersey for Adam Larsson, and Steven Stamkos leaving millions on the table to stay in Tampa Bay — the Blackhawks made two considerably less splashy moves on Thursday. But they might have set the stage for their next big move.
The Hawks gave themselves some depth and some salary-cap flexibility by re-signing forward Brandon Mashinter and defenseman Michal Rozsival to cheap, one-year contracts. Rozsival, who turns 38 in September, signed for $600,000. Mashinter, a physical bottom-six winger, signed for $575,000.
While neither of those two players has the ceiling of some of the younger players in the Hawks’ system — forwards such as Vinnie Hinostroza and Ryan Hartman, and defensemen such as Ville Pokka and Gustav Forsling — those two contracts are more affordable than any of their significant prospects’ entry-level deals. And every dollar counts as the Hawks pursue free-agent defenseman Brian Campbell and possibly another winger when free agency opens on Friday.
Campbell’s return to Chicago (he won a Stanley Cup with the Hawks in 2010) seems all but inevitable at this point, even though he could get significantly more money elsewhere. The 37-year-old defenseman is coming off a $57-million contract, still lives in the Chicago area, and his wife and agent are from Chicago. Campbell had six goals and 25 assists in 82 games last season with the Florida Panthers, leading all defensemen in plus/minus and putting up positive possession numbers.
The Hawks also have reportedly reached out to winger Thomas Vanek, who was bought out by the Minnesota Wild.
Rozsival, after returning from a gruesome ankle injury suffered in the second round of the 2015 playoffs, had one goal and 12 assists in 51 games last season, his fourth with the Hawks and 15th overall. If Campbell signs, and Czech import Michal Kempny pans out, Rozsival could be the seventh defensemen, potentially leaving Erik Gustafsson and Viktor Svedberg on the outside looking in.
Mashinter is known more for his fists than his hands, but had four goals and one assist in 41 games. Even with Mashinter, the Hawks have two or three forward spots still up for grabs.
