Chicago signed seven players on July 1. The biggest additions were forwards Tyler Bertuzzi, who signed a four-year, $22 million contract ($5.5 million average annual value) and Teuvo Teravainen, who signed a three-year, $16.2 million contract ($5.4 million AAV). Each will be a top-six forward, and one or both of them could play with Bedard at some point this season.
“Obviously he’s a special player and that’s what I can bring: try to get on the forecheck, bring energy, create space,” Bertuzzi said on July 5. “Whether that’s with him or whoever that may be, it won’t differentiate my game. I’ll continue to get on the forecheck, work hard and try to bring energy.”
The Blackhawks should also be stronger in goal after signing Laurent Brossoit to a two-year, $6.6 million contract ($3.3 million AAV). Brossoit, who went 15-5-2 with a 2.00 goals-against average, .927 save percentage and three shutouts in 23 games (22 starts) for the Winnipeg Jets last season, will share time with starter Petr Mrazek (18-31-4, 3.05 GAA, .908 save percentage, one shutout in 56 games, including 53 starts).
“We saw Petr was extremely solid last year and gave the team a ton of confidence,” Davidson said. “Arvid [Soderblom] had a bit of a tough year, and granted we weren’t great in front of him, and maybe didn’t put him in the greatest situation to succeed, but this will give him an opportunity to reload, get his confidence back, and be able to get back on that trajectory that he was on prior to some struggles last year.
“Bringing in Brossoit, you’ll know when he goes into the net you’re going to get solid performance, the guys can believe in him back there. He’s been a really good kind of 1B or backup for quite some time in our League. To bring someone in like that that’s kind of established, knows the League, knows how to step in when needed, is super important and really happy to make that addition.”
The Blackhawks have got some talented young players but wanted more seasoned ones around them. Now it’s time for them to be competitive again.
“I think the identity of our team has to be a work-ethic team,” Chicago coach Luke Richardson said. “With the excitement that this building always brings here in Chicago, we want to match that and take that and play like that. We have at times the last two years since I’ve been here, but not consistently enough. That’s where we have to help the group that’s on the ice achieve that.”
