7 Free Agents the Blackhawks Should Target Come July 1

The Chicago Blackhawks are expected to be somewhat busy in the upcoming free agency cycle. GM Kyle Davidson has already executed a really good trade for Ilya Mikheyev and had a successful draft while being aggressive in Vegas. Now, it's time to take that aggressiveness to free agency.

With hope for improvement in 2024-25, the Blackhawks need to improve their roster. Without further ado, here are seven names the Blackhawks should consider in free agency.

RW Jonathan Marchessault

Although we've kicked the tires on this idea as a trade possibility , it appears Jonathan Marchessault will become a free agent when the market opens on July 1. The 42-goal scorer from a season ago should be a hot commodity for a number of teams.

For the Blackhawks, Marchessault presents an opportunity to add a notable scoring winger to their roster. As an older veteran, the shorter-term, bigger-AAV contract would very much be in play. In addition, Marchessault will bring Stanley Cup experience to the Blackhawks roster after winning with the Vegas Golden Knights in 2022-23. Bringing in Marchessault to play alongside Connor Bedard would be pretty nice.

LW Teuvo Teravainen

This option has garnered a lot of attention over the last few days, especially after a great report from Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times. Teravainen is absolutely a fit for what the Blackhawks could use given his nature as a pass-first player. However, Terevainen is also coming off a career-high goal scoring season with 25 tucks and 53 points .

Putting Teravainen on the opposite side of Bedard with Taylor Hall makes for a very formidable first line. That allows player likes Philipp Kurashev to push down and potentially play with the likes of Frank Nazar and other key contributors. Enter the addition of Ilya Mikheyev and possibly Sam Lafferty (if he signs) and the entire forward group is better than a year ago.

Let's be real. #86 back in Blackhawks colors would be awesome as well.

C Chandler Stephenson

With the second-line center spot very much up in the air, another former Golden Knight looks like a nice addition to the Hawks' roster. Chandler Stephenson spent the early part of his career as a fourth-line center with the Washington Capitals. Acquired during the 2019-20 season, Stephenson grew into a meaningful contributor in his time with Vegas.

Although he had a "down season" in 2023-24, Stephenson was still a 51-point player for Vegas after consecutive seasons of 60+ points. With very little space to improve, it's unlikely Stephenson returns to Vegas, but could be a nice addition in the middle-six for the Blackhawks.

Stephenson, like Terevainen, is a pass-first player. Putting him with some talented wingers (Nazar, Hall, etc.) could lead to solid point production yet again.

RW Tyler Toffoli

Although an older player, Tyler Toffoli is coming off a 33-goal season split between the New Jersey Devils and Winnipeg Jets. 2023-24 marked a third-straight 30-goal season for Toffoli, who was an important player with the Los Angeles Kings during the Hawks' heydays.

Toffoli is an aging veteran and once again fits the description of a player that fits Kyle Davidson's plans. He can insert easily in the top-six and be a quality goal scorer aside Connor Bedard. That said, the aging veteran may be the easiest to acquire if he's willing to take a short-term contract... unless he wants to chase another championship.

F Sean Monahan

Once the face of the Calgary Flames with Matthew Tkachuk, Sean Monahan had quite the fall from grace. Once a routine scorer in Calgary, some injuries and lackluster performances ultimately led him to Montreal. 17 points in 22 games his first season in Montreal, and 35 points in 49 games before getting dealt to Winnipeg last season have set up Monahan to have a rebound in his career.

He feels like a candidate to take a short deal, even one season, and take a shot again on the market. Although he's young enough for a larger contract, his lack of consistent production recently lends me to believe he could be a guy the Hawks can get for one or two seasons. With the ability to play all three forward spots, he feels like a perfect player for Kyle Davidson to target.

D Justin Schultz

With the need for a right-handed defenseman, the Hawks could target the veteran Justin Schultz for some offensive flair on the blue line. The 33-year-old spent last two seasons with the Seattle Kraken, producing at a respectable clip during that time. On a one-year deal, assuming newly-drafted Artyom Levshunov is in the NHL by the 2025-26 season, Schultz could be a perfect addition.

After making $3 million the last two seasons, Schultz could probably be had for a similar price in free agency.

D Matt Dumba

Another strong one-year option, Matt Dumba hits the free agency market after ending last season with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Acquired from the Arizona Coyotes at the deadline, Dumba had an underwhelming season as a whole. Although he suited up for 76 games, Dumba produced only 12 points (four goals, eight assists). That said, he would still be a fine stopgap to keep a spot warm for Levshunov.

Dumba made $3.9 million last season, and could probably be had for a similar price. That fits right into what the Blackhawks likely want to do on the blue line.

What's On Tap Next?

Free agency opens on Mon., Jul. 1 at 11:00 a.m. CDT. Kyle Davidson will likely be a little aggressive, with some of the names in this piece being linked to the Hawks as potential additions. If Davidson comes out of free agency with at least three of the names above, the Blackhawks will be in store for an improvement in 2024-25.

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