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The Chicago Blackhawks finished in last place in the Central Division in 2024-25. Still, with Connor Bedard and other young players, there is hope in the Windy City. General manager Kyle Davison expects other young stars to also make an impact this season. The Hawks did not make a bunch of moves in the offseason, but they made some that should help the future of the franchise.
Chicago was expected not to be overall aggressive in free agency, instead focusing on the development of younger players. They did open the offseason with a move that gears towards that notion, as the Hawks bought out the contract of TJ Brodie, a veteran blue liner. Patrick Maroon and Alec Martinez also both retired this offseason as part of the youth movement. They would lose Cole Guttman and Philipp Kurashev in free agency as well. They also made two trades, starting with sending Joe Veleno to the Seattle Kraken in exchange for Andre Burakovsky. The team would also bring in Sam Lafferty from the Buffalo Sabres.
As the Blackhawks prepare to open their season against the defending champion Florida Panthers, they have made four significant signings this offseason. This is how they grade out.
The Hawks bring back Connor Bedard's linemate
Ryan Donato is returning to Chicago on a four-year deal worth $4 million per year in AAV. He was the 56th overall selection of the Boston Bruins in 2014. The American-born forward would join the Bruins after three years playing at Harvard, playing in 12 games in the 2017-18 campaign. He would be traded to the Minnesota Wild in February of 2019, and then again traded in October 2020 to the San Jose Sharks. The forward would be signed as a free agent by the Seattle Kraken in their expansion year in September of 2021. After that contract expired, he joined the Hawks for 2023-24.
Donato has become a consistent player in the NHL, playing in 71 or more games in each of the last four seasons, while having 27 or more points in each of them. Still, he had a breakout year last year. The 29-year-old has never scored more than 31 points in a year, but last season, he had 31 goals plus 31 assists. He became a major part of the powerplay as well. Further, he was a major help to Bedard. Bedard scored 23 goals this year, with 10 of his 23 goals coming from an assist from Donato. If he continues to produce like he did last year, the Hawks got a great deal with this one.
Ryan Donato contract grade: A-
Louis Crevier returns to Chicago
Louis Crevier was the 188th pick of the Blackhawks in the 2020 NHL draft. He would break into the NHL with the team in 2023-24, playing in 24 games with three assists. The blue liner would split time with the AHL and NHL clubs this past year, playing in 32 games with the Hawks, and bringing in three goals with one assist. The Canadian defenseman is not expected to be part of the top six players on the defensive rotation. Still, with Wyatt Kaiser remaining unsigned, he would slide into the sixth defensive player role if he does not return.
Regardless, he is a right-side defender and could be part of the future plans with Connor Murphy at the age of 32 and an unrestricted free agent next season. He was a physical defender this last year, delivering 65 hits in 5v5 situations in just 32 games. While he is not an offensive presence, he does have a physical side to his game that is solid. Further, he has blocked 94 shots in 56 games at the NHL level. Crevier is still developing, but will turn 25 at the end of the season. If he can take another step forward, he will be a solid addition to the roster.
Louis Crevier contract grade: B-
Entry-level contract for Stanislav Berezhnoy
The Blackhawks signed goaltender Berezhnoy to an entry-level contract. The 6-foot-4, 218-pound netminder hails from Russia. In recent years, he has played in the top three levels of the Russian hockey system. He has spent time in the MHL, which is the junior league, the VHL, which is the second-tier league, and the KHL, the top tier of Russian hockey. The KHL is also regarded as part of the top tier of hockey in all of Europe and Asia.
He has had solid performances overall, including a .931 save percentage at the VHL level last year. He does not have a ton of experience yet at the very top end, but time in the AHL should be able to develop him. Chicago will be hopeful that this signing will pan out. There is another larger goaltender from Russia who followed a similar path. His name is Sergei Bobrovsky. If Chicago has a future Bobrovsky on their team, they will be elated.
Stanislav Berezhnoy contract grade: C+
Dominic Toninato joins the Blackhawks
Toninato was the 126th overall pick in the 2012 NHL Draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs. After time at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, he would end up with the Colorado Avalanche organization. He would spend time with both the Avs and Panthers before joining the Winnipeg Jets just before the 2020-21 campaign. He has spent time with both the Jets and their AHL team over the past five seasons, playing 77 games in 2021-22. Still, he has not been able to maintain a consistent roster spot at the NHL level.
Now at the age of 31, the American-born center will most likely not be an everyday NHL player. Still, he has NHL experience, and at such a low cost, he could be a valuable asset if the Hawks need to call someone up due to injury.
Dominic Toninato contact grade: C
Final grade on Blackhawks' 2025 signings
Chicago did not make a ton of moves this offseason, but this may be a cause for celebration. They brought back Donato, who has paired well with their star, Bedard. This will allow Bedard to keep developing with consistency around him. Meanwhile, Crevier was part of the young core for the past two seasons on the blue line and will get to keep developing with the franchise. Berezhnoy could be a potential goaltender of the future for the franchise, but will most likely spend time developing in the AHL before jumping to the NHL level. Finally, Tonianto adds depth and could play at the NHL level in a pinch with injuries. While they did not make any major moves, this is a franchise focused on its youth movement. The Hawks are preparing for the future, and while it is not exciting, it is passing.
Overall grade for the Blackhawks' 2025 free agency class: C+
