Free-agent forward Tyler Bertuzzi is expected to sign with the Chicago Blackhawks on a four-year contract with an average annual value of $5.5 million, sources told The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun.
The Toronto Maple Leafs, who signed Bertuzzi to a one-year deal last summer, attempted to retain the 29-year-old, but he opted to walk.
Bertuzzi appeared in 80 games for the Maple Leafs in 2023-24 and managed 21 goals and 22 assists in a top-six role. He averaged just over 16 minutes per contest and added four points in seven postseason games as Toronto fell short against the Boston Bruins in Round 1.
The Blackhawks are one of the league's most flexible teams this signing period, entering the day with nearly $29 million in cap space, according to CapFriendly.
Chicago is seeking reinforcements to help accelerate its rebuild. The club finished 31st in the league standings last season after drafting phenom Connor Bedard first overall in 2023.
Bertuzzi's tallied 261 points in 406 career games split between the Detroit Red Wings, Bruins, and Leafs. He was a second-round pick of Detroit in 2013.
Copyright © 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
The Carolina Hurricanes are set to sign defensive stalwart Jaccob Slavin to an eight-year contract extension, according to Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli.
The deal carries an average annual value of $6.43 million and will be officially announced at noon, Seravalli notes.
Monday is the first day Slavin is eligible to sign a new deal. The fresh contract kicks in for the 2025-26 season and is a raise from the $5.3 million he's earned annually since 2018.
Recently promoted general manager Eric Tulsky made Slavin a priority shortly after taking the position, as the two sides reportedly began working on a long-term extension in June.
Jalen Chatfield and Scott Morrow were the only blue-liners Carolina had signed for 2025-26 before Slavin's new deal.
Slavin was a fourth-round draft pick of the Hurricanes in 2012, and he's developed into one of the NHL's premier shutdown defenders since breaking into the league in 2015-16. He produced 37 points in 81 games this past season and has earned down-ballot Norris Trophy votes in seven of the past eight campaigns.
Copyright © 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.