Chicago Blackhawks Announce Four Signings

The Re-Signings:

Kevin Lankinen is a 24-year-old goaltender. The 24-year-old has played 40 games for the Rockford IceHogs. He has 15 wins, a .909 save percentage and a 2.77 goals against average in his two seasons in Rockford.

Lankinen, has also been called up to the NHL several times, but has yet to make his NHL debut. Last season, Lankinen, led Finland to gold medal at the World Championships. He had a fantastic .942 save percentage and a 1.50 goals against average in eight appearances.

He was signed to a two-year, $800,000 AAV contract. The first year is a two-way deal and the second year is a one-way deal.

Matthew Highmore, is a 24-year-old winger. He has played 49 career NHL games and has scored four goals and has added four more assists.

Highmore, has also played in 97 AHL games for the Rockford IceHogs. He has scored 31 goals and 33 assists.

He was signed to a two-year, $725,000 AAV contract. Similar to Lankinen, the first year of the contract is a two-way deal and the second year of the contract is a one-way deal.

The Signings:

Evan Barratt is a 21-year-old center. Barratt was drafted by the Blackhawks in the third round at the 2017 NHL Draft.

For the past three years, he has been playing for Penn State University. He scored 39 goals and added 56 assists in 98 career games. Barratt is a reliable two-way center and thinks the game at a high level. He still needs to work on his skating before he can become an impact player. He projects as a third-line center.

Barratt, signed an entry-level contract (ELC) for three years and it carried an AAV of $870,000. Barratt, could make a push for the roster next year, but I’d expect him to spend a little time with Rockford.

Andrei Altybarmakyan is a 21-year-old winger. Altybarmakyan was also taken in the third round at the 2017 NHL Draft, like Barratt.

For the past three years he has spent a lot of time in the KHL, with both SKA St. Petersburg and HK Sochi. He scored eight goals and assisted on 15 others in 101 career games. While these numbers don’t jump off the page, Altybarmakyan has only averaged 13:42 of ice time this season. He’s a highly-skilled offensive player. He’s a very good skater, can make plays at high speeds and has a good shot.

This is what, General Manager Stan Bowman, had to say of Altybarmakyan , “He’s a real electrifying type player. His skill set is, he’s got good speed, offensive skill, he’s a competitive guy too, he’s not afraid to throw some body checks. He plays an up-tempo style.”

He signed an ELC for two years that carries an AAV of $817,500. I’d expect Altybarmakyan to spend at least a season in the AHL with the Rockford IceHogs.

The Future:

The Blackhawks are hoping for these players to be a part of their future, even in limited roles. Time will only tell if these players ever turn out to be everyday NHLers.

stats via – Elite Prospects

contracts via – CapFriendly

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Chicago Blackhawks Announce Four Signings Chicago Blackhawks Announce Four Signings