Fansided

5 free agents the Blackhawks can sign to get back to the playoffs

By Griffin Youngs

CHICAGO, IL - DECEMBER 17: Chicago Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville and center Jonathan Toews (19) during the third period during a game between the Chicago Blackhawks and the Minnesota Wild on December 17, 2017, at the United Center in Chicago, IL. Blackhawks won 4-1. (Photo by Patrick Gorski/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
CHICAGO, IL - DECEMBER 17: Chicago Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville and center Jonathan Toews (19) during the third period during a game between the Chicago Blackhawks and the Minnesota Wild on December 17, 2017, at the United Center in Chicago, IL. Blackhawks won 4-1. (Photo by Patrick Gorski/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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TAMPA, FL – APRIL 21: Patrick Maroon #17 of the New Jersey Devils brings the puck up against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first period of Game Five of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amalie Arena on April 21, 2018 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Patrick Maroon
TAMPA, FL – APRIL 21: Patrick Maroon #17 of the New Jersey Devils brings the puck up against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first period of Game Five of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amalie Arena on April 21, 2018 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Patrick Maroon /

2. Patrick Maroon

If the Blackhawks ship out some of the albatross contracts wasting their cap space before July 1, they can make moves for some of the bigger fish in the market that can really begin to push them toward playoff contention. Once they do that, making a push at the strength of this year’s free-agent class on the left wing should be a priority.

There are names like Rick Nash, David Perron and James van Riemsdyk on the market, but Patrick Maroon is the catch the Blackhawks should try to reel in to make a splash in the offseason with their lack of any kind of solid depth on the left wing.

The Blackhawks’ left wing depth for next season right now consists of Brandon Saad and Thomas Jurco. That’s it. Saad is alright, but he seriously underperformed last season and is in need of a bounce-back season. Jurco fits fine with the Blackhawks, but he is nowhere the talent needed to be a top-six winger. One more solid left winger gives the Blackhawks a respectable top six forward group, a good starting point for a team looking for a restart.

Maroon is the best value left winger on the market for the Blackhawks this offseason. In 74 games last season with the Edmonton Oilers and New Jersey Devils, Maroon recorded 17 goals and 26 assists for 43 total points. Maroon was dealt to the Devils at the trade deadline when the Oilers declared themselves to be sellers, and took a bit to fit into the system, but eventually gelled with the team for 13 points in 17 regular season games. In the playoffs when New Jersey played the top seeded Tampa Bay Lightning, Maroon recorded one goal in five games in 4-1 series loss for the Devils.

Maroon won’t be a free agent that will need a six-over-six kind of deal, and could be a guy signed for three to four years at give or take $4 million a year. The Blackhawks desperately need more depth on the left wing, but they can’t go throwing around money they don’t have with their current cap situation. Even with a few bad contracts gone, they can’t afford the van Riemsdyks on the market. Maroon is a guy who can fit in the lineup and can fit in their cap space.

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