Blackhawks News: A big time trade chip is now off the market

The rebuilding Chicago Blackhawks might be starting to turn the corner in their rebuild. They aren’t winning games yet but they are starting to identify players that they are as leaders on the team over the next handful of years.

That started last week by getting Nick Foligno extended. He isn’t a great player anymore but he is someone that helps his team grow on and off the ice. That is incredibly valuable for a team like the Hawks.

They continued the trend on Tuesday when they signed Jason Dickinson to a contract extension. He has been a good bottom-six forward for this team in 2023-24 while being a veteran forward who leads by example.

Dickinson’s new contract is a two-year deal with a $4.250 million cap hit. That is a lot of money but it will come off the books before the Blackhawks need that salary cap space. He is being paid to help the young talent.

The Chicago Blackhawks extended Jason Dickinson for two more years

Jason Dickinson is having a good year in terms of production for a bottom-six guy as he has 14 goals and 7 assists for 21 points in 43 games. Again, this production doesn’t warrant $4 million but he is also being paid to stick around and help the organization grow.

Their best player is rookie sensation Connor Bedard. He is only 18 years old so having guys like Dickinson and Foligno around will be great for him. The entire future is about this kid and the Hawks are showing commitment to that.

Bedard is currently out after having surgery on his fractured jaw. He is skating again but it is unlikely that he will be ready to go in the All-Star Game. If he is not, Dickinson is a candidate to go in his place as the Blackhawks representative.

The Hawks are an awful team so a guy like Dickinson being their All-Star is possible. He has earned respect for how he’s played this year so seeing him rewarded for it would be very cool.

Dickinson was a big-time trade candidate before signing this deal. Many contenders would love to add a guy like this to their third or fourth line ahead of a playoff run but it won’t happen now. Instead, he is locked in and ready to help this Hawks team grow.