Some under-the-radar Chicago Blackhawks news hit the wire last Saturday. The club made a depth signing that could signal something bigger for the team down the line.
On Saturday, the Blackhawks signed depth goalie Olivier Rodrigue to a one-year, $775K deal. The signing got little press as it’s really nothing more than a depth move. The signing shouldn’t have any bearing at the NHL level. But it might come to pass at some point.
Signing Rodrigue was a move intended to help the AHL Rockford IceHogs. The Blackhawks AHL affiliate’s starter is goaltending prospect Drew Commesso. For now, Commesso is the incumbent in the minors with Spencer Knight and Arvid Soderblom the tandem at the NHL level. But at some point, Commesso will get a shot at the NHL. That’s why this Blackhawks news makes sense down the road.
For now, Rodrigue will back up Commesso while current IceHogs’ backup Stanislav Berezhnoy serves an 18-game suspension. But beyond that situation, this move could make some serious Blackhawks news.
The thought is that Commesso could push Soderblom for the backup role next season. If that’s the case, the starting job at the AHL level could be vacant. So, Rodrigue could be in the mix for that role.
It’s also worth pointing out that Soderblom is in the first year of a two-year deal signed this past offseason. He’s got a $2.75 million cap hit next year.
Rodrigue Could Make More Blackhawks News
Rodrigue shouldn’t be more than a footnote in Blackhawks news. But he could make some waves depending on his play moving forward.
The former second-round pick from the 2018 NHL Draft will likely get some starts during his tenure in Rockford. That situation will provide the former Edmonton Oilers prospect an opportunity to earn a job. If he does, Rodrigue could be a part of the organization moving forward. In fact, Rodrigue could become a third or fourth-string option. With the need for goaltending depth at the NHL level, the Blackhawks would do well to add another decent option.
Chicago Could Use Rodrigue as Trade Chip
There’s another way Rodrigue could make Blackhawks news. The club could find a trade chip in the 25-year-old. The Blackhawks have been savvy in flipping undervalued assets. That’s why a strong showing from Rodrigue could lead to a trade down the line. While that may not occur at this year’s NHL trade deadline, it wouldn’t be outrageous to see the club sign Rodrigue to another deal and then flip him to a goalie-starved team for a draft pick.
At the very least, Rodrigue could make Blackhawks news as a throw-in as part of a larger trade package at some point down the line. Bear in mind that some teams find themselves looking to address multiple issues at the same time. That’s why it wouldn’t be out of the question to see a team looking for goaltending depth turn to Chicago.
So, fans should keep an eye on Blackhawks’ news as there could be some interesting tidbits coming down the pipeline at some point.
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