Andreas Athanasiou has signed a new contract with the Chicago Blackhawks.

I wouldn't say it's bad because it doesn't have long term implications on Chicago but it feels like a clear overpay just to keep the player in Chicago.

Slight overpayment but overall an okay contract since it's two years.

This seems like a bit much but whatever

Overpay. I get they aren’t contending but cap space is still valuable. Maybe they flip him at the deadline half retained.

If this is what the free agent market looks like I want absolutely nothing to do with it

Yeah it’s looking pretty crazy. It’s a weak UFA market this year though.

Weak years tend to end with the worst contracts - like this one for example.
GMs get desperate and overpay bad players. See 2016

Since others have commented on the matter, I'll say this. A lot of people know that with the FA class being weak in terms of top end players, and in terms of total options, it's a sellers market. We are going to see a lot of anchor contracts handed out this summer. That being said, this contract isn't one of them. Is the cap hit a bit high? Maybe. 2 years is nothing to Chicago though. This deal doesn't hurt them in the slightest. With oodles of cap space, an extra 1-2 million spent overpaying for AA is nothing. Good deal. Glad Andy gets some short term stability, and Chicago get's a top 6 player for them and someone to carry weight for their (currently) brutal roster.

HOLlllllly overpay. Not that its horrible for the hawks cuz they have no one but still...

Hawks will be overpaying to reach the cap floor the next few years. This is about what most hawks fans expected for AA.

I figured he’d be returning but Jesus Christ I didn’t think it’d be this expensive

Ehhhh $2M signing bonus next year, dude's entirely getting traded with retention after July 2 2024.

But also unless he hits 20 goals again that's a lot for a body this year and a mid-low pick next year.

This feels like an overpayment for the sake of hitting the cap floor.

Jesus Christ Chicago is a laughing stock.

Not the role model you want for Bedard.

Welp...gotta reach the cap floor somehow I guess!!

Definitely seems to be a bit of an overpay. At least the hawks have a lot of cap space I guess?

They're desperate to keep anyone they can get.

I don't get why many people are saying that the goal is to reach the salary cap floor, many team have bad contracts and they are willing to give assets to get rid of them. Either Chicago thought that it was a good signing or they are pretty bad at assets management

I mean u got to reach the floor and taking on dumps isnt always the way. Could do what NSH did with Nied and flip him at the TDL

gonna be the first guy to be a line mate of Bedard and McDavid

If that's true, the Canucks have a player named Myers the Hawks might be interested in. He did really well at the WCs this year and after his signing bonus, he only costs $1 million for a $6 million cap hit.

You would think being a teammate of Bedard would be a selling point. Is the team really that toxic right now?

I'm glad the Canucks have no major FAs to sign this summer. If you look at their UFAs, all of them are the type of players that get league minimum, many will be on two-way contracts. Bear and Dermott are the only RFAs that will cost more than league minimum.

Doesn't matter have much cap space they have, overpaying for a 3rd line winger is dumb when they can weaponize that cap space before the cap skyrockets.

One of the worst GMs in the league, dudes so lucky he got Bedard. Literally Chiarelli 2.0.