Drew Commesso, one day after choosing not to file for arbitration, has signed a two-year extension with the Chicago Blackhawks. This is a contract that will carry a cap hit of $875 million.
Year one of the contract is a two-way deal that will pay him $800K in the NHL, $200K in the AHL, and has a $250K guarantee. In year two, it is a one-way deal worth $900K. Once it expires, Commesso will be a restricted free agent with arbitration rights once again. PuckPedia was the first with the details.
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This is a wise bridge deal for Commesso and the Blackhawks, as they now have two years for him to continue developing. The expectation, based on the structure of this deal, is that Commesso will be Spencer Knight’s full-time backup going into the 2027-28 season.
Arvid Soderblom still has one year left on his current deal, which might give him the edge for the job going into 2026-27. There is a chance that Commesso plays in the NHL, but another year of AHL seasoning may be in front of him as well.
In 3 NHL appearances last season, Commesso had a .918 save percentage, a 2.31 goals against average, and 1 shutout. It’s a small sample size, but he was great when called upon. With the way the NHL is trending these days, having 3 capable goalies will help the Blackhawks navigate an 84-game schedule.
Commesso has the talent to become a starter years down the line, but he has a lot to prove before he can be that for the Blackhawks or someone else. For now, he has a contract set up to give him the best chance at success.
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Now, Connor Bedard, Kevin Korchinski, and Ethan Del Mastro are the only three remaining restricted free agents in the Chicago Blackhawks system.
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