Veteran defenseman signs a two-year contract with the Blackhawks
According to a team announcement, the Blackhawks have signed veteran defenseman T.J. Brodie to a two-year, $7.5 million contract. It has a cap hit of $3.75 million for 2024–2025 and 2025–2026.
The 34-year-old Brodie recently signed a four-year contract with the Maple Leafs, where he was a better defensive D-man in the league until he wasn’t.
Following three seasons of genuine top-pairing play, Brodie faded in 2023–24. His speed and possession numbers dropped to the point where he was a regular healthy scratch during the postseason and was behind several trade deadline acquisitions in Toronto’s depth chart.
Nevertheless, his numbers continue to demonstrate his effectiveness as an NHL defender, which should help Chicago, a team that played little defense the previous season (apart from rookie sensation Alex Vlasic).
During his four years in Toronto, he averaged at least twenty-one minutes per game, and since his days in Calgary in the 2010s, he has continuously controlled the majority of cumulative quality chances at even strength.
In Chicago, he ought to follow suit, joining forces with Vlasic, Alec Martinez, Seth Jones, and Kevin Korchinski to create a respectable back end group that is ranked in the top five.
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