CHN Weigh-In: Kyle Davidson, The Alex Vlasic Deal, and the Long Game

It was pretty much agreed upon by anyone who saw it that the Blackhawks, Kyle Davidson, and Alex Vlasic all had a pretty big “W” when Vlasic received a six-year extension that keeps him in Chicago until 2030. It also comes with a modified no-trade clause, presuambly because the Blackhawks will be in full contention mode by then.

Which of course, is the hope.

So with all of that in mind, is the first real signing for the Blackhawks made in the Davidson era a no-doubt, hands down, absolute win? In this edition of CHN Weigh-In, here’s a look at three different vantage points of the Vlasic deal, and the long view with it.

Vinnie: It’s absolutely a mutually beneficial deal for both the Chicago Blackhawks and Alex Vlasic. A young player is being paid a lot of money which is now guaranteed for him no matter how he plays going forward. He can just focus on hockey. It is a great deal for the Hawks too because Vlasic will likely be worth the risk. He is a fantastic player that may end up being considered underpaid in the end. Whenever a good player is on a “team-friendly” deal at a young age, that will help a team build an even better winner.

Nate: Aside from term and payment for Vlasic, the real win here is more psychological for everyone involved. The Blackhawks get a top four defenseman locked in and an unbelievably bargain price for the value he brings–and will bring. And Davidson has one less defenseman to find via free agency or trade for the long term. To develop a second-round pick into a critical piece shows, too, that the Hawks have people in the right spot for getting talent from Rockford to Chicago.

How Does This Set Up The Blackhawks Well for the Future?

Nate:  I’m a build-out-the-blueline type guy when it comes to the blueprint of a contention. When you look at every great team that won a Cup or multiple ones, their defensemen were balanced but had those two core guys that anchored the whole unit. Vlasic has the potential to be one of those guys and it’s a bonus because of his draft spot. Kevin Korchinski, as a seventh overall pick, has the chance to be the second core piece on the blue line for the Blackhawks. Add in an Ethan Del Mastro, Nolan Allan, or Wyatt Kaiser to the mix and suddenly that vision of a strong blue line works really well. Vlasic’s deal provides terrific value and provides flexibility to lock in more assets down the road. That will help build out the possibility of a longer contention window.

Nate: The injury bug. Perhaps it’s watching a season’s worth of injury just decimating the roster. But the physicality of the game only intensifies as playoff runs begin the norm again. I think regardless of how it plays out, the contract itself is far below what Vlasic could have gotten if he could have been on the open market. Injury crushing further development and playing time would be worst case. This is again, where Kyle Davidson needs to be proactive in having that depth piece–but that’s an article for another day.