The last two times Chicago Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson spoke with the media, he explicitly stated his desire to re-sign veteran winger Ilya Mikheyev during the offseason.
Mikheyev, 31, has recorded at least 18 goals and 34 points in each of his two seasons with the Blackhawks since being acquired from the Vancouver Canucks via trade on Jun. 26, 2024. He’s also established himself as one of the best defensive forwards in the NHL, being a focal point behind the Blackhawks’ second-ranked penalty kill in 2025-26.
However, Davidson’s attempts to work out an extension with Mikheyev have been unsuccessful thus far, and the two sides have reportedly reached a deadlock. According to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman on Monday’s edition of 32 Thoughts: The Podcast, the Blackhawks have made the pending unrestricted free agent’s negotiating rights available for trade. Teams have become aware that Mikheyev likely won’t be returning to Chicago for the 2026-27 campaign.
“It was let known across the league that Chicago probably isn’t going to be able to sign Ilya Mikheyev,” Friedman said. “His rights are available [for trade] if any team wants to talk to him in advance of free agency.”
After recording 20 goals for only the second time in the NHL with the Blackhawks in 2024-25, Mikheyev followed that up with a career-best 36 points in 77 games this past season, good for fourth on the team despite largely playing in a third-line checking role. He’s been a spectacular two-way player during his two-year stint with the organization, and Davidson’s passion to bring him back is more than justified.
So, why has he been unable to get Mikheyev to sign on the dotted line? One issue could be the term that the speedy Russian is seeking for his next deal. Set to turn 32 in September, Mikheyev surely recognizes this is his best opportunity to cash in on the free-agent market and might be seeking a longer-term (3-4 years) extension at this point in his career. But considering the Blackhawks’ position in their rebuild, Davidson may be hesitant to give out that type of contract to an aging player, especially with so many up-and-coming forward prospects in the system.
With the Blackhawks far from guaranteed to reach the Stanley Cup Playoffs next season, Mikheyev could also be looking for a more competitive destination in free agency. He’s not getting any younger and might not be willing to wait for Davidson’s slow-moving rebuild to pull through. If Mikheyev wants to get back into the postseason as fast as possible, there are safer bets out there.
Davidson elected to keep Mikheyev past the 2026 trade deadline in hopes of finalizing an extension before free agency, which may seem like a mistake in hindsight. Although, it’s worth mentioning this path worked well for him one year prior with Ryan Donato, who was kept past the 2025 deadline as an unrestricted free agent but eventually signed a new four-year, $16 million contract that June.
The Blackhawks could have received a second or third-round pick in exchange for Mikheyev in March, and some folks will criticize Davidson for poor asset management over this situation. However, with at least two second-round selections in each of the next three drafts (three in 2026), not to mention the deepest prospect pool in the league, there isn’t much need for additional middle-tier draft picks at this stage of the rebuild. Instead, it was more worthwhile for Davidson to keep Mikheyev around for the rest of the season and hope to iron out an extension, even if it didn’t come to fruition.
By making other clubs aware that Mikheyev’s negotiating rights are on the trade block, Davidson has a chance to recoup a late-round draft pick in return, rather than losing him for nothing.
Mikheyev’s versatility and defensive expertise as a depth forward will be greatly missed by the Blackhawks, as his departure leaves a massive hole on the third line and penalty kill. Without Mikheyev moving forward, Oliver Moore will likely be tasked with taking on a larger role during his sophomore season. With remarkable speed and a high motor, Moore possesses comparable qualities to Mikheyev and is expected to be used in the same manner long term.
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