Chicago Blackhawks won’t give RFA Dylan Strome qualifying offer
The Chicago Blackhawks do not plan on giving center Dylan Strome a qualifying offer by the 5:00 p.m. deadline on Monday, sending him to unrestricted free agency.
Dylan Strome will not receive a qualifying offer from the Blackhawks, per source. The former No. 3 pick will be a UFA.
Strome averaged nearly a point a game over the second half of the season as the No. 1 center between DeBrincat and Kane. His QO would have been $3.6 million.
Strome was in the final year of a two-year deal with a $3 million cap hit that he signed with the Blackhawks, and was eligible for restricted free agency this offseason due to not reaching the age or seasons played requirements for unrestricted free agency. His qualifying offer is $3.6 million, which likely played a role in the Blackhawks ultimately deciding to not qualify him.
Strome is a former third overall pick in the 2015 NHL Draft, originally selected by the Arizona Coyotes. He struggled to make the Coyotes lineup until the 2018-19 season, where he played the first 20 games of the season before the Coyotes dealt him and Brendan Perlini to the Blackhawks for Nick Schmaltz.
Strome has established himself as an NHLer with the Blackhawks, getting more consistent playing time and some more productivity as well. He has 60 goals, 94 assists, and 154 points in 225 games with the Blackhawks, including 22 goals, 26 assists, and 48 points in 69 games this season. He’s also seen his defensive game improve as well, with a 48.28% shot attempt share and 48.87% expected goal share at even strength. Normally those aren’t strong numbers, but they ranked fourth and third respectively on the Blackhawks this season.
Not qualifying Dylan Strome is one of a flurry of moves the Blackhawks are making to completely rebuild the franchise. They already dealt Alex DeBrincat and Kirby Dach to get more first round picks in the draft, as well as take on Petr Mrazek’s contract to move up into the first round. Along with Strome, the Blackhawks also plan on not qualifying Dominik Kubalik, who scored 30 goals and was Calder Trophy finalist in the 2019-20 season.