The Chicago Blackhawks announced Thursday that they have agreed to a three-year contract with Roman Kantserov, a 21-year-old Russian winger and a second-round pick in the 2023 draft. The team said the entry-level deal carries a $1,075,000 salary cap hit.
The Blackhawks listed Kantserov at 5-foot-9 and 176 pounds. The report says he led the Kontinental Hockey League with 36 goals in 63 regular-season games this year while playing for Metallurg Magnitogorsk, and that he added four goals and four assists in 15 postseason contests.
The report says Kantserov’s 36 goals and 64 points were the highest single-season totals in KHL history for a player under the age of 22. The club framed the signing as a significant addition as it looks to accelerate a rebuilding effort.
Per the report, the move arrives as Chicago prepares to use the No. 4 pick in the upcoming NHL draft. The Blackhawks said the team went 29-39-14 this season, an 11-point improvement over the previous year but still short of playoff contention.
The report notes the franchise has finished 31st in the NHL each of the last three seasons and has made just one postseason appearance since 2017, which came under the expanded playoff format after the 2019-20 season was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
