Blackhawks with a bevy of signings

The Chicago Blackhawks management have had themselves a busy Thursday. The team announced today that they have re-signed forward Matthew Highmore and goaltender Kevin Lankinen to two-year contract extensions. On top of that, they have also signed forwards Evan Barratt and Andrei Altybarmakyan to entry-level deals.

Highmore, 24, has spent the last three seasons with the Blackhawks organization. The undrafted forward signed with the team after his junior career in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League came to an end. This season, he has put up six points in 36 games with the Blackhawks and 12 in 21 with the Rockford Icehogs of the AHL. The first year of his deal is a two-way which will pay him $700,000 at the NHL level and $450,000 at the AHL, and turns into a one-way for the second year, which will pay him $750,000.

Lankinen, 24, has been with the organization for the past two seasons. The Finnish netminder also signed as an undrafted free agent. Prior to signing, he had played five professional seasons in Finland. This season, he played in 21 games with the Icehogs, putting up a 3.03 goals against average and a .909 save percentage. The first year of his deal will pay him $750,000 at the NHL level and $500,000 at the AHL, and will transition into a one-way deal for the second season, paying him $850,000.

Barratt agreed to terms on a three-year entry-level contract that will pay him $870,000 per season. The 21-year-old has spent the last three seasons playing college hockey for Penn State University. This season saw him post 12 goals and 22 assists in 34 games. He was drafted by the Blackhawks in the third round (90th total) of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, and represented Team USA at the IIHF World Junior Championship in 2019. He scored one goal in the tournament and helped his team capture a silver medal.

Altybarmakyan was taken in the same draft and same round as Barratt, coming in 20 spots higher at 70th overall. The 21-year-old Russian has spent the last three seasons playing in the KHL. This season with Sochi HC, he put up six goals and 11 assists in 49 games. He too played in the IIHF World Junior Championship, representing Russia in 2017. He scored one goal and added two assists in five games at the tournament.

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