See the Blackhawks’ first free agent signings of 2022

CHICAGO – If you were looking for some major splashes from the Blackhawks on the first day of NHL free agency, you didn’t get them.

Not that many expected that to be the case, with the only real possibility of a major shake-up being the trade of veterans Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, or Seth Jones. But the agent for all three, Pat Brisson, shutdown that talk in a reported conversation by TSN’s Pierre LeBrun.

In the meantime, Kyle Davidson took the first day to begin assembling the first team of his declared “rebuild” on Wednesday, putting together a half-dozen short-term deals for players that will be expected to contribute come the fall.

The team added five forwards and a goaltender to the team with all but one on a one-year deal.

Forwards Max Domi and Andreas Athanasiou will get $3 million for the upcoming season as they bring the most experience to the table. Domi comes to Chicago with seven years of NHL experience, having played with the Coyotes, Canadiens, Blue Jackets, and Hurricanes.

He took the ice for Columbus to start the 2021-2022 season but was traded to Carolina at the deadline in March, aiding that team’s run to the playoffs. Domi would score two goals in Game 7 of the Hurricanes’ first round series against the Bruins to help the team to a 3-2 victory.

Athanasiou has also been in the NHL for seven seasons, with parts of five coming in Detroit, a few games in Edmonton after the 2020 trade deadline, then two years with the Kings. In 75 games with Los Angeles the last two seasons, the forward finished with 21 goals and 19 assists.

Colin Blackwell, the only player to get more than a one-year deal with the team, spent his fourth season in the NHL with two teams: Seattle and Toronto. After scoring eight goals and nine assists with the Kraken, the forward was traded to the Maple Leafs at the deadline and played 19 regular season games with two goals and an assist.

In seven playoff games with Toronto this spring, he finished with a goal and an assist.

A ten-year NHL veteran, goaltender Alex Stalock started his career with the Sharks and then after five seasons joined the Wild. After four years in Minnesota, he returned to the San Jose organization in 2021-2022 where he mostly played in the AHL. Stalock made just one appearance for the Sharks the entire season, which was his 152nd NHL game.

Forward Brett Seney has played in 55 NHL games with the Devils (2018-2020) and the Maple Leafs (2021-2022), with most coming in New Jersey in the 2018-2019 season (51 games). Playing in just two games with Toronto last season, he mostly played with their AHL affiliate the Marlies, where he scored 17 goals with 42 assists.

Seney is on a two-way contract along with forward Luke Philp, who spent the last three seasons with Stockton of the AHL. In the 2021-2022 season with the Heat, he scored 21 goals with 23 assists in 66 games.