The Blackhawks re-signed restricted free agent winger Brendan Perlini to a one-year contract worth $874,125 on Friday. Evolving Hockey projected he’d sign a two-year deal with a $2,056,017 cap hit. The deal leaves the Blackhawks with $2,462,414 in salary cap space, according to CapFriendly.
Perlini scored 12 goals and 15 points in 46 games with Chicago this past season after being acquired along with Dylan Strome in exchange for Nick Schmaltz last November. The 23-year-old Perlini’s play took off once the calendar hit March when he was given an expanded role to contribute with Alex DeBrincat and Strome. Perlini posted nine goals and 11 points in that span and his expected goal share increased almost 10 percent and high-danger share went up almost 4 percent.
Perlini, however, did struggle. He was a negative goals against replacement player (-6.8, 27th on the roster) and negative wins above replacement player (-1.2, also 27th), according to Evolving Hockey.
By bringing back Perlini, the Blackhawks now have more than 15 forwards under contract that played in the NHL last season. The total includes players who split time between the NHL and AHL: Alexandre Fortin, Alexander Nylander, John Quenneville, Aleksi Saarela and Dylan Sikura.