The Blackhawks added another defenseman to the pipeline Tuesday by signing Philip Holm to a one-year, two-way contract ($700,000 NHL/$300,000 AHL).
The 27-year-old Swedish defenseman led Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod in scoring among defensemen with seven goals and 26 points in 61 KHL games last season. He added five points (one goal, four assists) in seven playoff contests.
Prior to playing in the KHL, the 6-foot-1, 190-pound lefty dressed in one NHL game for the Canucks in 2017 against the Golden Knights. He led all defensemen on the Utica Comets with 11 goals and 29 points in 42 AHL games before being traded to Vegas. He then joined the Golden Knights’ AHL affiliate, the Chicago Wolves, and had nine points (one goal, eight assists) in 21 regular-season games and a goal and an assist in three playoff games.
Holm also won gold with Sweden at the 2017 World Championship, and tallied three points (one goal, two assists) in seven tournament games. Before coming over to North America, Holm played for Djurgårdens IF and Växjö Lakers in Sweden which included the 2012-13 Allsvenskan season as teammates with Blackhawks defensemen Erik Gustafsson.
Holm had 41 points (10 goals, 31 assists) in 197 regular-season SHL games and four points (one goal, three assists) in 26 playoff games across parts of six seasons from 2010-12 and 2014-17.
With the addition of Holm, the Blackhawks now have seven left-handed defenseman that could compete for NHL playing time: Carl Dahlstrom, Calvin de Haan, Duncan Keith, Slater Koekkoek, Olli Maatta, Gustafsson and Holm.
The Blackhawks also have four AHL defensemen that are lefties: Nicolas Beaudin, Lucas Carlsson, Dennis Gilbert and Joni Tuulola.
The organization is now at 46 player contracts.