Patrick Sharp may be unrestricted free agent this summer, but there’s “zero chance” of a reunion with the Blackhawks for next season, according to 670 The Score’s Jay Zawaski.
Sharp, 35, played the past two seasons for the Dallas Stars after being traded by the Blackhawks in 2015. He had a solid 2015-16 debut with Dallas in which he recorded 55 points in 76 games, but the winger struggled through an injury-marred 2016-17 season that saw him post his lowest point total (18) since he was a rookie.
In our Friday mailbag, I briefly discussed the possibility of Sharp returning to the Blackhawks on a discounted deal (similar to Brian Campbell a year ago), but Zawaski’s report indicates such a move isn’t in the cards.
There could be several reasons for this. The Blackhawks may not want Sharp back at all given his aging and injuries. It’s also possible that Sharp’s asking price as a free agent is prohibitive — the only way a deal would ever make sense is with a low base salary and some performance-based incentives. Sharp may not be a star anymore, but he also might not be interested in returning to Chicago on that type of deal.
And with Sharp projecting more as a potential secondary scorer on the bottom six than a true top-six winger at this point, the Hawks have lots of other younger options. This time around, it seems like the team isn’t interested in bringing back an old face.