The Chicago Blackhawks picked up seven new players on the first day of free agency, July 1. But lost in the shuffle is an acquisition they made a few days before that. In a trade with the Vancouver Canucks on June 27, the Blackhawks also acquired forward Ilya Mikheyev.
As we continue our THW summer series in preparation for the 2024-25 campaign, we’ll introduce you to all the players the Blackhawks acquired this offseason. Today we’ll learn more about this 29-year-old Russian native who will now suit up for Chicago.
Blackhawks Acquire Mikheyev
Let’s get the logistics out of the way. In this trade, the Blackhawks acquired Mikheyev and the rights to free agent Sam Lafferty (who ended up signing with the Buffalo Sabres instead). They also gained a 2027 second-round pick from the Canucks, while only giving up a 2027 fourth-round pick the other way.
Why would the Canucks do this? Well, they were in cap trouble and needed to get some money off the books. Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson once again used his abundant cap leverage and the desperation of another team to get the better end of this deal. He even got the Canucks to retain 15% of Mikheyev’s salary for the remaining term of his contract (two more seasons).
Mikheyev signed a four-year deal with the Canucks in July of 2022 with an annual cap hit of $4.75 million. This was after he tallied 21 goals, 11 assists and 32 points in 53 games with the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2021-22 season, his third season with the club. The 6-foot-2, 192-pound forward originally went undrafted, but signed with the Maple Leafs as a free agent in May of 2019.
Mikheyev’s Time in Vancouver
Things were going according to plan in the 2022-23 season (Mikheyev’s first with the Canucks), as he tallied 13 goals and 28 points in just 46 games. That’s a 50-point pace over a full 82-game season. Unfortunately, the forward suffered a season-ending torn ACL in late January. In the 2023-24 season, Mikheyev’s production just wasn’t the same; he registered 11 goals, 20 assists and 31 points in 78 games. He was also held pointless in 11 playoff games.
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I reached out to Matthew Zator, THW writer for the Canucks, to get some more insight into Mikheyev’s time in Vancouver.
This past season (2023-24) Mikheyev was very snakebitten offensively. I still think he was regaining his speed from the ACL surgery he had last offseason. He could have a big bounceback season in Chicago, especially if he plays with Bedard. With the Canucks, Mikheyev mostly played among the top-six forwards, oftentimes with Elias Pettersson. He was also on the second power play unit.
Even when he’s not scoring, Mikheyev is a great penalty killer and good defensively. The Canucks needed cap space; that’s the biggest reason why he was traded.
That’s good to hear that Mikheyev might have still been recovering from his injury last season. He’s definitely known for his speed.
That cobra's faaaaaaast! 🐍
— NHL (@NHL) March 29, 2022
Get a load of the speed on Ilya Mikheyev.
NHL EDGE SPEED presented by @Verizon. pic.twitter.com/ESNjoNbxNp
Speed is one of the key qualities the Blackhawks have been targeting as part of their new identity in the rebuild, along with compete level and a strong two-way game (oh hey, that’s another quality Mikheyev is known for!).
It should be noted that even if the Russian forward had a “down” year last season, he did reach career-highs in assists (20) and games played (78). It was only his fifth NHL season, so there could absolutely be more room for growth.
What Mikheyev Brings to the Blackhawks
When Mikheyev was first acquired, everyone thought the Blackhawks might have targeted him to play with their newest franchise cornerstone, Connor Bedard. But that was also before Tyler Bertuzzi and Teuvo Teravainen came into the picture. In hindsight, did the Blackhawks sign Mikheyev before they realized their windfall in free agency? Is he now somewhat expendable as a less talented, bottom-six player?
Late night trade 👀 pic.twitter.com/Hoz4QEqC20
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) June 27, 2024
There is definitely going to be some competition in training camp, with numerous skilled players and a plethora of bottom-six type players going head-to-head. Mikheyev could fit into either category depending on how he adjusts to the team, and who he meshes with. Who knows, maybe he will end up playing with Bedard! But my guess would be he ends up among the bottom-six. Perhaps he could find some chemistry with Lukas Reichel?
Related – Questions About Blackhawks’ Lukas Reichel Remain Ahead of 2024-25 Season
Mikheyev could be a building block for the next two seasons to help Blackhawks accelerate their rebuild. If he plays well, he could also be picked up by a contending team at either one of the next two trade deadlines. Davidson stands to gain even more assets from such a situation. And if Mikheyev struggles, the Blackhawks have only committed to him for two seasons. There’s not a whole lot of risk here, but the potential for reward is good.
However it works out in the long term, Mikheyev will be another new player to watch this coming season. He has scoring ability, is strong in the defensive end and can contribute on the penalty kill. Head coach Luke Richardson will have plenty of options, with Mikheyev being the kind of utility player that can be used up and down the lineup.
Related – More Chicago Blackhawks Season Preview Articles
Be sure to check out more Blackhawks season preview pieces in the link above. Included are articles on new Blackhawks Teuvo Teravainen, Tyler Bertuzzi, Alec Martinez and T.J. Brodie, with more on the way. Tune in for plenty of quality content as the summer progresses. I know it seems like forever right now, but training camp will be here before you know it!
