The Chicago Blackhawks inked goaltender Drew Commesso to a two-year extension Monday, keeping the 23-year-old in the pipeline after he declined salary arbitration. The deal carries an $875,000 average annual cap hit and runs through the 2027-28 season.
It’s a hybrid structure. Year one is a two-way contract paying $850,000 in the NHL and $200,000 in the AHL with a $250,000 guarantee. Year two flips to a one-way deal worth $900,000 regardless of where he plays. When it expires, Commesso hits restricted free agency again with arbitration rights.
If you only caught one Commesso game this season, it was probably that Jan. 10 night in Nashville. He stopped all 36 shots he faced for his first NHL win and his first career shutout. That made him just the fourth goalie in franchise history to record a shutout in his NHL debut win. For the season, he went 2-1-0 in three NHL appearances with a .918 save percentage and a 2.31 goals-against average.
Rockford Work Load
Down in the AHL with the Rockford IceHogs, Commesso posted a 13-20-3 record over 37 games with a .901 save percentage and a 3.08 GAA. But that record doesn’t tell the whole story. Across three professional seasons in Rockford, he’s a 49-51-13 guy with a .906 save percentage, a 2.75 GAA and seven shutouts in 114 regular season games. And he’s been better in the playoffs: 5-5 with a .922 save percentage and a 2.42 GAA in 10 Calder Cup appearances.
Before turning pro, Commesso spent three seasons at Boston University. His best year there was 2022-23 when he went 24-8-0 with a .913 save percentage and a 2.46 GAA. Chicago picked him in the second round (46th overall) of the 2020 draft. He became a full-time pro in 2023-24 and opened with an 18-16-4 record, .906 save percentage and 2.65 GAA in Rockford. Last season, he made his NHL debut while going 18-15-4 with a .911 save percentage and a 2.54 GAA in 39 AHL games.
International Experience
Commesso is from Norwell, Massachusetts, and he’s played for Team USA at big moments. At the 2022 Winter Olympics, he went 2-0 with a 1.00 GAA, a .964 save percentage and one shutout. He also helped the U.S. win bronze at the 2021 IIHF World Championship.
For now, the Blackhawks have Spencer Knight and Arvid Soderblom under contract and they’ll likely be the top two NHL goalies. Commesso probably starts the year as the third option, pushing for full-time work. After this extension, Chicago still has Connor Bedard, Kevin Korchinski and Ethan Del Mastro as restricted free agents.
Leave a Comment