Blackhawks agree to terms with Isaak Phillips, Louis Crevier
A pair of Blackhawks restricted free agents who received qualifying offers in June have agreed to new contracts for the upcoming season.
Young defensemen Isaak Phillips and Louis Crevier are officially back with the team after each agreed to one-year deals, as announced by the team on Monday morning.
Both defenseman were still under team control after receiving qualifying offers in June just before the opening of free agency and signed two-way deals worth $775,000.
The 22-year-old Phillips and 23-year-old Crevier both split time between Chicago and Rockford during the 2023-24 NHL season. Phillips skated in 33 games at the NHL level, notching six assists while average 17:04 of ice time. He also had 14 points (4 G, 10 A) in 29 games with the IceHogs. Crevier had his NHL debut last season and played in 24 games overall with three points — all assists — and an average ice time of 15:41. He had 11 points (3 G, 8 A) in 41 AHL games.
It’ll be an uphill battle for both to find NHL time in the upcoming season, though. The Blackhawks added No. 2 overall pick Artyom Levshunov to the organization at this year’s draft and also signed veteran blue-liners Alec Martinez and TJ Brodie during free agency. Factor in other blue-line prospects who saw NHL time last season like Wyatt Kaiser and Kevin Korchinski along with up-and-coming returning IceHogs skaters like Nolan Allan and Ethan Del Mastro, and the D corps suddenly looks awfully crowded in Chicago. Spots in Rockford are not necessarily guaranteed, either, which should result in a healthy competition come training camp for ice time, regardless of the organizational level where it occurs.
