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The Blackhawks announced on Thursday that they had agreed to a
three-year contract with the 21-year-old Russian winger, a
second-round pick in the 2023 draft. The entry-level deal
carries a $1,075,000 salary cap hit.
Kantserov, listed at 5-foot-9 and 176 pounds, led the KHL with
36 goals in 63 games this season with Metallurg Magnitogorsk. He
also had four goals and four assists in 15 postseason games.
Kantserov's 36 goals and 64 points were the highest
single-season totals for a player under the age of 22 in KHL
history.
The addition of Kantserov is a significant move for a franchise
looking to climb out of a lengthy rebuilding project. Chicago
also has the No. 4 pick in the upcoming NHL draft.
The Blackhawks went 29-39-14 this year, an 11-point improvement
on the previous season and still nowhere near playoff
contention. They have finished No. 31 in the NHL each of the
last three years.
The franchise has made just one postseason appearance since
2017, and that was the expanded playoff format after the 2019-20
season was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
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