Alex Vlasic Extension Brings Needed Excitement to Blackhawks Future

The Blackhawks locking in defenseman Alex Vlasic long term brings excitement that the team has moved on from past mistakes

Hey, Blackhawks Fans!

I scream, you scream, we all scream for pickles! (That’s how the saying goes, right?) Well, it should because massive news came out this morning (April 25) that the Blackhawks and defenseman Alex Vlasic agreed to a six-year contract extension ($4.6 million AAV).

This deal is a steal, which has been the mantra of Vlasic’s career thus far. In my mind, there are two big notions associated with this signing.

Blackhawks Development Finally Got it Right

The first thing is development. It’s no secret that the Blackhawks’ development has been a mess and a half for far too long. They had plenty of talent in the pipeline that they either rushed, didn’t develop properly, or just gave up on them too early by trading them. Such as, *ahem* Gustav Forsling, who is now one of the top defensemen in the NHL for the Florida Panthers with the best plus/minus in hockey with a plus-56 rating. But I digress; we can’t look backward. All the Blackhawks could do is learn from it and not make the same mistakes with their prospects that have led them to a seven-year playoff drought.