The Chicago Blackhawks have taken one more contract item off the board before training camp opens, reaching an agreement with Ethan Del Mastro on a two-year extension.
The deal, announced Wednesday, carries a cap hit of $950,000 and runs from the 2026-27 season through 2027-28.
Del Mastro, who was selected by Chicago in the fourth round of the 2021 NHL Draft with the 105th overall pick, has spent the last few years bouncing between the Blackhawks and the Rockford IceHogs. He has also built up some international experience along the way, playing in the IIHF World Championships and winning gold in both 2022 and 2023.
At the NHL level, Del Mastro has appeared in 45 games for Chicago and recorded 2 goals and 5 assists for 7 points. His AHL resume is longer: 161 games with Rockford, where he has produced 9 goals and 55 assists for 64 points. In the Calder Cup Playoffs, he has added 1 goal and 3 assists in 11 games.
Chicago’s blue line is crowded with young defensemen, so Del Mastro will have to earn his spot once camp gets going. If he lands on waivers after camp, another team could take a shot at helping his development. If he clears, he’ll head back to the AHL for more seasoning.
With Del Mastro signed, the Blackhawks have now locked up the last restricted free agent they needed to before camp, leaving them with a full roster of available players heading into 2026-27 training camp.
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Blackhawks Just Made Ethan Del Mastro A Much Bigger Camp Story
Ethan Del Mastros summer took another meaningful step when the Blackhawks signed the defenseman to a new contract, turning a player who was already on the radar into a much bigger camp storyline. Drafted 105th overall in 2021, Del Mastro has already logged professional time with the AHLs Rockford IceHogs and even got a taste of the NHL with Chicago, so this is no longer just about long-term projection. It is about how soon he can carve out a real role on a blue line that has gotten more crowded.
For the Blackhawks, that makes his camp worth watching closely. Del Mastro now has a clearer path to stick around, but it is still no sure thing he opens the season in Chicago, especially with the competition on defense tightening. The signing gives him another chance to push his way into the picture, and it also leaves the organization with a decision that could matter just as much for the roster as for Del Mastros immediate future. [Read more 🡒]
Blackhawks Just Settled One Camp Issue Around Ethan Del Mastro
Ethan Del Mastro has his next chapter lined up in Chicago after the Blackhawks settled one of the quieter roster questions of camp. The defensemans path has already included time in both the NHL and AHL since turning pro, and the new agreement gives the organization another young blue-liner under contract as it continues sorting out its back end for the season ahead.
The bigger question now is where Del Mastro fits once camp decisions start getting made in earnest. He is still on the fringe of the NHL group and could wind up back in Rockford if the Blackhawks choose to go that route, but doing so would not be a simple paper move. [Read more 🡒]
Blackhawks Camp Opens With Young Roster Battle Fans Will Watch Closely
The Blackhawks are set to open training camp Thursday at the Blackhawks Ice Center, and the first look at the 2026 roster already points to a crowded few weeks ahead. The club has lined up camp through Sept. 28 with a mix of returning players, first-year pros and offseason additions, then plans to break the group into NHL and non-NHL sides as it sorts out who is ready to push into the season picture.
For a team still shaping its young core, that kind of split only sharpens the competition. Camp will be watched closely not just for the established names, but for the players trying to force their way into consideration and make a case before the roster gets trimmed down to something much more defined. [Read more 🡒]