The Chicago Blackhawks wrapped up their offseason business right before training camp, locking up defenseman Ethan Del Mastro on a two-year contract worth $1.9MM, with a $950K average annual value, according to a team announcement.
The timing stands out a bit. Based on where Del Mastro sits in the organization, it’s a little surprising the deal didn’t get done sooner. Even with the new contract in hand, there’s no automatic path to an opening night job, and the Blackhawks may have added the extra year partly to make him less vulnerable to a waiver claim if he ends up on the outside looking in.
Chicago took Del Mastro with the 105th pick in the 2021 NHL Draft, and he followed that by putting together a strong run in major junior with the OHL’s Mississauga Steelheads and Sarnia Sting before turning pro in 2023-24.
His first season in the professional ranks was a good one in Rockford. Del Mastro put up seven goals and 37 points in 69 games for the AHL’s IceHogs, finished at plus-14, and added a goal and an assist in four playoff games. That performance also earned him his NHL debut, though he was held without a point in two appearances.
The next season brought more NHL opportunity, but not a clear jump forward. Del Mastro had two goals and six points in 24 games for Chicago while logging 18:19 per night. This past season, he managed one assist in 19 games.
The Blackhawks’ blue line has been thin for the last two years, but that picture changes somewhat now with Bowen Byram and Ian Cole added to the mix. That makes the climb tougher for Del Mastro as camp opens. Still, at 23, he remains young enough to be viewed as a possible waiver claim as the league moves toward the start of the 2026-27 season.
In Other News...
Blackhawks Just Added Another Young Defenseman To A Crowded Camp Battle
Ethan Del Mastros place in the Blackhawks future got a little clearer with a new contract extension, giving the organization another young defenseman to sort through as its blue-line picture continues to take shape. Drafted by Chicago in 2021, Del Mastro has already split time between the Blackhawks and the Rockford IceHogs, and he has added a pair of gold medals at the IIHF World Championships to his rsum along the way.
The extension also puts a bow on Chicagos roster signings heading into the 2026-27 training camp, which only sharpens the competition that will unfold when camp opens. For a team still trying to define which young defensemen will stick long term, Del Mastros new deal keeps him in the conversation and adds another layer to a battle that is only getting more crowded. [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 🡒]