Matt Grzelcyk’s season with the Blackhawks started as a preseason tryout and turned into a useful year on the blue line.
He came in on a PTO, earned a one-year, $1 million deal, and ended up giving Chicago exactly what it needed from a veteran defenseman on a young roster. The expectation was straightforward: hold down a third-pair role, bring some steadiness, and help absorb minutes while the Blackhawks’ younger defensemen developed. For the most part, that’s what he did.
Grzelcyk appeared in 69 games and finished with 12 assists and no goals. His plus/minus sat at minus-6, which was not especially damaging on a team that struggled defensively.
His underlying numbers were just below average, but his overall work was enough to make him look like a player who should still have a place in the league. He also stayed with the team through the trade deadline before injury brought his season to an end, and likely closed the book on his run in Chicago.
He is now a free agent.
The Blackhawks’ own grades reflected that steady, no-drama assessment. Blackhawks Cowboy gave Grzelcyk a B-, noting that what looked like a minor August PTO became more important than expected.
With Sam Rinzel and Artyom Levshunov not making the leap many anticipated, “Grizz” helped cover the gap. He was described as a stable presence whose absence was felt after the injury, even if he never scored a goal.
Tony Marchese kept it simple with a C, calling him a veteran who did veteran things without upsetting many people.
Ron Luce also landed on a C, saying Grzelcyk was better than most people expected and did exactly what was asked of him. He spent most of the season on the third pair with Connor Murphy, gave the younger defensemen a breather, and made a case for another contract somewhere else. As Luce put it, “For $1 million, he did exactly what was asked.”
There doesn’t appear to be a return to Chicago coming, especially with Ian Cole joining the fold. But Grzelcyk should still draw interest, and a late-summer signing could make sense for a team looking to shore up depth before training camp.
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