Chicago Blackhawks struggling veteran defenseman likely to be bought out in the offseason
The Chicago Blackhawks young defensive core is beginning to take shape after they started this season with one of the older units in the NHL. It has been another rough year in the organization’s rebuild, but the promising performances from all of the young faces on the roster has given fans hope for the future. On the offensive side if things, Connor Bedard has lit the lamp 20 times for the second straight season.

Bedard has received some reinforcements in the forward group while getting help from the veterans brought in by general manager Kyle Davidson this past summer. Tyler Bertuzzi and Teuvo Teravainen have been consistent contributors in the top-six for the Blackhawks, and Ilya Mikheyev is quietly putting together the best season of his career on Bedard’s wing.

Unfortunately for Chicago’s front office, not every veteran signed over the summer panned out the way that they would have hoped for. One of the defenseman brought in on a multi-year deal has not played and over a month and his future with the franchise looks bleak.

TJ Brodie hasn’t played in a game since the Blackhawks’ 6-3 win over Anaheim on March 1. Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun Times posted on X that he believes that the 34-year-old will be bought out by the organization this summer. Brodie has struggled mightily this season when given ice time, with many fans showing frustration over the fact that he was drawing into the lineup ahead of youngsters like Ethan Del Mastro and Nolan Allan.

In 54 games this year, Brodie has two goals and eight assists to go with his rough -18 plus/minus rating. It doesn’t help that the Blackhawks are at the bottom of the league’s standings, but his plus/minus rating being the second-lowest among active defenseman on the team makes it difficult to justify him getting back into the lineup over certain younger blue liners.