#1 Dominik Kubalik
Team: Chicago Blackhawks
Age: 26
Position: Winger
2021-22 Stats: 78 games, 15 goals, 32 points, 98 hits
Qualifying Offer: $4 million
Potential: Middle six winger on Toronto Maple Leafs
The Chicago Blackhawks seem to be coming apart at the seams and tearing the club down to the studs. They traded away Brandon Hagel and there are rumours that Alex DeBrincat is next.
There’s a very good chance that they won’t extend a qualifying offer to Dominik Kubalik. Since his contract was back-end loaded, his qualifying offer would give him a $4 million AAV contract up from his previous $3.7 million AAV contract.
His offensive numbers dipped drastically last season, and Chicago couldn’t find a buyer at the deadline after reportedly shopping nearly the entire team. He’s not worth the $4 million price tag right now.
He would be worth taking a chance on for half the price however. His stats may have dropped from playing on a terrible Blackhawks team and could be elevated on a contender.
If he can get back to where he was a couple seasons ago, he could even earn on spot on the second line for the Toronto Maple Leafs. If not, he would at least be a great third liner at the right price.
It might be too early to tell who will be qualified and who will become unrestricted, but the closer these players get to the July 11th deadline without being signed, the greater the odds become that they hit the open market and become fair game for the Toronto Maple Leafs.