Athanasiou calls signing with Hawks ‘a no-brainer’ originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
It’s no secret the Blackhawks are in the beginning stages of a full-blown rebuild. The moves they made over the summer showed the magnitude of it after Kirby Dach and Alex DeBrincat were traded away for future assets.
For those reasons, the Blackhawks weren’t necessarily going to be a hot destination for unrestricted free agents, and yet they still landed a few nice names in Andreas Athanasiou and Max Domi, the latter of whom wanted to reunite with Luke Richardson.
Athanasiou, on the other hand, found himself at an important stage in his career. At age 28, he’s in his prime right now but is coming off an injury-riddled 2021-22 season, appearing in only 27 games with the Los Angeles Kings.
Athanasiou probably had opportunities elsewhere but saw a chance to play higher in the lineup with the Blackhawks, who inked the one-time 30-goal scorer to a one-year, $3 million contract.
“You just kind of take the opportunities you get,” Athanasiou said. “They called and gave a good opportunity, so it was kind of a no-brainer there. Obviously there’s a lot to look forward to in this locker room, so it was a no-brainer.”
It could be a win-win for both sides. If Athanasiou has a breakout season offensively, the Blackhawks could flip him at the trade deadline to continue their accumulation of future assets. It would also allow Athanasiou to play for a contender and earn a larger payday at the end of it.
Athanasiou is legitimately one of the fastest players in the NHL, and what better way to post career numbers by playing with Kane? The two of them were on a line together with Domi — and on the first power-play unit — during Monday’s practice at training camp, which could be a sign of things to come.
“I don’t think anybody would not want to play with that guy,” Athanasiou laughed. “That guy is the best in the world. When you have someone of that caliber, obviously every guy wants to play with that guy. I’m sure you’ll get opportunities here and there, you just got to be ready and that’s about it.” “
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