Last thing Blackhawks forward Strome wanted was to hold out over contract
Waiting until the eleventh hour to come to terms on a contract wasn't exactly what Dylan Strome wanted.
But that's what happened during a "stressful" negotiations that ended when the Hawks center signed a two-year, $6 million deal Sunday.
The Hawks opened training camp Monday, with Strome centering Patrick Kane and Alex DeBrincat.
"I mean I cut it pretty close, I guess," said a smiling Strome, who had started to get concerned he might miss time. "You never want to miss any days of camp; you never want to be a guy who holds out. ... That was never my plan.
"I wanted to get it done and to be a Blackhawk. I've said that many times in the past, that I love it here."
Strome was a restricted free agent without negotiation rights, so he didn't have a ton of leverage. He could have asked for a trade, held out or even sat out the season.
General manager and president of hockey operations Stan Bowman did not speak to the media Monday - a rarity on the opening day of camp - but he did address the issue in a Blackhawks Talk Podcast last week.
"We have to do what's best for us in the short term and the long term and be cognizant of where the market's heading," Bowman said. "The cap is going to be flat for a number of years."
Strome, who admitted he came back too quickly from an ankle injury last season, struggled down the stretch, scoring just 2 goals in his last 19 games. Now healthy - and possibly centering the top line - the 23-year-old, as coach Jeremy Colliton sees it, is expected to take his game to the next level.
"Looking back at last year, the numbers and the production probably wasn't where he liked it," Colliton said. "But he's a better player now than his first year with us (in 2018-19), and it's an opportunity for him to show everyone that."
Raise the bar: Jeremy Colliton isn't blind. Or deaf.
He knows plenty of pundits expect the young, raw Blackhawks to take up residence at the bottom of the standings and to possibly stay there for some time.
"We've got something to prove and it's a challenge for us as a coaching staff, but also (for) the players," Colliton said. "We have to be relentless in how we're going to work to get better. Just the mentality, that's what we're focusing on. Relentless, determined, unselfish, play for the team.
"Anything for the team. If we have that, that'll be a great foundation to be more than people say we are."
Slap shots: Defenseman Brent Seabrook and forwards Pius Suter and Evan Barratt were all "unfit to participate" in Monday's practice. Forward Carl Soderberg (immigration documents) also was out and will join the team at a later date. Soderberg, a 35-year-old center who scored 17 goals for Arizona last season, signed a one-year deal last week. ... Coach Jeremy Colliton said there has been no discussion about who might take over the captain's role with Jonathan Toews out due to an unspecified illness. ... The decision to place forward Zack Smith on waivers amounted to the Hawks wanting to give more young players an opportunity. Smith (4G, 7A in 50 GP) carries a $3.25 million cap hit.