11-year NHL veteran of 500 games remains desperate to find new home on the free agent market
Photo credit: NHL.com
Former Blackhawks forward Andreas Athanasiou hasn't been able to find a new NHL contract and hopes to find a new home to continue his professional career.
Former Chicago Blackhawks forward Andreas Athanasiou is one of many players who are still left unsigned as the new year gets closer and closer.
Athanasiou, who played for the Blackhawks between 2022 and 2025, is only 5 games away from reaching 500 in his career, as he previously played for the former divisional foe Detroit Red Wings along with the Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings.
Per analyst Michael DeRosa of The Hockey News, it's tough seeing a player like Athanasiou still without a contract for 2025-26.
Seeing Athanasiou still being a UFA at this juncture of the summer is understandable, as he had a tough 2024-25 season. He most notably was placed on waivers by the Blackhawks back in November and spent the bulk of the season at the AHL level with the Rockford IceHogs after not being claimed by another NHL team.
Athanasiou appeared in just eight games for the Blackhawks in 2024-25, where he had one goal, six hits, and a minus-1 rating. Overall, he struggled to produce offense when with the NHL club this past season. Down in the AHL with the IceHogs this past campaign, he had 11 goals, 16 assists, and 27 points in 30 games.
Athanasiou appeared in just eight games for the Blackhawks in 2024-25, where he had one goal, six hits, and a minus-1 rating. Overall, he struggled to produce offense when with the NHL club this past season. Down in the AHL with the IceHogs this past campaign, he had 11 goals, 16 assists, and 27 points in 30 games.
Athanasiou has 246 points (128G, 118A) in 495 career NHL games.
Jeff Blashill has taken over the Blackhawks bench
Speaking of former Red Wings, former Detroit head coach Jeff Blashill, who coached Athanasiou in Detroit, is now the head coach of the Blackhawks.
Blashill had spent the last 3 years as an assistant coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning under coach Jon Cooper, but had been the successor to Mike Babcock in 2015 with the Red Wings.
He took over a rebuilding roster that didn't have much talent, but tried to make the most of it during his time with the team. Because of this reputation for being able to develop young players, the Blackhawks hope he can do the same in Chicago.
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