Chicago Blackhawks complete a move that could end 960 game veterans career

T.J. Brodie cleared unconditional waivers in last June, and his contract was bought out by the Blackhawks.

Just under 40 days before training camp, the 35-year-old defenseman is still without a deal.

Brodie has been in the league for over 14 years and has nearly hit the 1,000-game mark.

Drafted 114th overall by the Calgary Flames in 2008, he broke into the NHL in 2010-11 and became a full-time player by 2012-13. Since then, he's played for Calgary, Toronto, and Chicago.

Across 962 games, the Canadian defenseman tallied 58 goals and 300 assists.

In the postseason, he's added another five goals and 17 assists over 56 games.

But after this summer's buyout, the question now is whether anyone will give him another shot.

Brodie is not the top-pairing guy he once was, but he still brings experience, leadership, and depth.

For teams looking to add a steady veteran on the back end, he could be a low-risk signing.

The Montreal Canadiens are one option. Their blue line is loaded with youth. Adding someone like Brodie would give players such as Lane Hutson a veteran presence to lean on.

However, the Habs are dealing with cap struggles, sitting nearly $5 million over the cap.

A return to Calgary could also be possible. The Flames have eight defensemen under contract, but if Rasmus Andersson is traded, the team might look for a replacement.

Then there's Colorado.

The Avalanche could use one more left-shot defenseman, and with over $6 million in cap space, they could easily afford him on a short-term deal for a third-pair role.

It'll be interesting to see if a team decides to offer him a contract, even a PTO, before the start of the training camp.