Blackhawks Player Grades: TJ Brodie

Having spent his entire career with Canadian teams, TJ Brodie ventured to Chicago and joined the second Original 6 team of his career. Brodie inked a two-year deal with the Hawks during the summer, lending some questions around his signing. Although the blue line was surely going to be young this past season, taking up a potential spot for any of the young defensemen the Blackhawks have felt counterproductive. 

Early in the season, Brodie received a lot of run on the blue line, posting 10 points (two goals, eight assists) in 54 games. However, as players like Artyom Levshunov, Wyatt Kaiser, and Sam Rinzel joined the team, Brodie's ice time decreased and health scratches increased. 

As it stands, it is safe to believe that Brodie will be bought out by the Blackhawks this summer. With a $3.75 million cap hit for the 2025-26 season, he'd be a small hit to the cap for both this season and next season before completely falling off the books. 

Player Grades

Steve Kwiatkowski's Grade: F

I was never a fan of Brodie's contract signing because I felt it could potentially block one of the younger defensemen from playing, which it did. Brodie was given more than enough fair chances. This is a contract that needs to get bought out.

Tony Marchese's Grade: F

It would probably be hard to find a Chicago Blackhawks fan that would grade TJ Brodie higher than a F. 

Ron Luce's Grade: F

In agreement with Steve, I was never a fan of the TJ Brodie signing when it initially happened. Although I understand the reasoning behind it, there were other defensemen I would've rather seen in Chicago. Coming into the summer, Brodie is very much a buyout candidate, likely spelling the end of his tenure in Chicago. 

The left-handed defenseman only dressed for 54 games this season, showing that he fell out of favor with the team late in the season. His last appearance was March 1, and his season was nothing special. There were some moments of fine play, but Brodie was usually the butt of many complaints over the course of the season. 

What's On Tap Next?

With Brodie likely on his way out, he'll probably get one more shot as a depth defenseman with a contender. Now, younger defensemen will continue filling the role he was expected to assume when he signed. Brodie will be remembered for his time in Calgary and Toronto, but will be a fun trivia question for his, likely, one season in Chicago. 

Tell us if you agree with our grades! What would you give TJ Brodie? Let us know at @FourFeathersPod on X and Instagram!