Blackhawks Sign Drew Commesso To Two-Year Extension

The Chicago Blackhawks have signed goalie Drew Commesso to a two-year contract extension. Per an official announcement, the deal carries a $875K cap hit.

PuckPedia reported that the contract contains a two-way structure in its first year (2026-27) and a one-way structure in its second year. In year one of the deal, Commesso will earn a $200K AHL salary and $250K guarantee, with a $850K NHL salary. In year two, Commesso will earn $900K regardless of what level he plays at.

The 23-year-old is a 2020 second-round pick who appears to be knocking on the door of full-time NHL duty. He has spent the last three seasons as the No. 1 goalie for the Rockford IceHogs. Across 114 AHL games played, Commesso posted a .906 save percentage. While his numbers declined between 2024-25 (.911 save percentage in 39 games) and 2025-26 (.901 save percentage in 37 games), he did post the best NHL results of his career, going 2-1-0 in three starts with a .918 save percentage.

At this stage of the offseason, it appears likely Commesso will spend another season as Chicago’s organizational No. 3 goalie. Spencer Knight and Arvid Soderblom are both under contract for next season and figure to occupy the two goalie roster spots. Commesso will compete with Soderblom for the Blackhawks’ backup role, but given the level of investment the organization has made in the 26-year-old Swede (Soderblom’s salary for next season is $2.5MM) it would be somewhat surprising to see him land in the AHL.

Instead, it seems more likely that Commesso will stick as the organization’s third goalie next season, and if he can string together some positive performances, he can line himself up to be Knight’s backup for 2027-28, when his deal shifts to a one-way structure.

As Commesso looks to climb the depth chart in Chicago, there are other goaltending prospects that are vying to occupy his role as the team’s go-to call up. 2023 second-rounder Adam Gajan is fresh off a solid season starting at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, and figures to receive a decent share of the available starts in Rockford. He got into one AHL game in the spring and saved 36 of 39 shots. Also under contract and set for Rockford is 23-year-old undrafted Russian netminder Stanislav Berezhnoy. He went 5-10-1 in 16 games as the No. 2 goalie in Rockford last season.

Commesso, along with those other two prospects, will form the trio that occupies the crease in Rockford next season. With a new contract in hand, Commesso will hope to take a step forward and push for an NHL backup role, but the more likely immediate outcome is another campaign spent as the team’s No. 3.