The Chicago Blackhawks got a big piece of business done Saturday, signing franchise cornerstone Connor Bedard to a five-year contract, the club announced.

The contract carries an annual average value of $15 million, and he will be an unrestricted free agent at the contract’s conclusion.

Bedard, 21, just wrapped up his third season in the league after being selected first overall by the team in the 2023 draft. He’s scored 75 goals and 203 points in 219 games, posting career-highs in goals (30), assists (47), and points (75) this past season, despite only playing 69 games.

It was a breakout season, to say the least, but Bedard has much room to grow. His individual impacts, according to HockeyViz, are that of a third-liner, largely tanked by defensive struggles, which saw him drive play in his own zone at a 17 per cent rate below league average. One has to wonder how much those issues stem from the poor Blackhawks teams from the last three years, as over the length of Bedard’s tenure in Chicago they’ve won just 77 games — the fewest of any NHL team.

After getting the deal done with Bedard, the Blackhawks have $14.31 million in cap space, according to PuckPedia.

Days after signing Trevor Zegras to a four-year, $9.125 million AAV extension, the Philadelphia Flyers got another big piece of business done, signing defenceman Jamie Drysdale to a four-year pact worth $6.5 million annually.

Drysdale, 24, is coming off his sixth season in the league, appearing in 295 NHL games, scoring 25 goals and 102 points. He’s spent the last three years in the City of Brotherly Love after being acquired from the Ducks alongside a second-round pick for winger Cutter Gauthier. Drysdale, coming off a three-year, $2.3 million AAV deal, had filed for arbitration.

In his 172 games with the Flyers, Drysdale has scored 17 goals and 57 points, and is coming off his best season in the league, scoring eight goals and 32 points in 78 games. His impact on the ice increased this past year significantly, driving play at the rate of a first-pairing defenceman, according to HockeyViz.

Here’s more on the Flyers’ summer, from Daily Faceoff’s Scott Maxwell:

Zach Laing is Oilersnation’s managing editor and The Nation Network’s news director. He can be followed on X at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach.laing@bettercollective.com.