With the Stanley Cup Playoffs nearing, the teams are fighting it out to grab the spots in the next phase of the NHL season. While much of the action has been happening on the ice, the teams are also busy strengthening their rosters for the upcoming season. Amid this, the Chicago Blackhawks made a massive announcement of signing an exciting prospect, Taige Harding.
It hasn’t been the best of seasons for the Blackhawks, and they are placed at the bottom of the Central Division. With the playoff chances looking like a distant dream, they made a big move to give something to cheer for their fans. The Blackhawks announced the signing of 23-year-old sensation Harding on a 2-year, entry-level contract that runs through the 2026-27 season. The contract will have a cap hit of $867,500, making it a lucrative entry-level deal. Further, it was also revealed that Harding would join the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs on an amateur tryout for the rest of the 2024-25 season.
#Blackhawks agree to terms with defenseman Taige Harding on a 2-year, entry-level contract that runs through the 2026-27 season ($867,500 cap hit).
He will join the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs on an amateur tryout for the rest of the 2024-25 season.
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) April 1, 2025
Having played in the NCAA for Providence College, Harding scored 14 points in 37 games, including 2 goals and 12 assists. As a defenseman, he stood first in terms of the points scored among the club defensemen, while he stood second for his 12 assists and 30 blocked shots. As a result, he caught the eyes of the Blackhawks faithful and received a well-deserved contract from them.
Interestingly, Harding was originally selected by the Blackhawks in the third round (91st overall) of the 2021 NHL Draft. With 123 NCAA games to his credit, Harding has scored 8 goals and 32 assists, making him one of the top defensemen in this regard. Meanwhile, Harding would look to use his experience from the NCAA games in the AHL and then in the NHL, as he makes big strides in his hockey career. After originally getting selected by the Blackhawks in 2021, Harding was over the moon after getting drafted by the Blackhawks.
Taige Harding on joining the Blackhawks: ‘It was pretty surreal’
Harding, who was born in Irvine, Scotland, became just the third Scottish-born player to be drafted by an NHL team. The last player to achieve this was Colin Shields, who was drafted by the Flyers in 2000. While it was a massive feat for the then 21-year-old Harding, he couldn’t control his emotions after the Blackhawks selected him.
He said, “It is honestly pretty hard to put into words, it was pretty surreal. I still have to get to [the NHL] level and have to work toward getting to that level, but to get that accomplishment is something I will never forget. I wouldn’t be anywhere without family, so having them to share that with was awesome. I think they were almost more excited than me, so it was a pretty special day. It’s super cool, they’ve won three cups in the last 15 years, and I’ve watched them growing up. It’s definitely a dream come true.”
With the dream of playing in the NHL one day getting closer and closer for Harding, he would look to continue his hard work and dedication to the sport. Can he go on to become one of the Blackhawks’ best bets in recent times? Let us know your views in the comments below.
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