The Blackhawks added to their organizational depth Thursday, announcing the signing of forward Matthew Highmore to a three-year contract.
The move comes just one day after the Rockford IceHogs of the American Hockey League lost their three top scorers — Spencer Abbott, Sam Carrick and Mark McNeill — after they were dealt before Wednesday's trade deadline.
Highmore is a 21-year-old undrafted free agent, and is setting career highs in his fifth season with the QMJHL’s Saint John Sea Dogs.
He ranks second on the team with 32 goals, and seventh in the league with 82 points through 58 games so far this year. He also had nine goals and 11 assists in 17 playoff games a season ago.
The 5-foot-10, 187-pound forward has amassed 88 goals and 152 assists in 283 career contests with the Sea Dogs, and has been teammates with Nathan Noel, the Blackhawks' fourth-round pick in 2016, for the past four seasons.
Highmore is a known to be a two-way player, and possesses offensive skills to make an impact on both ends of the ice.