Some of the greatest players in NHL history went undrafted, a list that includes Hall of Famers Dino Ciccarelli, Adam Oates, Martin St. Louis and Peter Stastny to name a few. Heck, even Wayne Gretzky was technically never drafted.
The Blackhawks have been one of the more aggressive teams at seeking out those kinds of players, especially in the past several years, and it's certainly paid off.
So let's take a look at the five best undrafted free agents in Blackhawks history, which is restricted to players that originally signed with the team:
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1. Ed Belfour, G
One of the greatest undrafted free agents of all-time is Belfour, who turned in a Hall of Fame career after being passed on in a 1987 NHL Draft that saw 252 players taken, including 26 goaltenders. Belfour was not one of them.
Eddie the Eagle signed with the Blackhawks in September of 1987 and went 201-138-56 with a 2.65 goals-against average, .903 save percentage and 30 shutouts across eight seasons in Chicago. He finished his career with 484 wins, which ranks fourth all-time, and is one of two goaltenders to win an NCAA championship, Olympic gold medal and Stanley Cup.
2. Artemi Panarin, LW
NHL
In the middle of their third Stanley Cup run in six years, the Blackhawks announced coveted KHL star Panarin had signed a two-year, entry-level contract with the team. Nobody knew exactly how good he would be in the NHL, but it didn't take long to find out.
Panarin put up back-to-back 30-plus goal seasons and racked up 61 goals and 90 assists for 151 points in 160 games across two seasons in Chicago. He was named the 2016 Calder Trophy winner as the NHL's top rookie and developed rare on-ice chemistry with Patrick Kane. Panarin was — and still is — as exciting a player to watch in the NHL.
3. Antti Niemi, G
Before signing Cristobal Huet to a four-year, $22.4 million contract, the Blackhawks agreed to terms with a rising Finnish star in Niemi, who had spent the previous three seasons in Finland's top league. He spent the majority of the 2008-09 season in Rockford, where he alternated starts with Corey Crawford.
But the following season, Niemi dethroned Huet as the starting goaltender after going 26-7-4 with a 2.25 goals-against average, .912 save percentage and seven shutouts in the regular season. He followed that up by winning 16 of 22 games in the postseason with a 2.62 goals-against average, .910 save percentage and two shutouts to backstop the Blackhawks to their first Stanley Cup win in 49 years.
4. Trevor van Riemsdyk, D
Shortly after his collegiate career ended in March of 2014, van Riemsdyk signed a two-year, entry-level contract with a Blackhawks team that was preparing its title defense. But he didn't make his NHL debut until the follow season.
While Trevor wasn't as much of a household name as his older brother James, Trevor certainly made his mark in Chicago. He spent only three seasons with the Blackhawks, but quickly earned the trust of head coach Joel Quenneville.
Van Riemsdyk appeared in 158 games with the Blackhawks from 2014-17 and recorded eight goals and 23 assists for 31 points while averaging 18:40 of ice time. He also appeared in 15 postseason contests, and averaged 23:53 of ice time in the Blackhawks' seven-game series against St. Louis in 2016.
5. Rene Bourque, RW
Let's finish with a name you haven't heard in a while. After going undrafted in 2004, the Blackhawks signed Bourque on July 29 and let him develop in the minors. He quickly made his presence felt, leading the Norfolk Admirals in goals (33) and points (60) during the 2005-06 campaign.
Bourque was called up to the Blackhawks the following season and finished third on the team in goals (16) and tied for fourth in points (34). He spent the next two seasons in Chicago, where he compiled 33 goals and 42 assists for 75 points in 183 career games before being traded to Calgary on July 1, 2008. Bourque was a solid young player, but had a difficult time staying healthy.
Honorable mentions:
— Brandon Bollig spent only three years in Chicago, but quickly became a fan favorite for being the first to stick up for his teammates and providing many laughs, which most notably included a viral video of Bollig trying to do his best Patrick Kane impression.
— David Kampf has the potential to climb up on this list in the coming years. He has 46 points (16 goals, 30 assists) in 179 games across three seasons in Chicago and has one more year left on his contract.
— Antti Raanta is turning in a solid NHL career, and it started in Chicago. He went 20-9-5 with a 2.85 goals-against average, .912 save percentage and three shutouts in 39 career appearances across two seasons with the Blackhawks and had a .936 save percentage during the 2014-15 season but was supplanted by Scott Darling as Corey Crawford's backup.
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