The Blackhawks have reached into the European professional leagues for another undrafted free agent find.
Matej Chalupa, one of the youngest forwards in the Czech league this past season at age 21, was signed by the Hawks to a two-year contract Friday.
Chalupa — pronounced “Ha-loop-a” rather than like the crunchy Taco Bell dish — recorded seven goals and 17 assists in 50 games with Hradec Kralove in 2019-20.
For the Hawks, he’s more of a prospect signing than an immediate-impact signing. He’ll have two years at two-way status, with a $925,000 cap hit, to develop in Rockford (and, ideally, also Chicago).
The Hawks’ made three European additions last summer — Dominik Kubalik, Anton Wedin and Philip Holm — and their eventual paths diverged greatly. Kubalik led all NHL rookies in goals, whereas Wedin and Holm made it out of the AHL for only four games combined and have both since signed overseas again.
But that’s generally simply the hit-or-miss nature of the European import business, and the Hawks have swung so many times lately that they’ve inevitably smashed some home runs.
Chalupa probably won’t be one of those at first, but the hope is he’ll grow into one. The Prague native is 6-foot, 177 pounds, and has shown he possesses some playmaking flair.
