It looks like Andreas Athanasiou’s time in Chicago has come to an end.

The 30-year-old forward was placed on waivers by the Blackhawks today, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. This is no surprise, as Friedman reported 32 Thoughts Podcast and further Twitter that Athanasiou was expected to be waived on Monday.

Athanasiou is in his third season with the Blackhawks, joining the team in free agency in 2022. He is currently in the final year of a two-year contract worth $4.25 million annually that he signed in the summer of 2023.

Despite a decent start in Chicago with 20 goals and 40 points in 2022-23, the last two years have been more difficult for Athanasiou. He battled injuries last season, recording just two goals and nine points in 28 games. He has been on the outside looking in with the Blackhawks this season, to no avail in just five games.

This represents a continued fall from grace for a once highly regarded prospect. Athanasiou established himself as a decent middle-six scorer with blazing speed early in his career in Detroit, where he topped 30 goals and 54 points in 2018-19. The Oilers acquired him at the trade deadline next season, sending Sam Gagner and two second-round picks to Detroit for the speedy winger.

That trade still haunts the Oilers. Not only was Athanasiou a poor fit, with just two points in 13 games between the regular season and the playoffs, but those draft picks came back to bite them.

The 2020 pick eventually went to Los Angeles, which used the defenseman Brock Faber. Acquired by Minnesota in exchange for Kevin Fiala, Faber has since turned into a stud defenseman for the Wild, finishing second in Calder voting last season.

The second in 2021 followed a similar trajectory, going from Detroit to the New York Islanders, who selected the Finnish center That’s Raty. Raty was later sent to Vancouver as part of the Bo Horvat trade and looks poised to be a solid bottom center for the Canucks at just 21 years old.

With his $4.25 million cap hit, Athanasiou is unlikely to be claimed off waivers. In that case, he’ll ply his trade for the Blackhawks’ AHL affiliate in Rockford, providing an injection of speed and skill as well as a veteran presence for a young IceHogs team loaded with NHL prospects.

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