Saw a single-source report back in January that Ben Chiarot reportedly signed a three-year extension. Medium confidence at best, never saw it widely corroborated, so flagging it as a rumor. If true, that's a polarizing depth-D commitment, three years is a lot of term for that role and age. Curious if anyone saw a firmer source than I did.
If it's three years, that's the part that raises an eyebrow. Term is the killer on physical, shot-blocking depth D as they age. A one or two year I'd shrug at. Three I'd want to see the AAV before judging. Single-source though, so I'm not lighting any candles until it's official.
Chiarot splits this fanbase like nothing else. Some love the physicality and the blocked shots, others live in the gap-control nightmares. If the three-year report holds, it's a bet on the veteran presence over the underlying numbers. Reasonable people will hate it either way. Flagging that it's still just a rumor for now.