Davidson acquired 29-year-old forward Andrew Mangiapane and a conditional 2027 first-round pick from the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for forwards Jason Dickinson and Colton Dach. Chicago will retain 50% of Dickinson’s salary cap hit as part of the trade. As part of the conditions of the trade, the Oilers’ first-round pick is top-12 protected. The trade gives Chicago nine picks in the first two rounds of the next two drafts to go along with their plentiful prospect pipeline.

Mangiapane has had a notoriously contentious stay in Edmonton since signing a two-year, $7.2 million contract with a cap hit of $3.6 million per season on July 1, 2025. He was expected to provide some secondary scoring support, but has only put up 14 points (seven goals, seven assists) in 52 games. Edmonton put him on waivers and sent him to their AHL affiliate, Bakersfield, on Sunday. Mangiapane is under contract through 2026-27.

Chicago will definitely miss Dickinson’s defensive prowess and leadership, as he was one of their alternate captains, and Dach’s youthful physical exuberance, but this is the cost of doing business in the NHL.

Acquiring assets that can be used to either move up in the draft in June or acquire players to help improve their scoring for next season is a necessary evil. Players like AJ Spellacy can step in soon to replace Dach’s physical energy and younger long-term options to replace Dickinson will be available. If Mangiapane can rediscover his scoring touch with a change of scenery, he could be a decent secondary contributor.

Chicago receives Andrew Mangiapane and a conditional 2027 first-round draft pick in exchange for forwards Jason Dickinson and Colton Dach

for every memory these last 4 years pic.twitter.com/E6N7FIfeVL

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) March 5, 2026

from draft night to his first career goal as a Hawk and every moment in between, thank you for everything pic.twitter.com/vWSlfpaI4K

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) March 5, 2026

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Make sure to bookmark this page and come back as the moves happen for up-to-the-minute analysis and breakdowns from our friends at 

Date	The-Rink Division	Outgoing Player/Pick	Opposite Team	Player/Pick Received
3/2/2026		Connor Murphy (50% salary retained)		2028 2nd round pick
3/4/2026		Jason Dickinson (50% salary retained) and Colton Dach		Andrew Mangiapane and 2027 1st round pick (top 12 protected)
3/6/2026		Nick Foligno		Future Consideration
3/6/2026		Aidan Thompson		Derrick Pouliot

Trade Analysis/Breakdown:

• • 
    • • • The Edmonton Oilers acquire Connor Murphy (50% retained) from the Chicago Blackhawks for a 2028 2nd round pick.

    

    • • • The Edmonton Oilers acquire Jason Dickinson (50% retained) and Colton Dach from the Chicago Blackhawks for Andrew Mangiapane and a conditional 2027 1st round pick.

      

      • • The Chicago Blackhawks trade Nick Foligno to the Minnesota Wild for future considerations.

      

      • The Chicago Blackhawks acquire Derrick Pouliot from the New York Rangers for Aidan Thompson.

Also, be sure to follow the entire The-Rink staff on Twitter for up-to-the-minute updates, as well:

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Chicago Divison
The Rinkcast
Jeff Osborn
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The post Chicago Blackhawks 2026 NHL Trade Deadline Tracker appeared first on The Rink.

Make sure to bookmark this page and come back as the moves happen for up-to-the-minute analysis and breakdowns from our friends at 

Date	The-Rink Division	Outgoing Player/Pick	Opposite Team	Player/Pick Received
3/1/2025		Seth Jones and a 2026 4th round pick		Spencer Knight and 2026 1st round draft pick
3/7/2025		Petr Mrazek and Craig Smith		Joe Veleno
3/7/2025		5th round draft pick in 2026		Shea Weber, Victor Soderstrom and Aku Raty

Trade Analysis/Breakdown:

• • The Florida Panthers acquired Seth Jones and a 2026 4th round pick from the Chicago Blackhawks for Spencer Knight and a 2026 1st round pick
  • The Detroit Red Wings acquired Petr Mrazek and Craig Smith from the Chicago Blackhawks for Joe Veleno
  • The Chicago Blackhawks acquired Shea Weber, Victor Soderstrom and Aku Raty from the Utah Hockey Club for a 2026 5th round pick

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Here is how the deadline played out. 

Dallas Stars fire the opening salvo a week before the deadline

Christopher Tanev in his new Dallas Stars threads. (Photo courtesy of Ezra Shaw / Getty Images)

Some teams just could not wait to get the trading going. On Feb. 28, one week before deadline day, the Dallas Stars acquired defenseman Christopher Tanev from the Calgary Flames. In return, the Flames received defenseman prospect Artyom Grushnikov, the Stars’ second-round pick in 2024 and a conditional third-round pick in the 2026 draft. To receive this pick, the Stars must advance to the Stanley Cup Final; if not, the Flames do not receive the pick.

The New Jersey Devils decided to broker this deal, retaining some of Tanev’s salary in exchange for Dallas’ fourth-round pick in 2026. They also sent goalie prospect Cole Brady to Dallas.

At the time of the trade, Tanev had a stat line of 1–13—14. Known more for his defensive ability, the 34-year-old defenseman had 171 blocks at the time of the trade. Tanev is on the last year of his contract, and will become an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season. 

Brady was selected in the fifth round of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft by the Devils. He is currently with UMass in the NCAA, where he has a 3.03 goals against average and .886 save percentage.

Grushnikov, the prospect Calgary obtained in this trade, was drafted in the second round of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft by the Stars. He is currently 20 years old, and this season in the AHL. He had a stat line of 1–4—5 in 44 games with the Texas Stars. He immediately joined Calgary’s AHL affiliate, the Calgary Wranglers, where he has zero points in four games since the trade. 

With the playoffs out of reach, Calgary wanted to get the most out of a defensive minded 34-year-old defenseman, and the Stars were happy to oblige. Tanev has immediately slotted into the second defensive pairing, and his defensive instinct should be a great help for the Stars, who are looking to make a deep playoff run after years of coming up short. 

The Flames were able to get solid value out of an aging defenseman. Acquiring a future second-round pick and a former second-round pick in Grushnikov helps improve what is a middling prospect pool for the Flames, and this would not be the only Flames defenseman moved this deadline for draft compensation, but that will be addressed later in this article.

Toronto Maple Leafs leave many scratching their heads

Ilya Lyubushkin skating for the Toronto Maple Leafs. (Photo courtesy of John E. Sokolowski / USA TODAY Sports)

On Feb. 29, the Toronto Maple Leafs acquired an old friend in Ilya Lyubushkin from the Anaheim Ducks in a three-team deal. 

In exchange for Lyubushkin, the Ducks received a 2025 third-round pick from the Maple Leafs.

This deal was brokered by the Carolina Hurricanes, who retained part of Lyubushkin’s salary in exchange for a 2024 sixth-round pick. 

The Leafs also acquired 24-year-old winger Kirill Slepets from the Hurricanes. Slepets was a 2019 fifth-round pick of Carolina and is currently playing in the KHL for the Amur Khabarovk, where in 53 games, he has put up a stat line of 8–11—19. He is currently unsigned.

In his second time around with Toronto, Lyubushkin seems like an odd choice for the Leafs. Struggling mightily this year, in 55 games with the Ducks before being traded, Lyubushkin was only able to manage a stat line of 0–4—4. Perhaps the Leafs liked his familiarity with Toronto’s locker room, and with defenseman Mark Giordano going down with injury, the need for defensemen who knew the Leafs system was of highest need.

For the Ducks, to get a third-round pick for a player who has scored zero goals for your team all season must feel like robbery. The Ducks are far from competing, and a 29-year-old defenseman with ugly metrics is someone a team like Anaheim would try to get off their hands at any cost.

Lyubushkin will become an unrestricted free agent at seasons end.

Colorado Avalanche clear up cap space before the deadline

The Colorado Avalanche dealt Kurtis MacDermid to the New Jersey Devils. (Photo courtesy of Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

More of a cap dump than anything else, the Colorado Avalanche traded defenseman Kurtis MacDermid to the New Jersey Devils on March 1. In exchange, the Devils sent over the Nashville Predators’ 2024 seventh-round pick and forward prospect Zakhar Bardakov.

MacDermid is a very physical defenseman who has been with Colorado since 2021, and won the Stanley Cup with the Avs in the 2021–22 season. This season with Colorado, MacDermid put up a stat line of 2–0—2 in 29 games.

Bardakov was drafted in the seventh round by the Devils in 2021. At 23 years old, Bardakov still has not signed an NHL contract. He is currently playing with SKA St. Petersburg in the KHL, where he has put up a stat line of 6–6—12 in 51 games this season.

A pure cap dump for the Avs, this deal freed up $987,500 in cap for Colorado, which they utilized extensively this deadline.

The Devils simply needed defensive bodies to finish out the season, and MacDermid was there for a cheap price, both in draft compensation and cap space.

Vegas Golden Knights knock down the first domino

The Vegas Golden Knights acquired Anthony Mantha from the Washington Capitals. (Photo courtesy of Jess Rapfogel / Associated Press)

After four days of anticipation, the Vegas Golden Knights got the deadline excitement going, making a deal with the Washington Capitals to acquire forward Anthony Mantha on March 5. In exchange, the Knights sent Washington a second-round pick in the 2024 draft and a fourth-round pick in the 2026 draft.

Mantha is a 29-year-old scoring winger, who in 56 games this season with Washington put up a stat line of 20–14—34. 

As one does in Vegas, the Knights find another opportunity to gamble. After winning the Stanley Cup last season, Vegas looks to be the first team to go back-to-back since the 2020 and 2021 Tampa Bay Lightning. With forwards such as Mark Stone and William Carrier going on the long-term injured reserve list, the Knights were looking for scoring forwards. Mantha fit that mold, and should fit into the second line for the remainder of the season.

For Washington, competing for a playoff spot seemed to be out of reach as the season went on. With Mantha on the last year of his contract, it seemed inevitable that Mantha would have a new home by the deadline. With a prospect pool still looking to improve, the Capitals now add two new draft picks in hopes of adding more young talent to a team that has struggled to bring up NHL-caliber players through the system. 

Washington retained 50% of Mantha’s salary in this trade.

Florida Panthers add a scoring winger to a dangerous forward group

Vladimir Tarasenko in his new Florida Panthers gear. (Photo courtesy of the Florida Panthers)

The Florida Panthers decided to start March 6 off with some fireworks, acquiring winger Vladimir Tarasenko from the Ottawa Senators. To acquire Tarasenko, Florida sent Ottawa a conditional 2024 fourth-round pick and a 2025 third-round pick. If the Panthers were to win the Stanley Cup this season, the conditional 2024 fourth-round pick would turn into a 2026 third-round pick.

Tarasenko has been known for his scoring touch for his entire career, registering 553 points in 644 career games. This year with Ottawa, Tarasenko registered a stat line of 17–24—41 in 57 games. Currently 32 years old, Tarasenko signed a one-year, $5 million contract with the Sens and will become an unrestricted free agent after this season. 

Florida wanted to add more scoring to their top six, and they found it with Tarasenko. Whether Florida wants to pair Tarasenko with Aleksander Barkov on the top line or move him down to the second line to pair with Sam Bennett, the Panthers should be incredibly excited to bolster an already fantastic forward core with even more talent. A chance to make up for last year’s Stanley Cup Final loss is in sight, and the Panthers will make any move to make that possible.

For Ottawa, the frustration continues. Last year, they were able to add players like Alex DeBrincat, Claude Giroux and Jakob Chychrun in hopes of finally competing for a playoff spot. Now a year later, and with the playoffs continually out of reach, the Sens hope to get anything out of the players they can move. Here, although the return was not great, the Sens had to get whatever they could for a player who was more than likely not going to re-sign with the team in the summer.

Avalanche get better while clearing more cap

Sean Walker was dealt to the Colorado Avalanche. (Photo courtesy of Jess Starr / The Hockey Writers)

Colorado was able to do what every competing team dreams of on March 6. They were able to get better and clear cap at the same time. The Avs acquired defenseman Sean Walker and a 2026 fifth-round pick from the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for center Ryan Johansen and a 2025 top-10 protected first-round pick. 

Walker is a 29-year-old right-handed defenseman who has had a career year with Philly this season. In 63 games with the Flyers, Walker was able to put up a stat line of 6–16—22. Walker currently has a cap hit of $2.65 million and will become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.

Johansen is a 31-year-old centerman who never seemed to find his footing with Colorado this season. Expected to be a second-line center, Johansen put up a stat line of 13–10—23 in 63 games with the Avs this season. After being traded to Philly, Johansen was immediately placed on waivers, with no teams willing to take on his contract, which runs through next season at a $4 million cap hit.

Not only do the Avalanche acquire one of the better defensemen on the market, but they also do it while freeing up $1.35 million in cap space. It is hard to argue that the Avalanche did not make out like bandits here, having only given up a late first-round pick next season. With the expectation of competing next season, it would be hard to see this pick in the top 20 next year.

For the Flyers, it is hard to see the logic in this trade. After trying to re-sign Walker, it appears that no deal would be on the table. They did command a first-round selection for Walker, so they were at the very least able to acquire their asking price. The problem for them is that they have acquired an immovable contract that they will be on the hook for for another season. 

Avalanche and Buffalo Sabres pull off a surprising one-for-one

Casey Mittelstadt controls the puck for his new team. (Photo courtesy of David Zalubowski / Associated Press)

The trading on March 6 did not stop for Colorado, because they traded defenseman Bowen Byram for centerman Casey Mittelstadt from the Buffalo Sabres. A rare one-for-one trade, both teams are looking to get the most out of both young newcomers.

Mittelstadt has taken his time getting accumulated to the NHL. As a former eighth-overall pick in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, Mittelstadt had spent his entire career with the Sabres. Over the past two seasons, Mittelstadt has started to show signs of improvement, ending last season with 47 points, and putting up a stat line of 14–33—47 in 62 games this season with Buffalo. The 25-year-old is on the last year of his contract, carrying a cap hit of $2.5 million. He joins the Avs with the expectations that he can slide into the second-line center role for a team hoping to make another deep playoff run.

Byram comes to the Sabres as a young, promising defenseman with a lot of injury concerns. At only 22 years old, Buffalo is hoping to continue Byram’s development into the defenseman he was expected to be when drafted by Colorado with the fourth-overall pick in 2019. Unfortunately for Byram, concussions have continually sidelined him throughout his young career, with this season being the first where he eclipsed the 50-game mark. In 55 games with Colorado this season, he put up a stat line of 8–12—20. He carries a $3.85 million cap hit over the next two seasons.

For Colorado, after trading for Walker, and having defensemen like Cale Makar, Devon Toews and Samuel Girard, it was hard for them to see a place for Byram. In need of a centerman to play behind Nathan MacKinnon, Mittelstadt looked like a fantastic choice. It is still unknown whether a contract extension is in the works between Mittelstadt and the Avs, but at only 25 years old, there is still room to grow for this young forward, and the Avs have shown the ability to get the most out of young forwards. Colorado will also free up $1.35 million in cap space with this deal.

For Buffalo, they are hoping to get the Byram that flashed in the 2022 Stanley Cup Final. At only 22, Byram joins a very young defensive core in Buffalo with Rasmus Dahlin (23), Owen Power (21), Henri Jokiharju (24), Mattias Samuelsson (23), Ryan Johnson (22) and Jacob Bryson (26). Moving on from Mittelstadt, Buffalo also hopes to find space for young forwards coming up through the system who would have been blocked. 

Edmonton Oilers acquire center depth from Anaheim

Adam Henrique looks to make a deep playoff run with the Edmonton Oilers. (Photo courtesy of Timothy T. Ludwig / USA TODAY SPORTS)

The Edmonton Oilers decided to make a move that would give them one of the most impressive center cores in the entire NHL. Not only were they able to acquire centerman Adam Henrique from the Ducks, but they also received another center in Sam Carrick in this deal as well. 

In return, the Ducks received a 2024 first-round pick from Edmonton, along with a conditional 2025 fifth-round pick. If Edmonton were to win this seasons Stanley Cup, that 2025 fifth would turn into a 2025 fourth. 

The Tampa Bay Lightning decided to broker this deal, retaining part of Henrique’s salary in exchange for a conditional 2025 fourth-round pick. That pick would become a 2026 fourth-rounder if Edmonton were to win the Stanley Cup this season. The Lightning also sent former seventh-round selection Ty Taylor to Edmonton. Taylor is a 24-year-old goaltender currently playing for the Evansville Thunderbolts in the SPHL, where he has a 2.91 goals against average and a .911 save percentage.

For Edmonton, the ability to add not one, but two productive centermen is an incredible get. Henrique is a versatile, penalty-killing, face-off-winning center who brings a lot of experience to Edmonton’s middle six. In 60 games with the Ducks this season, the 34-year-old put up a stat line of 18–24—42 and had a face-off win percentage of 52.9%. A center a team can trust in their own zone, Henrique had a defensive zone start percentage of 56.6% with the Ducks this season. Henrique has been quietly producing on a rebuilding team, and now gets a chance to compete for a Stanley Cup like he did back in his Devils days. Henrique is on the last year of his current contract, which carries a cap hit of $5.825 million.

Carrick brings a similar skillset to Edmonton that Henrique brings. In 61 games with Anaheim this season, Carrick had a stat line of 8–3—11 with a face-off win percentage of 51.0% and a defensive zone start percentage of 68.1%. A Henrique-like center with less scoring prowess, Carrick provides the Oilers’ fourth line with much-needed defensive play. The 32-year-old is also on the last year of his contract, but only carries a $850,000 cap hit this season.

For the Ducks, the tanks keep rolling. Coming in fighting with the San Jose Sharks and Chicago Blackhawks for dead last in the West, the Ducks were looking to move on from two players in their 30s. Retaining salary on both Carrick and Henrique, Anaheim was able to obtain a first along with a conditional fifth as they continue to try to build a competitive team in Southern California.

Probably the most shocking part of this deal, the Lightning decided to retain part of Henrique’s salary in exchange for a conditional fourth. With no first-round picks until 2026 and no selections in the 2024 draft until the fifth round, the Lightning were looking to obtain draft picks where they could find some, and if that meant retaining on the Henrique deal, so be it. Tampa Bay will be on the hook for $1,456,250 of Henrique’s salary for this season.

New York Rangers add center depth of their own

The New York Rangers acquired Alexander Wennberg from the Seattle Kraken. (Photo courtesy of Christopher Mast / NHLI via Getty Images)

The New York Rangers could not let Edmonton have all the fun when it came to centers on the trade market. Shortly after the Henrique trade went down on March 6, the Rangers traded for Seattle Kraken center Alexander Wennberg. In exchange, the Seattle Kraken acquired a 2024 second-round pick and a conditional 2025 fourth-round pick. The condition on this pick is a strange one. If Nils Lundkvist is to earn a cumulative 55 points over the 2022–23 and 2023–24 season, that fourth-round pick becomes a 2025 third-round pick.

Wennberg has been with Seattle since 2021, and in 60 games with the Kraken this season has put up a stat line of 9–16—25. He is on the last year of his current contract and will become an unrestricted free agent this summer.

After making the playoffs last season, the Kraken find themselves on the outside looking in this season. Deciding to sell, they get good value out of an expiring contract.

For New York, acquiring a third-line center was of high priority, and Wennberg will be able to fill in that role right away. 

The Knights strike gold with the Flames

Noah Hanifin was acquired by the Vegas Golden Knights. (Photo courtesy of Sergei Belski / USA TODAY SPORTS)

After acquiring Mantha from Washington on the previous day, Vegas continued to be high-rollers this deadline. The Knights acquired defenseman Noah Hanifin from the Flames in exchange for Daniil Miromanov, a conditional 2024 third-round pick and a 2026 first-round pick. The condition on the 2024 third-round pick is that if the Knights are able to advance beyond the first round of the 2024 playoffs, that pick becomes a 2025 second-round pick. The Flyers decided to broker this deal, retaining part of Hanifin’s salary in exchange for a 2024 fifth-round pick from Vegas.

Hanifin is a top pairing defenseman who can produce on offense. This season with Calgary, he put up a stat line of 11–24—35 in 61 games. At 27 years old, Hanifin is on the last year of his contract, and will become an unrestricted free agent this summer. 

Miromanov is a 26-year-old right-handed defenseman who is also on the last year of his contract. He currently carries a cap hit of $762,500. Miromanov struggled with injuries this season, failing to put up a single point with Vegas in four games this season, while putting up a stat line of 1–5—6 in five games with the Henderson Silver Knights of the AHL. 

For Vegas, adding Hanifin to an already fantastic defensive core allows the great to become even deadlier. Hanifin can be slotted on any defensive pairing, but his most likely partner will be Alex Pietrangelo on the top pairing. 

For Calgary, this is the second defenseman they have traded away this deadline. It is clear that the Flames want to overhaul this roster and hope to use draft picks acquired this deadline to improve for the future.

Leafs add another defenseman

The Toronto Maple Leafs added to their blue line depth by picking up Joel Edmundson. (Photo courtesy of Sammi Silber / The Hockey News)

The Leafs were apparently not done adding to their defense after their trade for Lyubushkin. On March 7, the Leafs and Capitals agreed to a deal that would send defenseman Joel Edmundson to Toronto in exchange for a 2024 third-round pick and a 2025 fifth-round pick.

Edmundson is a defensive-minded, bottom-pairing defenseman. At 30 years old, Edmundson put up a stat line of 1–5—6 in 44 games with Washington this season. He is on the last year of his contract with a cap hit of $3.5 million. He will become an unrestricted free agent in the offseason.

For Toronto, the need for defensive depth without giving up any draft pick in the top two rounds was a priority. Now, with Edmundson and Lyubushkin added, the Maple Leafs hope to improve what has been a defensive core that has struggled all season to keep pucks out of the net. 

For Washington, the sell off continues. After receiving a second- and fourth-round pick for Mantha, the Caps get to add a third and a fifth to their arsenal. This is a solid return for two impending UFAs, and to get solid draft compensation for a 30-year-old bottom-pairing defenseman is impressive.

Ducks and Canadiens swap disappointing prospects

A rather unexciting trade, the Ducks and Montreal Canadiens agreed to swap struggling prospects. The Ducks acquired forward prospect Jan Mysak in exchange for winger Jacob Perreault.

Mysak, a former second-round pick of the Canadians in 2020, has struggled to take his game to the next level. At 21 years old, Mysak has struggled to find footing since joining the Canadiens’ AHL affiliate, the Laval Rocket. In 48 games with the club this season, Mysak has put up a stat line of 13–7—20. Mysak’s contract runs through the 2024–25 season.

Perreault, a first-round pick by the Ducks in 2020, has played one NHL game with the Ducks, but has spent most of the past three seasons with the San Diego Gulls, the Ducks’ AHL affiliate. In 31 games with the Gulls this season, Perreault has put up a stat line of 7–11—18. Like Mysak, Perreault’s contract runs through the 2024–25 season.

The hope for both prospects is obvious. Each team hopes to unlock the promise that both prospects had when drafted by their respective teams.

Edmonton adds a depth defenseman

The Edmonton Oilers picked up Troy Stecher to add to their blue line. (Photo courtesy of Charles LeClaire / USA TODAY Sports)

After acquiring both Henrique and Carrick the day before, Edmonton was not done adding. Edmonton was able to add defenseman Troy Stecher from the Arizona Coyotes in exchange for a 2027 fourth-round pick. The Oilers also received a 2024 seventh-round pick in this trade.

Stecher, a 29-year-old right-handed defenseman, carries a $1.1 million cap hit until the end of this season. In 47 games with Arizona this season, Stecher put up a stat line of 1–4—5. 

For Edmonton, the need for competent defensive depth is crucial for any team hoping to make it deep in the playoffs. Stecher offers that for a price that is easy to swallow for the Oilers.

For Arizona, giving up Stecher for a fourth-rounder is decent asset management. The problem with Arizona, as it has been in the past, is that they struggle get the most out of later draft picks. 

The Avalanche continue to buy

The Colorado Avalanche added depth in Brandon Duhaime. (Photo courtesy of Sergei Belski/USA TODAY Sports)

Adding Mittelstadt and Walker was not enough for Colorado, because on March 7 they needed to keep buying. The first Colorado trade of the day included the Minnesota Wild. The Avs acquired winger Brandon Duhaime from Minnesota in exchange for a 2026 third-round pick.

Duhaime, at 26 years old, is a young, energetic winger who adds physicality to Colorado’s bottom six. In 62 games with the Wild this season, Duhaime has put up a stat line of 4–4—8. He also recorded 155 hits and 29 blocks in that time. Duhaime has a cap hit of $1.1 million and will become an unrestricted free agent this summer.

For Colorado, their top line has carried the burden all season. In adding Duhaime, along with the forward they added in the next trade, the Avs hope to change that. Duhaime, although not lighting up the box score, should help bolster a bottom six that Colorado has struggled to solidify.

For Minnesota, although not out of the playoffs, selling on a forward like Duhaime allows them to give youngs forwards like Mason Shaw a shot at more ice time. Receiving a third-round pick for a forward like Duhaime is solid asset management for the Wild.

The Avs are not done yet

Colorado further stocked up on depth by landing Yakov Trenin. (Photo courtesy of Gary A. Vasquez/USA TODAY Sports)

Shortly after acquiring Duhaime, the Avs decided that once you start to shop, you just cannot stop. The Avs acquired forward Yakov Trenin from the Nashville Predators for defensive prospect Jeremy Hanzel and a 2025 third-round pick. The Avalanche also received the signing rights of defenseman Graham Sward.

Trenin, a 27-year-old forward, is another physical bottom-six player who Colorado seemed to covet this deadline. In 60 games with Nashville this season, Trenin put up a stat line of 10–4—14, along with recording 171 hits. Trenin has a cap hit of $1.7 million and will become an unrestricted free agent this summer.

Hanzel is a 21-year-old defenseman. Drafted in the sixth round in 2023, Hanzel is currently in the WHL, where he has put up a stat line of 14–38—52 in 60 games this season. He is currently under contract until the 2026–27 season.

Sward is 20-year-old defenseman. Drafted in the fifth round of the 2022 draft, Sward is currently playing in the WHL, where he has a stat line of 15–61—76 in 60 games this season.

For the Avs, the need was obvious. They needed physical forwards for their bottom six, and they got it. Trenin should slot in right away, and along with Duhaime, adds over 300 hits to the Avs’ roster.

For Nashville, whether they compete for a playoff spot this season or not, it was clear that Trenin was not going to be a part of that vision. Acquiring a third-round pick, the Preds found value on the market for a player who did not fit in with what Nashville has in mind for the team, both this season and in the future.

Nashville buys right after selling

The Chicago Blackhawks sent Anthony Beauvillier to the Nashville Predators. (Photo courtesy of Christopher Hanewinc / USA Today Network)

Shortly after trading a forward in Trenin, Nashville decided to turn around and trade for another forward. In a deal with the Chicago Blackhawks, the Predators acquired forward Anthony Beauvillier in exchange for a 2024 fifth-round pick.

This is the second time being traded this season for Beauvillier, after being acquired by the Blackhawks from the Vancouver Canucks back in November. In 45 games between the Canucks and Blackhawks this season, Beauvillier put up a stat line of 4–10—14 between the clubs. Seemingly never finding footing with Chicago, Beauvilliler will be looking to find stability with Nashville. Beauvillier will be an unrestricted free agent this summer

For Nashville, scoring has been a problem all season. Beauvillier may offer an answer for their forward scoring woes. The goal of the Preds will be to find a place in the lineup for Beauvillier to play. Is he going to find time on the top line, or the bottom? That is a question Nashville will need to answer quickly if they wish to have Beauvillier to be a productive member of a team on a hot streak looking to sneak into the playoffs.

For Chicago, Beauvillier was frustrating to figure out. After acquiring him for a fifth-round pick, Beauvillier spent most of his time in Chicago injured and inconsistent. The problem was finding a place for Beauvillier to thrive. One game he could find himself on the bottom lines, and other games he was brought up to the first line. Nothing seemed to work for the Hawks and Beauvillier, so Chicago cut their losses and re-acquired a fifth-round pick in moving Beauvillier.

Tampa Bay acquires scoring from San Jose

Anthony Duclair was sent to the Tampa Bay Lightning by the San Jose Sharks. (Photo courtesy of Dean Tait / Hockey Shots)

The Lightning acquired forward Anthony Duclair from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for defensive prospect Jack Thompson and a 2024 third-round pick. The Lightning also received a 2025 seventh-round pick in this trade.

Duclair has found himself on his eighth NHL team in his 10-year career. At only 28 years old, Duclair is making his case to become the most curious NHL journeyman. In 56 games with San Jose this season, Duclair put up a stat line of 16–11—27. Duclair will become an unrestricted free agent this summer.

Thompson, a 2020 third-round pick, will remain in the Sharks’ control until the 2024–25 season. He spent all season with the Lightning’s AHL affiliate Syracuse Crunch, where he put up a 5–27—32 stat line in 46 games.

For Tampa Bay, Duclair offers scoring for the middle six. Other than scoring, Duclair does not offer much else, so defense will have to be picked up by his linemates. It is not a bad trade for a team strapped for cap and struggling with injuries, but the strengths of Duclair are limited and his weaknesses will need to be compensated by good coaching and great linemates.

For San Jose, moving Duclair was an easy decision. Sitting near the bottom of the standings, any player who could prevent them from receiving a top draft pick needed to be moved. Moving Duclair allows for a better chance at a top prospect for the Sharks at this year’s draft.

Carolina really shakes it up

The Carolina Hurricanes made a big splash by acquiring Jake Guentzel. (Photo courtesy of Joe Sargent / NHLI via Getty Images)

The Carolina Hurricanes made the biggest trade of March 7, acquiring forward Jake Guentzel and defenseman Ty Smith from the Pittsburgh Penguins. In return, Pittsburgh acquired Michael Bunting, Vasiliy Ponomarev, Cruz Lucius, Ville Koivunen, a condition 2024 second-round pick and a 2024 conditional fifth-round pick. The conditions on the second-round pick is that it will become a first-round pick if the Hurricanes make it to the 2024 Stanley Cup Final. The condition on the fifth-round pick is that Carolina must win the 2024 Stanley Cup in order to receive this pick. Pittsburgh will retain 25% of Guentzel’s salary.

Guentzel was one of the top forwards on the market this deadline, even while being on the injured reserve. An integral part of the Penguins’ Stanley Cup run in 2017, the 29-year-old Guentzel impressed with his speed and scoring. In 50 games with Pittsburgh this season, Guentzel put up a stat line of 22–30—52. Guentzel is in the last season of his contract and will become an unrestricted free agent this summer.

Smith is a former first-round pick of the Devils in 2018. Having struggled most of his career with injuries and inconsistency, the 23-year-old Smith has spent the season with the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins, Pittsburgh’s AHL team. In 53 games this season, Smith put up a stat line of 9–25—34. He will become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.

Bunting comes to the Penguins under contract through the 2025–26 season. Bunting will carry a $4.5 million cap hit during that time. A middle-six forward for most of his career, the 28-year-old Bunting put up a 13–23—36 stat line through 60 games with Carolina this season. 

Ponomarev was a second-round selection by Carolina in 2020. At 21 years old, Ponomarev is under contract through 2024–25. Ponomarev made his NHL debut this season, putting up two points in two games with the Hurricanes this season. He spent most of this season with the Chicago Wolves, putting up a stat line of 8–21—29 in 39 games in the AHL as a center.

Lucius was a fourth-round selection by the Hurricanes in 2022. At 19 years old, this winger is currently not under contract. Currently with the University of Wisconsin, Lucius has put up a stat line of 13–21—34 in 34 games this season.

Koivunen was a second-round pick of Carolina in 2021. Currently under contract through the 2025–26 season, the winger has spent this season in the Liiga league. In 58 games this season, Koivunen has put up a stat line of 21–34—55.

For Carolina, getting arguably the best forward on the market without giving up an unconditional first-round pick is a massive win for the team. Guentzel, once he returns to the lineup, will immediately slide into the top six and contribute to a team looking to make another deep playoff run. The addition of Smith more than likely does not move the needle, but if Carolina can develop him into a bottom-pairing defenseman, it is an added bonus to a great trade.

For Pittsburgh, they asked for a lot for Guentzel, and did receive a lot. Acquiring Bunting allows Pittsburgh to get a forward who can play in the top six while being under team control for a few seasons. The three prospects acquired could develop into contributors in a few seasons, but nothing is guaranteed with prospects. The big problem for the return was the conditions on both draft picks. Pittsburgh fans will have to cheer for Carolina to make the Stanley Cup Final if they want to receive a first-round pick for Guentzel. It is not ideal when the best possible return for Guentzel is the 31st overall pick.

Columbus adds goalie depth

Deadline day started as a quiet one. The Columbus Blue Jackets made a trade with the St. Louis Blues, acquiring goalie Malcolm Subban for future considerations on March 8.

Subban has spent the entire season with the Springfield Thunderbirds, the Blues’ AHL affiliate. In 32 games this season, Subban has a 2.94 goals against average and a .907 save percentage

Carolina follows up a good trade with a curious one

The Carolina Hurricanes decided to roll the dice by picking up Evgeny Kuznetsov. (Photo courtesy of Alan Dobbins / RMNB)

One day after acquiring Guentzel, the Hurricanes decided they were not done acquiring forwards. On March 8, Carolina acquired center Evgeny Kuznetsov from Washington in exchange for a 2025 third-round pick. In this deal, the Caps will be retaining 50% of Kuznetsov’s contract.

Kuznetsov has been on a slow downhill trend since playing a massive role in the Caps’ 2018 Cup run. The 31-year-old center has seen his issues over the last few seasons, whether its on-the-ice performance or off-the-ice concerns. In 43 games this season, Kuznetsov has put up a stat line of 6–11—17. Kuznetsov’s contract runs through the 2024–25 season.

For Carolina, this is admittedly a head-scratcher. With a center depth including Sebastian Aho, Jordan Staal and Jesperi Kotkaniemi, it is hard to see where Kuznetsov fits. Perhaps the Hurricanes hope a change in scenery could help revitalize Kuznetsov.

For the Capitals, they saw a chance to sell off more players for draft capital, and they took that chance. Even having to retain salary is worth it to free up cap and acquire a third-round pick for a player who has seen better days.

Buffalo’s captain is on the move

The Buffalo Sabres dealt away their captain, Kyle Okposo, ahead of the trade deadline. (Photo courtesy of Eric Hartline / USA TODAY Sport)

The Panthers wanted to add more forwards at the deadline, and they did on March 8, acquiring Buffalo Sabres captain Kyle Okposo in exchange for Calle Sjalin and a conditional 2024 seventh-round pick. This seventh-round pick will turn into a fifth-round pick if Florida wins the Stanley Cup.

Okposo has seen his eight-year tenure in Buffalo constantly interrupted by concussion issues. At 35 years old, Okposo has found himself avoiding injury over the last few seasons with the Sabres. In 61 games this season, Okposo has put up a stat line of 12–10—22. Okposo will become an unrestricted free agent this summer.

Sjalin is a 24-year-old left-handed defenseman prospect. A former fifth-round pick of the Rangers in 2017, Sjalin’s NHL dreams are slim. Sjalin has spent this season with the Charlotte Checkers in the AHL, putting up only three points on three assists in 22 games this season. Sjalin will become a restricted free agent this summer.

For Florida, the ability to add forward depth at the deadline for cheap is a plus. Although slow on the ice, Okposo offers veteran experience and injury depth for the Panthers. 

For Buffalo, they wanted to do right by their captain by trading him to a team that can potentially help him win a ring. The return was nothing special, but doing right by your leader is always appreciated around the league.

Ducks get Meyers

The Anaheim Ducks acquired Ben Meyers from the Colorado Avalanche. (Photo courtesy of Ron Chenoy / USA TODAY Sports)

The Ducks acquired forward Ben Meyers from the Avalanche for a 2024 fifth-round pick.

Meyers is 25 years old and will become an unrestricted free agent this summer. Spending most of the season in the AHL, he had a stat line of 11–14—25 in 32 games with the Colorado Eagles. In nine games with the Avs, he scored one goal.

Rangers add defensive depth

The New York Rangers added defenseman Chad Ruhwedel from the Pittsburgh Penguins. (Photo courtesy of Jeanine Leech / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The Rangers added defenseman Chad Ruhwedel from the Penguins in exchange for a 2027 fourth-round pick.

Ruhwedel, a 33-year-old veteran defenseman, has spent the last eight seasons with Pittsburgh. In 47 games this season, Ruhwedel recorded a stat line of 1–3—4. Ruhwedel will become an unrestricted free agent this summer.

For New York, this trade simply adds defensive depth in case of injury.

For Pittsburgh, adding a fourth-round pick for a 33-year-old defenseman is solid asset management. 

Rangers and Wild swap depth pieces

Nic Petan was traded to the New York Rangers ahead of the deadline. (Photo courtesy of Matt Blewett / USA TODAY Sports)

Shortly after acquiring Ruhwedel, the Rangers made another trade. New York acquired forward Nic Petan from Minnesota in exchange for winger Turner Elson.

Petan, a 28-year-old depth forward, will become an unrestricted free agent this summer. Spending most of the season with the Iowa Wild, Petan has put up a stat line of 12–28—40 in 44 games in the AHL. In six games with Minnesota, Petan recorded two assists. 

Elson, a 31-year-old winger, will also become an unrestricted free agent this summer. Elson spent all season with the Hartford Wolf Pack, putting up a stat line of 5–7—12 in 38 AHL games.

Winnipeg acquires Toffoli

The Winnipeg Jets added Stanley Cup pedigree with Tyler Toffoli. (Photo courtesy of David Kirouac / USA TODAY Sports)

On March 8, the Winnipeg Jets made their first move of the deadline, adding winger Tyler Toffoli from the Devils in exchange for a 2024 third-round pick and a 2025-second round pick. 

Toffoli, a 31-year-old winger, has been an efficient scorer for most of his career. This season in New Jersey, Toffoli put up a stat line of 26–18—44 in 61 games. Toffoli has a current cap hit of $4.25 million and will become an unrestricted free agent after this season. 

For Winnipeg, trading for a scoring winger was a need, especially while trying to maintain form at the top of the Central Division. The price may be steep, but with a fantastic goalie tandem and a need to prove that the team must remain in Winnipeg despite attendance issues, adding Toffoli to gear up for a playoff run was needed for the team.

For New Jersey, getting a second and a third for Toffoli is fantastic asset management. After this trade, New Jersey has added three draft picks at this deadline.

Detroit and San Jose trade depth

The Detroit Red Wings sent Klim Kostin to San Jose. (Photo courtesy of James Guillory / USA TODAY Sports)

In their first trade of the deadline, the Detroit Red Wings paired with the Sharks to swap depth players. The Red Wings acquired defenseman Radim Simek and a 2024 seventh-round pick in exchange for winger Klim Kostin.

Simek, a 31-year-old defenseman, has spent his entire five-year career with the Sharks. A defensive-minded bottom-pairing defenseman, Simek has put up a stat line of 1–2—3 in 44 games with the Sharks this season. Simek has a cap hit of $2.25 million and will become an unrestricted free agent after this season. 

Kostin, a 24-year-old winger, has struggled to find a spot in the crowded forward core of the Red Wings since being traded to Detroit. In 33 games with the Wings this season, he has put up a stat line of 3–1—4. Kostin carries a cap hit of $2 million this season and next.

For Detroit, defense has been rough. Most of their defensemen are either slow or offensive-minded. The addition of Simek could help to alleviate defensive issues on the team.

For San Jose, Kostin being under team control beyond this season allows the Sharks to try to unlock Kostin’s abilities. For now, Kostin will play a bottom-six role as he gets acclimated to San Jose.

Predators add another forward

Veteran winger Jason Zucker heads to the Music City from Arizona. (Photo courtesy of Jess Starr / The Hockey Writers)

Adding Beauvillier was not enough for Nashville. On March 8, Nashville acquired forward Jason Zucker from the Arizona Coyotes in exchange for a 2024 sixth-round pick.

Zucker, a 32-year-old winger, has a $5.3 million cap hit and becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer. In 51 games in Arizona this season, Zucker put up a stat line of 9–16—25.

For Nashville, the middle six was in need of tender love and care. Adding Zucker, along with Beauvillier, allows the Preds to solidify a place of weakness on this roster.

For Arizona, another deadline of trading players for picks continues. The massive cap hit of Zucker more than likely turned other teams away, and Nashville was more than likely the only team willing to take on that entire contract.

The Big Rig heads to Boston

Pat Maroon will have a chance at another ring this spring with the Boston Bruins. (Photo courtesy of Bruce Kluckhohn / NHLI via Getty Images)

The Boston Bruins made a trade for Jack Edwards’ favorite player, Pat Maroon. In exchange for Maroon, the Bruins sent Minnesota forward prospect Luke Toporowski and a conditional 2026 sixth-round pick. If Maroon were to play one 2023–24 playoff game, Minnesota acquires the pick.

Maroon, currently recovering from surgery, heads to Beantown as a physically aggressive veteran winger. At 35 years old, Maroon carries a $1 million cap hit and will be an unrestricted free agent after the season. In 49 games with the Wild this season, Maroon has put up a stat line of 4–12—16. 

Toporowski, a 22-year-old forward prospect, joins the Wild without a contract. Spending this season in the AHL, Toporowski put up a statline of 7–10—17 in 49 games with the Providence Bruins.

For Boston, adding a physical forward with Stanley Cup playoff experience for cheap was necessary. Although Maroon does not have the best reputation with the Bruins organization, it is clear that the past remains in the past for the Bruins’ front office. 

For Minnesota, Maroon lost value on the team even before his surgery. Moving on to open up a roster spot was beneficial for the Wild.

Sabres dump more salary

The Philadelphia Flyers added veteran Erik Johnson. (Photo courtesy of Ron Chenoy / USA TODAY Sports)

After bringing in Byram, the Sabres needed to make room on the defensive depth chart. To accomplish this, Buffalo sent defenseman Erik Johnson to the Flyers in exchange for a 2024 fourth-round pick.

Johnson, a 35-year-old defenseman, is being sent to Philly with a $3.25 million cap hit. Buffalo retained none of his contract. He will become an unrestricted free agent after this season. In 50 games with the Sabres this season, Johnson recorded a stat line of 3–0—3.

For Philadelphia, acquiring Johnson grants Philly a veteran defenseman who is known most for his defensive responsibility.

For Buffalo, freeing up space for Byram was a must, and acquiring a fourth for Johnson was a plus for them. 

Boston adds a young defenseman

Adding Maroon was not the only thing Boston did on March 8. In a trade with the Blue Jackets, the Bruins add right-handed defenseman Andrew Peeke in exchange for defenseman Jakub Zboril and a 2027 third-round pick.

Peeke, a 25-year-old defenseman, struggled to get on the ice for Columbus this season. Known for blocking shots and throwing hits, Peeke has put up a stat line of 1–7—8 in only 23 games this season. In the first year of his contract, Peeke is under contract util the 2025–26 season with a yearly cap hit of $2.75 million.

Zboril, a former first-round pick of the Bruins in 2015, never seemed to fit the Bruins in his entire tenure in Boston. The 27-year-old will be looking for a new start in Columbus. In the last year of his contract, Zboril will become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. Spending this entire season in Providence, Zboril put up a stat line of 0–9—9 in 31 games.

For Boston, getting a defensive defenseman at 25 years old with multiple years of control is impressive. Although sidelined since December with a broken finger, Peeke can return to offer the Bruins a defenseman with room to grow and years to do so.

For Columbus, this trade makes little sense. Peeke is a defenseman a team like the Blue Jackets desperately need during a rebuild. Zboril has done nothing of note since being drafted nearly a decade ago, and a third-round pick in 2027 for a player under multiple years of control is not enough. Other teams got way more for way less this deadline.

Florida adds goaltender depth

The Florida Panthers added depth in the crease with Magnus Hellberg. (Photo courtesy of Charles LeClaire/USA TODAY Sports)

The busy Panthers stayed busy this deadline on its last day. On March 8, Florida acquired goaltender Magnus Hellberg from Pittsburgh in exchange for goaltender Ludovic Waeber and a conditional 2025 seventh-round pick.

Hellberg, a 32-year-old goaltender, will become an unrestricted free agent after this season. This season, Hellberg split time with the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins. With Wilkes-Barre, Hellberg started 19 games in net, putting up a 2.92 goals against average and a .905 save percentage. In three games in Pittsburgh, Hellberg put up a 2.50 goals against average and a .922 save percentage.

Waeber, and 27-year-old goaltender, will also become an unrestricted free agent this summer. This season, Waeber split time between the ECHL with the Florida Everblades and the AHL with the Charlotte Checkers. In one game with the Everblades, Waeber gave up five goals on a .762 save percentage. In 15 games with Charlotte, Waeber put up a 3.09 goals against average and a .887 save percentage.

For Florida, Hellberg offers a solid option for third goalie in case of injury. A team like the Panthers cannot be too careful when attempting to get back to the Stanley Cup Final.

For Pittsburgh, Hellberg was never going to be there beyond this season, so getting anything for him was the right move.

New Jersey creates a new goalie room

Thew New Jersey Devils shook things up in the blue paint, acquiring Jake Allen from the Montreal Canadiens. (Photo courtesy of Codie McLachlan / Getty Images)

In a deadline of selling, New Jersey did buy on its last day. The Devils acquired goaltender Jake Allen from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for a conditional 2025 third-round pick. The condition on this pick is that it becomes a 2025 second-round pick if Allen plays in 40 or more games in 2024–25 and if the team that Allen is a part of in 2024–25 is in the playoffs. Montreal retained 50% of Allen’s contract.

Allen, a 33-year-old goaltender, is currently in the first year of a two-year contract. In 21 starts for the Canadiens this season, Allen has a goals against average of 3.65 and a .892 save percentage.

For New Jersey, they decided to use this deadline to completely remake their goalie tandem. This will not be the only goaltender trade involving the Devils this deadline. Allen has been a consistent goaltender for most of his career, despite his struggles over the last two seasons.

For Montreal, one okay 33-year-old backup goaltender is not worth keeping around for a team in their position. The chance to get a second-round pick for Allen is worth the loss.

Tampa Bay adds another defenseman on the cheap

Matt Dumba will add veteran help to Tampa Bay’s blue line. (Photo courtesy of Jerome Miron / USA TODAY Sports)

A day after acquiring Duclair, Tampa Bay again went out west to acquire depth. In a trade with Arizona, the Lightning acquired defenseman Matt Dumba in exchange for a 2027 fifth-round pick. Tampa Bay also received a 2025 seventh-round pick in this deal.

Dumba, a 29-year-old right-hand defenseman, currently has a cap hit of $3.9 million and will be an unrestricted free agent this summer. In 58 games this season in Arizona, Dumba put up a stat line of 4–6—10.

For Tampa Bay, getting a defenseman to replace Mikhail Sergachev while he spends the rest of the regular season on LTIR was a must. Dumba is far from Sergachev in terms of ability at this point, but acquiring Dumba did not require a lot of draft capital, which is something Tampa Bay lacks. Dumba is a bottom-pairing defenseman who does nothing great but does not do anything poorly. He does just enough to keep himself on the ice.

For Arizona, when will the selling ever end? Will they even make the most of the draft capital they obtain? This is still to be determined, and it needs to be determined in a positive way if Arizona ever wants to be taken seriously.

Calgary acquires a defensive prospect

After selling off Hanifin and Tanev this deadline, defense will be an obvious need in the future for Calgary. Partnering with San Jose, Calgary acquired defensive prospect Nikita Okhotyuk from the Sharks in exchange for a conditional 2024 fifth-round pick. For this pick, San Jose will receive the better of the two 2024 fifth-round picks that the Flames own.

Okhotyuk, a former second-round pick by the Devils in 2019, is a 23-year-old left-handed defenseman. In the last year of his contract, Okhotyuk will become a restricted free agent after this season.

Okhotyuk split this this season with the San Jose Sharks and the San Jose Barracuda. With the Barracuda he played five games, registering one assist. In 43 games this season with the Sharks, he registered a stat line of 1–7—8.

Sharks acquires a struggling goaltender

Shortly after moving Okhotiuk, the Sharks made another trade. San Jose acquired goaltender Devin Cooley from the Sabres in exchange for a 2025 seventh-round pick. 

Cooley, a 26-year-old goaltender, has a current cap hit of $775,000 and will become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. In 14 games in the AHL this season, Cooley recorded a 3.77 goals against average and a save percentage of .891.

Rangers make more noise

Jack Roslovic joins the New York Rangers for their playoff run. (Photo courtesy of Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Not satisfied with just Wennberg and Ruhwedel, the Rangers added on the last day of the deadline. New York acquired forward Jack Roslovic from the Blue Jackets in exchange for a conditional 2026 fourth-round pick. The condition on this pick is if the Rangers make it to the Stanley Cup Final and Roslovic plays in 50% of the Rangers’ playoff games, the 2026 fourth-round pick becomes a 2026 third-round pick. The Blue Jackets retained 50% of Roslovic’s contract in this trade.

Roslovic, a 27-year-old winger, is in the last season of his contract and will become an unrestricted free agent after this season. In 40 games with the Blue Jackets this season, Roslovic put up a stat line of 6–17—23. 

For the Rangers, adding Roslovic creates no excuses for this team. It is, at the very least, Eastern Conference Final or bust. Roslovic can be put anywhere on this team, so the goal will be to find where Roslovic fits best before the playoffs.

For the Blue Jackets, they continue to fail to get satisfying value for their trade pieces. Getting little for Roslovic, while also receiving underwhelming compensation for Peeke, is nothing short of disappointing. After a season-long soap opera, Columbus will more than likely end the year directionless and trying to answer more questions than they had last summer.

Devils part ways with Vanecek

New Jersey added its second goaltender of the deadline by picking up Kaapo Kahkonen from San Jose. (Photo courtesy of John Hefti / USA TODAY Sports)

The second trade of the day for the Devils, this one also included acquiring a goaltender. The Devils acquired Kaapo Kahkonen from the Sharks in exchange for Vitek Vanecek and a 2025 seventh-round pick.

Kahkonen, a 27-year-old goaltender, currently has a cap hit of $2.65 million and will become an unrestricted free agent this summer. In 31 games with the Sharks this season, Kahkonen recorded a 3.81 goals against average and a .895 save percentage.

Vanecek, currently on injured reserve, is a 28-year-old goaltender in the second year of a three-year contract. Vanecek will have a $3.4 million cap hit this season and next. In 32 games this season, Vanecek has a 3.18 goals against average and a .890 save percentage.

For New Jersey, they felt it was best to move on from Vanecek. He took a massive step back this season, and once he went down with injury, it seemed that the Devils gave up on him. Acquiring Kahkonen now gives the Devils a goalie duo of Allen and Kahkonen. The Devils were more than likely looking for a healthy goalie group to finish out the season.

For San Jose, acquiring a goalie going through a tough season with another year of control is appealing. If Vanecek can come back from injury and find his form again, the Sharks could have the goalie position figured out going into next season.

The Sharks inexplicably sell Hertl

Longtime San Jose Shark Tomas Hertl was dealt to the rival Vegas Golden Knights minutes before the trade deadline in a shocking move. (Photo courtesy of Evan Sabourin / The Hockey Writers)

Easily the most shocking trade of the deadline, the Sharks traded not only the best player on their roster, but they traded him to a division rival. San Jose sent Tomas Hertl, a 2025 third-round pick and a 2027 third-round pick to Vegas in exchange for David Edstrom and a 2025 first-round pick. San Jose will also be retaining 17.1% of Hertl’s contract.

Hertl, a 30-year-old center, is still under contract until the 2029–30 season. An effective offensive center who can win at the face-off dot, Hertl has spent his entire career with the Sharks. This season, Hertl has put up a stat line of 15–19—34 in 48 games. 

Edstrom was the 32nd overall pick in the 2023 draft. At 19 years old, Edstrom is in the first year of his three-year entry-level contract. Edstrom is currently with the Frolunda HC of the SHL. In 43 games this season, Edstrom put up a stat line of 7–12—19.

Vegas does as Vegas does. They double down and keep putting all their chips on the table. They end the deadline adding Mantha, Hanifin and Hertl, three excellent players who will immediately play a massive role in the Knights attempt at going back to back.

For San Jose, it is difficult to understand this trade. Hertl is under team control until 2030 and has continued to show his worth throughout his entire career. To only receive a former first-round pick and a first-round pick next year is arguably not enough for a player of Hertl’s caliber. Retaining salary and sending draft capital to Vegas in this trade twists the knife for the Sharks.

Winnipeg adds defensive depth

Winnipeg bolstered its blue line by adding Colin Miller. (Photo courtesy of Jess Starr / The Hockey Writers)

As the deadline wound down, a few more trades were finalized. The Jets acquired right-handed defenseman Colin Miller from the Devils in exchange for a 2026 fourth-round pick.

Miller, a 31-year-old defenseman, is in the last year of his two-year contract, carrying a $1.85 million cap hit. In 41 games this season, Miller put up a stat line of 4–4—8. 

For the Jets, adding Miller alongside Toffoli from the Devils allows the Jets to solidify the team’s depth and hedge their bets against injuries. The Jets end the deadline acquiring Miller, Toffoli and Sean Monahan.

For the Devils, they were able to get value for all of their movable assets. They ended this deadline with two new goaltenders, two fourths, a third, a second and MacDermid, which is a solid deadline for a team disappointed in not playing up to expectations this season.

Toronto and Minnesota end the deadline on a quiet note

The Toronto Maple Leafs added forward depth with Connor Dewar. (Photo courtesy of Matt Blewett / USA TODAY Sports)

The Wild and the Maple Leafs agreed to a quiet trade to end the deadline. The Wild acquired forward Dmitry Ovchinnikov and a 2026 fourth-round pick from the Leafs in exchange for forward Connor Dewar.

Ovchinnikov, a 21-year-old forward prospect, was drafted by Toronto in the fifth-round in the 2020 draft. In the last season of his entry-level contract, Ovchinnikov spent all season with the AHL. With the Toronto Marlies, Ovchinnikov put up a stat line of 7–3—10 in 20 games.

Dewar, a 24-year-old forward, was drafted by Minnesota in the third-round of the 2018. In the last year of his contract, he carries a $800,000 cap hit. In 57 games with the Wild this season, Dewar put up a stat line of 10–4—14. 

For Minnesota, they continue to move on from players not in the teams long-term vision and acquire more draft capital.

For Toronto, they acquire another depth piece for cheap. It appears that Toronto had no interest in moving a first-round pick this deadline.

Winners and losers of the deadline

It is hard to determine who wins at the deadline so quickly after the dust has settled. A “winner” of the deadline could become a loser by failing to take advantage of the draft picks acquired, or failing to utilize players acquired for their playoff runs.

On the surface, a few winners of the deadline are easy to notice. The Golden Knights, Avalanche and Panthers are winners as of now. They were able to solidify their teams for deep playoff runs without overpaying for rentals.

On the other end of the spectrum, some losers can be identified as well. One loser is Toronto. The players Toronto acquired do not put them over the top compared to other playoff teams in the Eastern Conference, and refusing to trade a first-round pick for better players will haunt them when facing teams willing to do so.

Another loser of this deadline is San Jose. Getting an unimpressive return for Hertl, along with getting nothing higher than a third-round pick for other rentals they sold off put this team in a position where they have to hope to get the first-overall pick this offseason, or else all of this will look even worse as a result.

The final loser of this deadline is Columbus. Receiving only a conditional fourth for Roslovic and a third for Peeke is underwhelming. A team in turmoil put themselves in an even worse position as a result of not getting the proper return for their players.

There are other teams that are harder to determine whether they are winners or losers. The Hurricanes are a prime example of this. If Kuznetsov finds his old form and Guentzel recovers from injury to return at 100%, then Carolina would be considered a sure-fire winner. If not, then the Hurricanes will again have to figure out what it will take to put them over the top in the East.

The post ANALYSIS: Reacting to every NHL trade deadline deal appeared first on The Rink.

As usual, the day started out pretty slowly for Colorado. Right before their morning skate, they announced they had made a move.

BENNY MEYERS WITH 43 SECONDS LEFT! Jack Ahcan sends it up to Cedric Paré for the drop pass to Meyers. Meyers shoots and the Eagles complete the comeback win! They have now won 8 in a row!!!!!!! #Avs #GoAvsGo    #EaglesCountry @TheRinkColorado pic.twitter.com/0QfjiHmUc9

— Brennan Vogt (@brennan_vogt) March 2, 2024

Deadline Day

The team sent Ben Meyers over to the Anaheim Ducks for their 2024 fifth round pick. Colorado now will have two picks in the fifth round this year. The Avalanche signed Ben Meyers in April 2022 as an undrafted free agent out of the University of Minnesota. Meyers played a fill-in role on the fourth line for the Avalanche, showcasing strong forechecking skills with limited offense. When Meyers was on the Colorado Eagles, it was a different story. Meyers primarily played on the top line and power play unit. Last year, the forward split his time between the NHL and AHL, so playing under head coach Greg Cronin is familiar territory. Given the recent influx of forwards, Meyers is likely to receive increased playing time in Anaheim. This is helpful for both teams.

Ben Meyers requires 21 more NHL games played to retain his RFA status. Anaheim #FlyTogether only have 20 games remaining this season, and therefore Myers will be a UFA 6 at the end of the season. https://t.co/8wahWuszSK

— CapFriendly (@CapFriendly) March 8, 2024

Conclusion

The Colorado Avalanche would keep it light for the actual deadline day. The Colorado Avalanche did all the heavy lifting in the days prior with the four trades. Meyers needed 21 games to keep his restricted free agent status or he would be a Group 6 unrestricted free agent. The feeling I am getting is that Colorado wanted to part ways with him after this season. The Avalanche are so overloaded in forward that the Eagles may not see many call ups after this point. Overall, the Avalanche came out of the deadline as a better team. They filled in the bottom six and the second line center, both issues all season. The one thing that is an issue is that they did not get a solid back up goaltender. Justus Annunen and Ivan Prosvetov cannot handle the backup roll in the playoffs. Getting a solid, experienced backup goaltender is something that has to be addressed this summer.

The post Slow day wraps up Avalanche trade deadline appeared first on The Rink.

Earlier in the day, Colorado announced they had signed their 2023 sixth round pick Jeremy Hanzel to an entry-level contract. He was a standout at the prospect camp and training camp for the Avalanche.

Trade one

Moments after Colorado signed the budding prospect of Jeremy Hanzel, they announced a trade. Rapid fire seems to be the order of the day for General Manager Chris MacFarland of the Avalanche. Colorado sent their 2026 third-round pick to the Minnesota Wild for forward Brandon Duhaime. The veteran has been part of the Wild for the past three years, where he established himself as a valuable asset on the penalty killing team. He will also bring a physical force back to Colorado after the trade of Kurtis MacDermid to New Jersey on Friday. Fans can expect him to play on the third and fourth lines. Duhaime will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, so consider this his tryout for Colorado.

Courtesy of JFresh Hockey

Trade two

Less than two hours after Hanzel joined the Colorado Avalanche, they traded him away to the Nashville Predators. Colorado would send their 2025 third-round pick and Hanzel to Nashville for forward Yakov Trenin and the signing rights of defenseman Graham Sward. Trenin has spent a lot of time at wing and is an excellent penalty killer. He may chip in a little offensively but will spend most of the time on the fourth line. Sward has great positioning and can use the stretch pass effectively. Trenin will also be an unrestricted free agent this summer. If the Avalanche can sign Sward, he will probably go to the AHL Colorado Eagles to start.

Courtesy of JFresh Hockey

Trade

To #GoAvsGo
Yakov Trenin – $1.7M-UFA
Graham Sward, unsigned, '22 5th

To #Smashville
'25 3rd
Jeremy Hanzel, signed ELC today, '23 6thhttps://t.co/8jordTok6I

— PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) March 7, 2024

Conclusion

The Avalanche are gearing up for a heavy playoff run. They added size and hopefully some depth with Sword. The cost has been high with future draft picks out of the system now, but there is the price of a Stanley Cup. Colorado has shown they can utilize the undrafted college free agent market with Sam Malinski, Jason Polin and Ondej Pavel. They will have to do it some more in the future. But the Avalanche have become a deep and heavy team ready for a playoff run, with room to add more later today or tomorrow.

The post Avalanche make multiple moves before deadline appeared first on The Rink.

Date	The-Rink Division	Outgoing Player/Pick	Opposite Team	Player/Pick Received
3/7/2024		Anthony Beauvillier		2024 5th Round Draft Pick

Trade Analysis/Break Down:

• • • The Nashville Predators acquired Anthony Beauvillier from the Chicago Blackhawks for 2024 5th Round Pick

Also, be sure to follow the entire The-Rink staff on Twitter for up-to-the-minute updates, as well:

The Rink Official

Chicago Divison
The Rinkcast
Jeff Osborn
Andy Campbell
Ray Napientek
Eric Andrews
Sean Fitzgerald
Andrew Bard
Matt Csakai

 

The post The Rink’s Chicago Blackhawks 2024 NHL Trade Deadline Tracker appeared first on The Rink.

The first part of the tear-down rebuild is getting rid of the decaying remnants. Davidson started that process the day he took over for disgraced former general manager Stan Bowman. This was something Bowman should have started years before his demise, but I digress.

This is not to say that Davidson did not have some difficult moves to make. Saying goodbye to legendary beloved Blackhawks in Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews was met with a lot of pushback. Fans wanted to see Kane and Toews finish their careers as Blackhawks together. Toews may very well have ended his career as a Blackhawk, but Kane is with the Detroit Red Wings and is having a good year.

via GIPHY

The Kane trade was the correct one, however. He was not going to accept ending up in the basement for two of his final seasons, playing babysitter to the next great NHL phenom with very little opportunity to chase one last Stanley Cup before his productive days are over. If you recall, Kane also held the Blackhawks hostage and would only accept a trade to a small percentage of teams—ultimately landing on just one team—which led to a less than desired return. Davidson turned a pending free agent who was in need of hip surgery into Martin Misiak and another 2025 fourth-round pick—not an ideal return for a future Hockey Hall of Famer, but it was also better than Kane walking for free on July 1.

Draft and trades

Davidson’s first big assignment was to build draft capital and replenish a barren prospect pool. His first big move was trading Brandon Hagel to the Tampa Bay Lightning for Taylor Raddysh, Boris Katchouk, a first-round draft pick that turned into Oliver Moore and a first-round draft pick in this June’s NHL Entry Draft. For the most part, Kyle from Chicago put on a master class in flipping players for draft capital.

Not only did Davidson stockpile draft picks, but he also used his plethora of salary cap space to take on some bad contacts that included sweeteners.

Trade Partner	Acquired Asset	Outgoing Asset
	2022 2nd round pick (MIN - #57 - Ryan Greene)	Marc-André Fleury (Salary retained - 50%)
	2024 5th round pick	Ryan Carpenter
	2022 1st round pick (#7 - Kevin Korchinski) 2022 2nd round pick (#39 - Paul Ludwinski) 2024 3rd round pick	Alex Debrincat
	2022 1st round pick (#13 - Frank Nazar) 2022 3rd round pick (#66 - Gavin Hayes)	Kirby Dach
	Goaltender Petr Mrázek 2022 1st round pick (#25 - Sam Rinzel)	2022 2nd round pick (#38 - Fraser Minten)
	Forward Jason Dickinson 2024 2nd round pick	Riley Stillman
	Nikita Zaitsev 2023 2nd round pick (#44 - Roman Kantserov) 2026 4th round pick	Future Consideration
	Joey Anderson Pavel Gogolev 2025 1st round pick 2026 2nd round pick	Jake McCabe (50% retained) Sam Lafferty 2024 5th round pick 2025 5th round pick
	From ARI: Vili Saarijärvi From NYR: Andy Welinski 2023 2nd round pick (#55 - Martin Misiak) 2025 4th round pick	To NYR: Patrick Kane (50% retained) Cooper Zech To ARI: 2025 3rd round pick (from NYR)
	Anton Khudobin 2025 2nd round pick	Max Domi Dylan Wells
	Josh Bailey 2026 2nd round pick	Future Consideration
	2023 6th round pick (#167 - Milton Oscarson) 2024 2nd round pick	2023 2nd round pick (#51 - Carson Bjarnason)

It is pretty universally understood that Davidson did the best he could in breaking down an aging team that had been losing momentum for years. The teardown eventually paid off big, when the Blackhawks won the 2023 draft lottery and selected prized prospect Connor Bedard. The work has only begun, though. What does the Blackhawks general manager have ahead of himself?

Trade deadline

Taking on bad contracts to open up cap space for competing teams is not over. He should (and probably will) be taking calls from anyone and everyone who is looking to dump bad contracts before tomorrow’s trade deadline. Desperate teams will do just about anything to “right” a previous “wrong.”

Free agency

This might be the biggest point of contention in the rebuild process. When should Davidson go on the offensive in free agency? I am here to tell you that this summer is not it. It is too early.

Fourteen players on the current NHL roster will either fall off the roster or need to be re-signed this summer. Tyler Johnson, Colin Blackwell, Zach Sanford, Nikita Zaitsev, Jarred Tinordi, Jaycob Megna, MacKenzie Entwistle (RFA), Joey Anderson (RFA), Reese Johnson (RFA), Boris Katchouk (RFA), Taylor Raddysh (RFA), Alex Vlasic (RFA), Isaak Phillips (RFA) and Louis Crevier (RFA) will all become free agents on July 1. Ten other players who are currently with the Rockford IceHogs will also become either unrestricted or restricted free agents.

Also, almost $8 million in retained or recapture dollars will drop down to just over $3 million.

This will give Davidson more than $40 million in cap space, which has the casual fan’s eyes lit up like the Vegas strip. Do not fall into this trap. While they will need to re-sign some restricted free agents, namely Vlasic, most of the names on the list fail to move the needle but will be brought back simply to hit the salary cap floor and have enough to ice a full team.

Looking at the free agency list, there are definitely names that fans would recognize, but you have to keep some things in mind. Almost all of the players are in their very late 20s or early 30s and want long-term deals. That is an option that should absolutely not be on the table for Davidson. Tying up large amounts of money in older players for long periods of time rarely works out. The player has the advantage and the team will almost always overpay and overextend the term, in turn handcuffing their flexibility. Simply put, dumping your money into older 30-ish players who have already peaked is a recipe for disaster and does not fit the Blackhawks’ timeline.

Are there exceptions to the rule? Absolutely. He has to pick his spots, though. Focus on younger talent about to peak, or potentially an offer-sheet situation. A deal will take more work because you will likely have to trade for negotiating rights, but these younger players fit the timeline of the rest of your organization. This is where Davidson earns his salary.

This is the list that Davidson and the Blackhawks’ brass should be targeting. Targeting teams that have cap problems already like Vegas, Toronto, Colorado, Boston, Vancouver, St. Louis, Los Angeles or Philadelphia. If you are willing to overpay, do it for youth and hope, not memories.

Conclusion

Throwing away dollars for jersey sales or fake public relations stunts cannot be on the plate for the Blackhawks.

• Believe in the process, and stick to being focused, calculated and shrewd
• Take advantage of other team’s mistakes
• Build around young talent
• Avoid the long-term free agency traps on aging players until your timelines are aligned

This is where the young Blackhawks general manager makes a name for himself by either building a future dynasty through patience and focus, or falling short by getting lured into traps by impatience.  Your move, Kyle.

via GIPHY

The post ANALYSIS: Kyle Davidson’s work has only begun with the Blackhawks appeared first on The Rink.

Trade One

The team traded Ryan Johansen to the Philadelphia Flyers along with a 2025 first-round pick for defenseman Sean Walker and a 2026 fifth round pick. The Avalanche will come out on top with the trade, saving money. In the end Colorado will save $1.35 million on the salary cap. At the beginning of the season, there were expectations that Johansen would fill the role of the second line center. He has done anything but that. In 63 games with the Avalanche, he has only accumulated 23 points. He has also played as low as the fourth line for Colorado. Walker is a mobile defenseman that will carry the puck into the zone. Even on a bad Flyers team he has 22 points in 63 games.

Provided by JFresh Hockey

Provided by JFresh Hockey

Trade Two

The Colorado Avalanche traded Bowen Byram to the Buffalo Sabres for forward Casey Mittelstadt. It was a one-for-one trade that once again had Colorado saving $1.35 million in the salary cap. Byram has had his fair share of injuries, including concussions. But his recent decline in play this season and the addition of Sam Malinski made him expendable. Mittelstadt was leading Buffalo in points and will be a restricted free agent this summer. He is often a standout with his playmaking ability at center on a bad Buffalo team.

Provided by JFresh Hockey

Provided by JFresh Hockey

Call Ups

To supreme the roster for the game tonight against the Detroit Red Wings, Colorado has made two call ups from the Colorado Eagles. Because of Logan O’Connor’s lower-body injury, they required someone to replace him. Jean-Luc Foudy will get his first chance of the season with the Avalanche after only 12 games with the Eagles. He has been struggling with multiple injuries, but he has six points and has been aggressive on both ends of the puck. Ondrej Pavel will also get his second call to Denver this year. The defensive forward has become a staple in the penalty kill for the Eagles and at the faceoff dot as well.

Conclusion

The Avalanche will save about $2.7 million in the two deals today. They are doing this for one of two things. First, they have to plan on making room for Gabriel Landeskog coming back. We all want to hope that he will, but only time will tell. Second, they are making room for another trade on Thursday or Friday before the deadline. The Avalanche improved with these two trades and are showing they want to go all in again.

The post Byram and Johansen traded by Avalanche appeared first on The Rink.

With Friday’s NHL trade deadline quickly approaching, the hot stoves are beginning to heat up. Teams attempting to make a deep playoff push will be looking to improve their rosters with short-term rentals on the market. Other teams will be trying to get the most out of players they have no intention of re-signing beyond this season. It will be a constant chess match between buyers and sellers trying to “win” the deadline. 

Some buyers are easy to identify. Teams like the Boston Bruins, Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, Edmonton Oilers, Florida Panthers and New York Rangers will be looking to strengthen their playoff rosters through the deadline, while also managing the salary cap. 

A few teams could be somewhere in the middle. Teams like the Nashville Predators, New Jersey Devils, Philadelphia Flyers and Washington Capitals could flip players of value at the deadline, or they could take a risk at the deadline and buy. 

Other teams, like the Anaheim Ducks, Calgary Flames, Ottawa Senators, Pittsburgh Penguins and St. Louis Blues, find themselves outside of a playoff spot with intriguing players who playoff contenders would be interested in acquiring. Players like Jake Guentzel of the Penguins, Adam Henrique of the Ducks, Jacob Markstrom and Noah Hanifin of the Flames, Sean Walker of the Flyers and Jakob Chychrun of the Senators headline the rumor mill this year. Sellers will try to get the most out of other teams for these players, while buyers will try to out-bid other buyers for the players mentioned. Already, the NHL has seen some dealing take place, with defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin being moved by the Ducks to the Toronto Maple Leafs, defenseman Christopher Tanev being sent to Dallas from the Flames and winger Anthony Mantha going from the Capitals to the Vegas Golden Knights. 

Which leaves a question up in the air. What do the Chicago Blackhawks do this deadline? After 62 games, the Hawks find themselves with the lowest point total in the entire NHL at 35, with a record of 15–42–5. It is no secret that the Hawks are far from competitive, and with how the roster is currently constructed and where prospects currently are in development, Chicago is not expecting to compete soon. With this in mind, there are three approaches that the Hawks can take this deadline. Each approach presents its own intrigue, and its own risks. 

Selling

The Blackhawks have been sellers at the deadline for years now, and this season could be more of the same for Chicago. Blackhawks General Manager Kyle Davidson has previously guided the Hawks through a deadline where they sold off key players like Patrick Kane, Sam Lafferty, Jake McCabe and Max Domi. These trades gave the Blackhawks a few depth pieces, like forward Joey Anderson and defenseman Nikita Zaitsev, along with netting the Blackhawks more draft capital, something that the Hawks have coveted during their current rebuild.

During the season, the Blackhawks re-signed multiple players who fans had once considered to be deadline bait for this season. In January, the Blackhawks re-signed forwards Jason Dickinson and Nick Foligno to two-year contract extensions while also re-signing goaltender Petr Mrazek to a two-year extension. With these players on the books through the 2025–26 season, the players who the Blackhawks could ship out at the deadline slimmed. With these moves, it also seemed to indicate that Davidson did not want to shake up the roster during Connor Bedard’s rookie campaign. 

With all of that being said, there are still a few players who could be moved at the deadline. I have identified three players who make the most sense for the Blackhawks to move by Friday.

Tyler Johnson

(Photo courtesy of Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Tyler Johnson has been on the Hawks since the 2021–22 season. This season, he has recorded a statline of 12–6—18 in 47 games. As a center, he has shown value with the Blackhawks with his two-way play and face-off ability, and teams looking to add center depth to their bottom six could find some interest in adding Johnson to their roster. Johnson will become an unrestricted free agent in the offseason and has a current cap hit of $5 million.

There are a few issues with attempting to trade Johnson. The first is his cap hit. $5 million is no pocket change, and his cap hit sits only $1 million less than Guentzel, and only $825,000 less than Henrique. If a team is willing to trade for Johnson, salary retention will be necessary for the Hawks, and if retention by only the Hawks is not enough, it may mean including a third team to retain another part of Johnson’s salary as well. This could make a few teams less interested in trying to acquire Johnson.

Another issue with this trade is whether Johnson would even want to be traded at all. Johnson has fit in well with this organization, and at 33, moving may not be in the cards for Johnson. He may want to play out the rest of the season with Chicago, and perhaps negotiate with Chicago in the offseason to remain with the team.

The final issue with trading Johnson is the massive hole in center depth he would leave behind. The Blackhawks, with a combination of injuries and prospects not ready for the NHL, are desperate for anyone who can play out the rest of this season at the NHL level. To take out a player who has played 47 out of 62 possible games this season at a key position could make things worse than they already are.

In terms of return, the Hawks would be lucky to get a fourth-round pick out of Johnson. With how deep the center market is in this deadline, with centers like Henrique, Alexander Wennberg, Scott Laughton, Nic Dowd and Nick Bjugstad available, the best way to sell Johnson would be to advertise him as a cheaper option at the center position for contending teams. 

Colin Blackwell

(Photo courtesy of Jamie Sabau / USA TODAY Sports)

Another forward for the Blackhawks, Colin Blackwell was signed by the Blackhawks to a two-year deal in the 2022 offseason. In 32 games this season, Blackwell has recorded a statline of 5–3—8. Blackwell currently has a cap hit of $1.2 million and will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason. Blackwell could offer buyers a physical depth forward who could step in and play when teammates hit the injured reserve. 

There are not as many issues with trading Blackwell as trading Johnson would create. Blackwell has been a depth forward since joining the Hawks, so moving on from him would not take away much from the Hawks’ forward depth. 

The return for trading Blackwell might not be as impressive as the return Johnson would get Chicago. For a player like Blackwell, Chicago would probably be happy to get a fifth- or sixth-round pick in return. Like with Johnson, Chicago could market Blackwell as a cheaper option compared to the other forwards currently on the market. Teams unwilling to trade highly valuable draft picks for forward depth could turn to Blackwell as a safer and cheaper option.

Connor Murphy

(Photo courtesy of Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Easily the most surprising name on the list, Connor Murphy has been on the Blackhawks since the 2017–18 season. As the longest-tenured Hawk, Murphy has accumulated 92 points in 416 games with Chicago. This season, Murphy has put up a statline of 2–6—8 in 43 games. As of now, Murphy is on the injured reserve list, and has not played since Jan. 16. Murphy is signed through the 2025–26 season with a yearly cap hit of $4.4 million. Murphy will turn 31 on March 26.

Murphy has been an integral part of the Blackhawks’ post-dynasty era. Initially lambasted for being the player traded for Blackhawks staple Niklas Hjalmarsson, Murphy has proven his worth to the organization in both zones. 

With the Blackhawks’ contending window still years down the road, the return for a player like Murphy could be of great benefit to the Blackhawks. With two years on his contract beyond this season, his value exceeds that of a post-deadline rental. Teams looking to add to their playoff chances both this year and in the near future could see Murphy as a second-pairing defenseman with contractual security.

Of the three players who could be sold at the deadline, Murphy would likely demand the highest return. The Hawks could ask for multiple pieces, with the possibility of a higher pick or more notable prospect being involved. Trading Murphy at this deadline could be a move of high risk, and if the Hawks play their cards correctly, high reward.

Buying

The idea of buying at the deadline probably seems foreign to Blackhawks fans. The last time the Blackhawks legitimately bought at a trade deadline was in 2017, when the Blackhawks re-acquired defenseman Johnny Oduya from the Stars. 

Although buying seems the most unlikely of approaches, there are ways for the Hawks to buy while still remaining in the rebuild. In the next three seasons, Chicago possess five first-round picks, eight second-round picks and four third-round picks. With this draft capital, Chicago could look to add at this deadline if they so choose. Using this draft capital, they could look to add long-term depth and skill to a team in desperate need of both. There are two names on the market that might make sense for the Blackhawks to pursue.

Casey Mittelstadt

(Photo courtesy of Minas Panagiotakis / Getty Images)

A former eighth-overall pick in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, Casey Mittelstadt has been in career limbo for most of his Buffalo Sabres career. At only 25, Mittelstadt has recorded 62 goals and 124 assists in 339 career games, all of them with Buffalo. This season, Mittelstadt has recorded a statline of 14–33—47 in 62 games. Mittelstadt is in the last year of his contract and will become a restricted free agent this offseason.

The Sabres are currently in 13th place in the Eastern Conference. With no ability to compete in a playoff spot for this season, it could be in their best interest to get the most out of their players with expiring contracts. Along with this, top forward prospects like Zach Benson, Jiri Kulich, Matthew Savoie and Isak Rosen will be looking to make the jump to the NHL; Mittelstadt is starting to look like excess goods for the Sabres. 

Realistically, the Blackhawks would have to trade decent value for Mittelstadt. If the Blackhawks did not want to include a first-round pick for Mittelstadt, then multiple draft picks plus a prospect would have to be on the table for Mittelstadt if the Hawks wanted the Sabres to take their offer seriously. With the Sabres’ prospect pool lacking defensemen, the logical asking price might look like the Los Angeles Kings’ 2024 second-round pick, the Blackhawks’ 2025 third-round pick and defenseman Wyatt Kaiser.

With this trade, the Blackhawks could give Bedard another young linemate. A line of Mittelstadt–Bedard–Kurashev could generate some offense that the Blackhawks have been lacking recently. With three second-round picks in the 2024 Entry Draft, Chicago can afford to deal one of them for a young player who can help Bedard now and in the future. With other defensive prospects like Nolan Allan, Ethan Del Mastro and Sam Rinzel, the Hawks could move on from Kaiser and still have defensive prospects coming up through the system.

Trevor Zegras

(Photo courtesy of Stephen R. Sylvanie / USA TODAY Sports)

The idea of trading for Trevor Zegras seems like a long shot for many teams, including the Hawks, but it is not impossible. Recent rumors have indicated that the Ducks may be looking to move on from the flashy forward, and the Hawks could swoop in and gain a young player with a ton of offensive upside.

Zegras, the ninth-overall pick of the 2019 Entry Draft, has totaled 53 goals and 93 assists in only 200 career games. This season has been a difficult one for Zegras, having only totaled seven points in 20 games, and is currently sidelined with a broken ankle. At only 22 years old, Zegras has shown an incredible ability to score, but has struggled to extend his game to the defensive zone. Zegras is currently in the first year of a three-year, $17.25 million contract, paying him $5.75 million per season until 2026.

At only 22, and with multiple years left on his contract, Zegras will be a tough get for the Hawks. The hypothetical price would be far higher than the price for Mittelstadt. If the Blackhawks are not willing to part with a first-round pick for Zegras, then Chicago could probably forget about attempting to trade for the younger forward. It would be a steep bill, but the possible upside, if Zegras can develop in with the Blackhawks, might outweigh the risks.

Doing nothing

The third and final approach of the deadline is also the least exciting. While being unexciting, it is also the approach with the least risk. As mentioned earlier, the Blackhawks have fantastic draft capital and their prospect pool is considered one of the best in the league. Making moves for the sake of making moves could throw off the Blackhawks’ plans for building a contender down the road.

There is a German term called Zugzwang. It is a term used in turn-based games, such as chess, where the best move to make is to not make a move at all. In the case of this trade deadline, the best move for the Blackhawks could be to not make a move at all.

In this case, the Blackhawks could act as a salary retainer for teams needing a third trade partner to facilitate a deal for cap purposes. The Lyubushkin and Tanev trades both included third teams retaining salary while gaining draft capital. It would make sense for the Blackhawks to involve themselves in a trade like this. The Blackhawks have plenty of cap space, and only have one draft pick in the last four rounds in this year’s draft. Adding a fifth- or sixth-round pick in exchange for some additional cap is essentially a no-risk, low-reward scenario.

Analysis

It may not be as exciting of a trade deadline as last season for the Blackhawks, but anything can happen at a trade deadline. With the Hawks overflowing in draft capital and lacking in trade bait, it could be an incredibly quiet deadline for this organization. 

If the Hawks choose to sell, it would be hard to expect anything more than a fourth-round pick for a player in the last year of their deal. If they choose to buy, it will be with the future in mind. If they choose to stand pat and avoid moving pieces, it shows that this organization believes they are in a good spot for the future and are just playing the waiting game on current and future prospects.

The post ANALYSIS: How could the Chicago Blackhawks approach the trade deadline? appeared first on The Rink.

Chicago Rinkcast staff members Andy Campbell, Eric Andrews, and Andrew Bard  break down just what will happen in the upcoming 2023 NHL Entry Draft as far as the Blackhawks are concerned:

Bedard will go #1 overwall, but what happens next?

Free Agent scenarios and trade talks.

Watch the entire replay of the Facebook live right here:

Watch the entire replay of the YouTube right here:

Watch the entire replay of the Twitter right here:

Blackhawks Rinkcast: Season 6, Episode 11 – Chicago Blackhawks 2023 Draft Preview https://t.co/HhPlGOUoTc

— Hockey Rinkcast Channel (@TheRinkcast) June 25, 2023

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Also, please help spread the word to more #RinkRats and visit our sponsor www.PUCKHCKY.com. Use the discount code “THERINK” for 10% off all orders.

The post Blackhawks Rinkcast – Season 6, Episode 11 – Chicago Blackhawks 2023 Draft Preview appeared first on The Rink.

Chicago Rinkcast staff members Andy Campbell, Jeff Osborn, Eric Andrews, Andrew Bard, and Sean (Goldstein) Fitzgerald discuss the exciting news:

Has anyone heard about this draft lottery thing? 

Connor Bedard in a Blackhawks uniform, coming soon. 

Should the Blackhawks dip into the UFA market?

Who else could step in and possibly contribute next season?

Other subjects around the league including Evander Kane and a coaching change in NY?

Watch the entire replay of the Facebook live right here:

Watch the entire replay of the YouTube right here:

Watch the entire replay of the Twitter right here:

Blackhawks Rinkcast: Season 6, Episode 10 – Hawks Win Draft Lottery! Connor Bedard is Windy City Bound https://t.co/1w0sZjs4xC

— Hockey Rinkcast Channel (@TheRinkcast) May 10, 2023

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Also, please help spread the word to more #RinkRats and visit our sponsor www.PUCKHCKY.com. Use the discount code “THERINK” for 10% off all orders.

The post Blackhawks Rinkcast – Season 6, Episode 10 – Hawks Win Draft Lottery! Connor Bedard Chicago Bound appeared first on The Rink.

Chicago Rinkcast staff members Andy Campbell, Jeff Osborn, Eric Andrews, Andrew Bard, Ray Napientek and Sean (Goldstein) Fitzgerald discuss the end of the Patrick Kane era in Chicago:

Thoughts on the Patrick Kane saga and the deal to the New York Rangers

The Jake McCabe and Sam Lafferty trade to Toronto

Is Patrick Kane the best Blackhawks player ever?

What are our greatest Patrick Kane memories?

Watch the entire replay of the Facebook live right here:

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Blackhawks Rinkcast – Season 6, Episode 9 – Goodbye, Patrick Kane https://t.co/EXPHTIzj9c

— Hockey Rinkcast Channel (@TheRinkcast) March 2, 2023

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The post Blackhawks Rinkcast – Season 6, Episode 9 – Goodbye, Patrick Kane appeared first on The Rink.

Date	The-Rink Division	Outgoing Player/Pick	Opposite Team	Player/Pick Received
2/22/2023		Future Consideration		Nikita Zaitsev '23 2nd Round Pick '26 4th Round Pick
2/23/2023		Josiah Slavin		Hunter Drew
2/26/3023		Jack Johnson		Andreas Englund
2/27/3023		Jake McCabe (50% retained) Sam Lafferty Conditional '24 5th rd pick Conditional '25 5th rd pick		Joey Anderson Pavel Gogolev '25 1st-round pick (top 10 protected) '26 2nd-round pick
2/27/3023	Rockford IceHogs	Future Considerations	Manitoba Moose	Colin Bilek
2/28/3023	Rockford IceHogs	Adam Clendening	Hartford Wolfpack	Zach Jordan
2/28/3023		Patrick Kane (50% retained) Cooper Zech	via	23 2nd Rd Pick (conditional 1st) 4th Rd Pick Vili Saarijarvi Andy Welinski
3/2/3023		Future Considerations		Anders Bjork
3/2/3023	Rockford IceHogs	Carson Gicewicz	Rochester Americans	Future Considerations
3/2/3023		Max Domi Dylan Wells		25 2nd Rd Pick Anton Khudobin
3/2/3023		Dylan Sikura		Max Golod
3/2/3023	Rockford IceHogs	Future Considerations	San Diego Gulls	Rocco Grimaldi Logan Nijhoff
3/3/3023		Future Considerations		Austin Wagner

Trade Analysis/Break Down:

• • • Chicago Blackhawks acquired Nikita Zaitsev, 2023 2nd Round Pick and 2026 4th Round Pick from the Ottawa Senators for future considerations
    • Chicago Blackhawks acquired Hunter Drew from the Anaheim Ducks for Josiah Slavin.
    • Chicago Blackhawks acquired Andreas Englund from The Colorado Avalanche for Jack Johnson
    • Chicago Blackhawks trade Jake McCabe, Sam Lafferty, a conditional 2024 5th-round pick & a conditional 2025 5th-round pick to Toronto for a 2025 1st-round pick (top 10 protected), a 2026 2nd-round pick, Joey Anderson and Pavel Gogolev.
    • The Arizona Coyotes acquired Patrick Kane from the Chicago Blackhawks for Vili Saarijarvi
    • The New York Rangers Acquired Patrick Kane from the Arizona Coyotes for a 2025 conditional 3rd Round Pick
    • The Chicago Blackhawks acquired 2023 conditional 2nd Round Pick, 2025 4th Round Pick and Andy Welinski from the New York Rangers for Cooper Zech
    • The Chicago Blackhawks acquired Anders Bjork from the Buffalo Sabres for future considerations
    • The Dallas Stars acquired Max Domi and Dylan Wells from the Chicago Blackhawks for Anton Khudobin and 2025 2nd Round Pick
    • The Anaheim Ducks acquired Dylan Sikura from the Chicago Blackhawks for Max Golod

Also, be sure to follow the entire The-Rink staff on Twitter for up-to-the-minute updates, as well:

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The post The Rink’s Chicago Blackhawks 2023 NHL Trade Deadline Tracker appeared first on The Rink.

Chicago Rinkcast staff members Andy Campbell, Jeff Osborn, and Sean (Goldstein) Fitzgerald discuss the ever-changing Blackhawks’ position for the NHL trade deadline:

— The New York Rangers acquisition of Vladimir Tarasenko

—What is going on with this Patrick Kane/Jonathan Toews situations?

—Thanks to Landon on Youtube and Matt Pyz on Facebook for joining the talk.

Watch the entire replay of the Facebook live right here:

Watch the entire replay of the YouTube right here:

Watch the entire replay of the Twitter right here:

Blackhawks Rinkcast – Season 6, Episode 8 – Is Patrick Kane Staying Put? https://t.co/PpBiXDH9nV

— Hockey Rinkcast Channel (@TheRinkcast) February 11, 2023

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The post Blackhawks Rinkcast – Season 6, Episode 8 – Is Patrick Kane Staying Put? appeared first on The Rink.

Chicago Rinkcast staff members Andy Campbell, Jeff Osborn, Sean (Goldstein) Fitzgerald, and Andrew Bard discuss several Blackhawks and NHL related items:

— Thanks to Landon on YouYube for joining in the live conversation.

— Bobby Hull passes away. How do the Blackhawks address it?

— Mark Stone injury. Do the Vegas Golden Knights go “all-in”?

— The Bo Horvat trade

— Where do we want to see Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews go?

— Trade winds?

Watch the entire replay of the Facebook live right here:

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Watch the entire replay of the Twitter right here:

Blackhawks Rinkcast – S6Ep7 – Bobby Hull and the fast approaching trade deadline. https://t.co/NkJKn8mMm4

— Hockey Rinkcast Channel (@TheRinkcast) February 2, 2023

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The post Blackhawks Rinkcast – Season 6, Episode 7 – Bobby Hull and the fast approaching trade deadline appeared first on The Rink.

Rask was immediately assigned to Charlotte to join the Kraken’s AHL affiliate. On the outside, this looks like a depth deal, but it is mainly a salary cap deal to give the Wild some cap breathing room.

TRADE: The #SeaKraken have acquired forward Victor Rask from Minnesota in exchange for future considerations. Minnesota will retain 50 percent of Rask’s contract, and he will report to @CheckersHockey (AHL).

Read more → https://t.co/pW2UCKhvbz pic.twitter.com/ZpXOtoc2Bx

— Seattle Kraken (@SeattleKraken) March 21, 2022

Rask just turned 29 on March 1 and has appeared in almost 500 NHL games between the Carolina Hurricanes and the Wild. The Swedish-born forward has put up 215 points (85 goals, 130 assists) in his eight-year NHL career. He is in the last year of a six-year contract with a $4 million cap hit.

In another small transaction, the Kraken claimed defenseman Derrick Pouliot off waivers from the Vegas Golden Knights to fill some lineup spots left open by trade deadline deals. Pouliot signed a one-year deal with the Golden Knights on March 17, and was put on waivers to be sent to their AHL affiliate, the Henderson Silver Knights, after playing two games with the Golden Knights.

He has appeared in over 200 NHL games with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Vancouver Canucks and Golden Knights and has 49 career points (eight goals, 41 assists).

Date	The-Rink Division	Outgoing Player/Pick	Opposite Team	Player/Pick Received
3/16/2022		Calle Jarnkrok		'22 2nd round pick (acquired from FLA), '23 3rd round pick, and a '24 7th round pick
3/18/2022		Brandon Hagel, '22 4th round pick, '24 4th round pick		Boris Katchouk, Taylor Raddysh, ‘23 1st round pick, ‘24 1st round pick
3/20/2022		Mark Giordano (50% salary retained), Colin Blackwell		'22 2nd round pick, '23 2nd round pick, and, '24 3rd round pick
3/20/2022		Jeremy Lauzon		'22 2nd round pick
3/20/2022		Mason Appleton		'23 4th round pick
3/21/2022		Marcus Johansson (50% salary retained)		Daniel Sprong, '22 4th round pick, and '23 6th round pick
3/21/2022		Marc-Andre Fleury (50% salary retained)		Conditional '22 2nd (potential 1st) round pick
3/21/2022		Ryan Carpenter		'24 5th round pick
3/21/2022		Future Considerations		Victor Rask

The post BREAKING: Kraken wrap first trade deadline acquiring Victor Rask, claiming Derrick Pouliot appeared first on The Rink.

Ryan Carpenter is going from #Blackhawks to #Flames in exchange for a 2024 5th round pick.@DailyFaceoff

— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) March 21, 2022

Carpenter signed with the Blackhawks as an unrestricted free agent in 2019. In two and a half seasons with the Hawks, Carpenter tallied 10 goals and 21 assists in 168 games.

With Carpenter being an unrestricted free agent, moving him ahead of the deadline was a no-brainer for the Blackhawks. Given the return for fourth-line players is typically not very high, getting a fifth-round pick for Carpenter is certainly respectable for the Hawks.

It appears as though the Carpenter trade was the final deal made by the Blackhawks ahead of the trade deadline, with Calvin de Haan and Dominik Kubalik, among others, not dealt.

Date	The-Rink Division	Outgoing Player/Pick	Opposite Team	Player/Pick Received
3/16/2022		Calle Jarnkrok		'22 2nd round pick (acquired from FLA), '23 3rd round pick, and a '24 7th round pick
3/18/2022		Brandon Hagel, '22 4th round pick, '24 4th round pick		Boris Katchouk, Taylor Raddysh, ‘23 1st round pick, ‘24 1st round pick
3/20/2022		Mark Giordano (50% salary retained), Colin Blackwell		'22 2nd round pick, '23 2nd round pick, and, '24 3rd round pick
3/20/2022		Jeremy Lauzon		'22 2nd round pick
3/20/2022		Mason Appleton		'23 4th round pick
3/21/2022		Marcus Johansson (50% salary retained)		Daniel Sprong, '22 4th round pick, and '23 6th round pick
3/21/2022		Marc-Andre Fleury (50% salary retained)		Conditional '22 2nd (potential 1st) round pick
3/21/2022		Ryan Carpenter		'24 5th round pick
3/21/2022		Future Considerations		Victor Rask

The post BREAKING: Blackhawks send Ryan Carpenter to Flames appeared first on The Rink.

Francis sent forward Marcus Johansson back to the Washington Capitals. Johansson was drafted by the Capitals in the first round (24th overall) of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. He was signed by the Kraken in August.

In return, the Kraken acquired Daniel Sprong, a 2022 fourth-round draft pick, and a 2023 sixth-round draft pick.

The Kraken have now acquired 10 future draft picks for six roster players within the last week. Stay tuned for any more deals before noon PDT today.

TRADE: The #SeaKraken have acquired Daniel Sprong, a 2022 fourth-round draft pick and a 2023 sixth-round draft pick from Washington in exchange for forward Marcus Johansson.

Read more → https://t.co/pW2UCKhvbz pic.twitter.com/FyN3Io0Xt9

— Seattle Kraken (@SeattleKraken) March 21, 2022

Date	The-Rink Division	Outgoing Player/Pick	Opposite Team	Player/Pick Received
3/16/2022		Calle Jarnkrok		'22 2nd round pick (acquired from FLA), '23 3rd round pick, and a '24 7th round pick
3/18/2022		Brandon Hagel, '22 4th round pick, '24 4th round pick		Boris Katchouk, Taylor Raddysh, ‘23 1st round pick, ‘24 1st round pick
3/20/2022		Mark Giordano (50% salary retained), Colin Blackwell		'22 2nd round pick, '23 2nd round pick, and, '24 3rd round pick
3/20/2022		Jeremy Lauzon		'22 2nd round pick
3/20/2022		Mason Appleton		'23 4th round pick
3/21/2022		Marcus Johansson (50% salary retained)		Daniel Sprong, '22 4th round pick, and '23 6th round pick
3/21/2022		Marc-Andre Fleury (50% salary retained)		Conditional '22 2nd (potential 1st) round pick
3/21/2022		Ryan Carpenter		'24 5th round pick
3/21/2022		Future Considerations		Victor Rask

The post BREAKING: Kraken send Marcus Johansson to Washington Capitals appeared first on The Rink.

The first move was 24-year-old defenseman Jeremy Lauzon getting sent to the Nashville Predators for a 2022 second-round draft pick. Lauzon was acquired in last summer’s expansion draft from the Boston Bruins. He appeared in 53 games this year for the Kraken, where he put up six points (one goal, five assists) and racked up 67 penalty minutes with his hard-nosed play.

TRADE: The #SeaKraken have acquired a 2022 second-round draft pick from Nashville in exchange for defenseman Jeremy Lauzon.

Read more → https://t.co/BteUmXsDLx pic.twitter.com/wrTipSsl7x

— Seattle Kraken (@SeattleKraken) March 21, 2022

The second deal of the evening was 26-year-old forward Mason Appleton getting sent to the Winnipeg Jets for a 2023 fourth-round draft pick. Appleton returns to the team that drafted him in 2015. He appeared in 49 games for the Kraken and put up 17 points (six goals, 11 assists) in a mostly bottom-six role after being the Kraken’s expansion draft selection from the Jets.

TRADE: The #SeaKraken have acquired a 2023 fourth-round draft pick in exchange for forward Mason Appleton.

Read more → https://t.co/pW2UCKhvbz pic.twitter.com/KFPmC9WQbI

— Seattle Kraken (@SeattleKraken) March 21, 2022

The Kraken have now acquired eight future draft picks for five roster players within the last week. Seattle may be done dealing, but do not rule out another lower-level deal before the deadline strikes zero at noon PDT today.

Date	The-Rink Division	Outgoing Player/Pick	Opposite Team	Player/Pick Received
3/16/2022		Calle Jarnkrok		'22 2nd round pick (acquired from FLA), '23 3rd round pick, and a '24 7th round pick
3/18/2022		Brandon Hagel, '22 4th round pick, '24 4th round pick		Boris Katchouk, Taylor Raddysh, ‘23 1st round pick, ‘24 1st round pick
3/20/2022		Mark Giordano (50% salary retained), Colin Blackwell		'22 2nd round pick, '23 2nd round pick, and, '24 3rd round pick
3/20/2022		Jeremy Lauzon		'22 2nd round pick
3/20/2022		Mason Appleton		'23 4th round pick
3/21/2022		Marcus Johansson (50% salary retained)		Daniel Sprong, '22 4th round pick, and '23 6th round pick
3/21/2022		Marc-Andre Fleury (50% salary retained)		Conditional '22 2nd (potential 1st) round pick
3/21/2022		Ryan Carpenter		'24 5th round pick
3/21/2022		Future Considerations		Victor Rask

The post BREAKING: Kraken unload Lauzon and Appleton to Predators and Jets appeared first on The Rink.

Date	The-Rink Division	Outgoing Player/Pick	Opposite Team	Player/Pick Received
3/16/2022		Calle Jarnkrok		'22 2nd round pick (acquired from FLA), '23 3rd round pick, and a '24 7th round pick
3/18/2022		Brandon Hagel, '22 4th round pick, '24 4th round pick		Boris Katchouk, Taylor Raddysh, ‘23 1st round pick, ‘24 1st round pick
3/20/2022		Mark Giordano (50% salary retained), Colin Blackwell		'22 2nd round pick, '23 2nd round pick, and, '24 3rd round pick
3/20/2022		Jeremy Lauzon		'22 2nd round pick
3/20/2022		Mason Appleton		'23 4th round pick
3/21/2022		Marcus Johansson (50% salary retained)		Daniel Sprong, '22 4th round pick, and '23 6th round pick
3/21/2022		Marc-Andre Fleury (50% salary retained)		Conditional '22 2nd (potential 1st) round pick
3/21/2022		Ryan Carpenter		'24 5th round pick
3/21/2022		Future Considerations		Victor Rask

Trade Analysis/Break Down:

• The Calgary Flames acquired Calle Jarnkrok from the Seattle Kraken for 2022 2nd Round Pick, 2023 3rd Round Pick, 2024 7th Round Pick
• The Tampa Bay Lightning acquired Brandon Hagel, 2022 4th Round Pick and 2024 4th Round Pick from the Chicago Blackhawks for 2023 1st Round Pick, 2024 1st Round Pick, Boris Katchouk, and Taylor Raddysh
• The Toronto Maple Leafs acquired Mark Giordano and Colin Blackwell from the Seattle Kraken for 2022 second round pick, 2023 second round pick, and 2024 third round pick
• The Nashville Predators acquired Jeremy Lauzon from the Seattle Kraken for 2022 second round pick
• The Winnipeg Jets acquired Mason Appleton from the Seattle Kraken for a 2023 fourth round pick
• The Minnesota Wild acquired Marc-Andre Fleury from the Chicago Blackhawks for a conditional first or second round pick
• The Washington Capitals acquired Marcus Johansson from the Seattle Kraken for Daniel Sprong and draft picks
• The Calgary Flames acquired Ryan Carpenter from the Chicago Blackhawks for 2024 Fifth Round Pick
• The Seattle Kraken acquired Victor Rask from the Minnesota Wild for future considerations

Also, be sure to follow the entire The-Rink staff on Twitter for up to the minute updates, as well:

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The post The Rink’s 2022 NHL Trade Deadline Tracker appeared first on The Rink.

If this is any indication of the haul that General Manager Ron Francis can get from this roster of mostly depth players, things are looking up in the Emerald City.

TRADE: The #SeaKraken have acquired a 2022 2nd round pick (acquired from FLA), a 2023 3rd round pick and a 2024 7th round pick from the @NHLFlames in exchange for forward Calle Jarnkrok.

Follow all of our Trade Deadline coverage → https://t.co/BteUmXsDLx pic.twitter.com/C6KDjbiSMj

— Seattle Kraken (@SeattleKraken) March 17, 2022

Jarnkrok was selected from the Nashville Predators in the expansion draft last summer. He played in 49 games with the Kraken and put up 26 points (12 goals, 14 assists). He comes with 63 games of NHL playoff experience and 15 playoff points (three goals, 12 assists).

Seattle will try to amass as many draft pick as they can to bolster a thin system. Look for some familiar names like Mark Giordano to be moved in the next five days and follow us at The Rink as we break down each move.

Date	The-Rink Division	Outgoing Player/Pick	Opposite Team	Player/Pick Received
3/16/2022		Calle Jarnkrok		'22 2nd round pick (acquired from FLA), '23 3rd round pick, and a '24 7th round pick
3/18/2022		Brandon Hagel, '22 4th round pick, '24 4th round pick		Boris Katchouk, Taylor Raddysh, ‘23 1st round pick, ‘24 1st round pick
3/20/2022		Mark Giordano (50% salary retained), Colin Blackwell		'22 2nd round pick, '23 2nd round pick, and, '24 3rd round pick
3/20/2022		Jeremy Lauzon		'22 2nd round pick
3/20/2022		Mason Appleton		'23 4th round pick
3/21/2022		Marcus Johansson (50% salary retained)		Daniel Sprong, '22 4th round pick, and '23 6th round pick
3/21/2022		Marc-Andre Fleury (50% salary retained)		Conditional '22 2nd (potential 1st) round pick
3/21/2022		Ryan Carpenter		'24 5th round pick
3/21/2022		Future Considerations		Victor Rask

The post TRADE: Kraken send Jarnkrok to Calgary Flames appeared first on The Rink.

It is no secret the Blackhawks badly need to replenish their mostly barren cupboards, and the trade deadline will serve as newly minted General Manager Kyle Davidson’s first big opportunity to do so, and is one he needs to take full advantage of since he has a number of assets that should be moved in order to start building toward the future.

Before breaking down each player’s likelihood of being dealt and a potential return for each player, it is important to first analyze what the priority needs to be for the Blackhawks entering the deadline.

Simply put, there needs to be one goal—and one goal only—leading up to March 21: Asset maximization.

What exactly does asset maximization actually mean? That is a great question, and is one Davidson needs to be keenly aware of. Asset maximization means gaining any sort of net positive in a transaction. This can be accomplished in various ways depending on the franchise, so it is important to understand the Blackhawks’ true situation: Needing to build the franchise back up to being a Stanley Cup winner. That is the critical context Davidson needs to be working under moving forward, no matter what that requires in terms of personnel decisions. There are a number of different ways to view maximizing assets, and that largely depends on the asset itself combined with your goal for the asset.

One key component of this rebuild is Davidson cannot afford to be glued to any player for any specific reason. Every player—yes, EVERY player—can be had for the right return. Let’s not forget that the great Wayne Gretzky was traded TWICE in his illustrious career. So yes, even the “sacred cows” and the “rebuild cornerstones” can be moved—if the return is right. Now, that does NOT mean the Blackhawks should or will trade any given player in the organization, but Davidson at least needs to listen and assess any potential deal that comes across his desk, no matter how far-fetched it may seem. Doing his due diligence on transactions is a critical part of his job, and getting the Blackhawks back to Stanley Cup contention—something they are miles from currently—is his ultimate job responsibility.

With that in mind, Davidson needs to accurately determine how every asset in the organization fits into the grand scheme of getting the Blackhawks back to the promised land, and then act accordingly based on his judgements. Of course, there is so much more involved with this process than the average fan would like to admit, such as the fact the team still needs to sell tickets and merchandise, still needs NHL players playing NHL minutes, still needs to meet the salary cap floor and still needs veterans playing in key roles in order to help younger players properly develop. It is not as simple as trading away every established player for future assets and just playing a bunch of “kids” in order to bottom out. That can—and should—be done to an extent, but again, there still needs to be some degree of structure on an NHL team during a rebuild.

So, with the context established, let’s dig through the current NHL roster to realistically assess where each player stands in the short term and long term. While AHL players and prospects could be dealt, the return would likely be marginal at best, so it is not really worth breaking down those players in particular.

Forwards

Henrik Borgstrom — $1 million cap hit through 2022–23

Borgstrom is a player who likely would not have much value at the trade deadline since he would likely not even crack the lineup for a playoff team. Being under contract through the end of next season, expect Borgstrom to be back competing for a full-time spot in the Hawks’ lineup next season, with that likely determining his long-term future with the organization.

Ryan Carpenter — $1 million cap hit, pending unrestricted free agent

Carpenter is the first player on the list seemingly destined to have a new address next week. As a player who knows his role—a defensively responsible fourth-liner capable of winning face-offs—Carpenter is the type of player playoff teams enjoy cheaply adding at the deadline as they gear up for a Cup run. Though the return will not be much, perhaps a sixth-round draft pick at best, Carpenter’s value is highest to the Blackhawks by being dealt at the deadline and hoping that draft pick can turn into a future piece of the rebuild, as he would likely move to greener pastures this summer as a free agent anyway. As such, take what you can get and run.

Ryan Carpenter is likely a player heading out the door at the trade deadline. (Photo by USA Today Sports)

Kirby Dach — $925,000 cap hit, pending restricted free agent

Dach is the first player to fit into the “no sacred cows” category. Frankly, there is little to no chance of him being dealt at the deadline, but he needs to be one of those players who Davidson takes a long look at this summer in order to determine what Dach will truly provide for the franchise down the road. If Dach can become a legitimate top-six NHL player down the road, then he is very likely a piece the team will keep. If there is cause for concern about Dach’s future, it would be extremely wise for Davidson to cash out on the value Dach has in order to maximize the asset. Again, that is not an endorsement for moving him, just a recognition of what the ultimate focus needs to be. All that said, expect Dach back in the fall competing for a permanent top-six role, and hopefully being able to truly and properly fill it.

Alex DeBrincat — $6.4 million cap hit through 2022–23

Another of the “sacred cows,” DeBrincat will very likely not be leaving Chicago any time soon, which is perfectly fine. He is certainly young enough to envision him still being a high-end player by the time the Hawks are back in the playoffs and will likely be one of the main faces of the franchise through the rebuild. But again, the focus during the rebuild needs to be asset maximization. If another team presents a massive haul in return for DeBrincat, Davidson has to strongly consider it. The likelihood of that happening is probably slim, so get used to enjoying DeBrincat for the foreseeable future.

MacKenzie Entwistle — $800,000 cap hit through 2023–24

Entering an extension next season, Entwistle is a player similar to Borgstrom who would not really offer much value to a playoff team at the deadline. Entwistle likely has a bit more safe of a position with the organization moving forward given the two-year contract extension he received, but will likely never be more than a bottom-six role player, which is fine. Entwistle is young enough where he could still be a viable depth option when the team returns to prominence, or he could end up being similar to Carpenter and being flipped for a mid-late draft pick at a future deadline. Regardless, he likely will not be going anywhere soon.

Brandon Hagel — $1.5 million cap hit through 2023–24

Ah, now we are talking. Perhaps the most hotly contested and debated Blackhawks player in terms of the 2022 trade deadline, Hagel is the ultimate question mark in terms of asset maximization. Let me first say that I truly do love Hagel. Originally a sixth-round draft pick of the Buffalo Sabres, the Hawks signed Hagel as an unsigned free agent in 2019 having given up nothing to acquire him. Talk about a return on investment. Hagel has blossomed into a fan favorite capable of doing literally everything for his team—all at a low cap hit—which is exceedingly desirable and valuable for a contending team.

There are certainly two sides of the coin here. One the one hand, Hagel is just 23 years old and has quickly risen through the lineup to be a go-to player, having already lit the lamp 21 times this season. With his youth, one could certainly envision Hagel being another face of the franchise during the rebuild and still being a contributor upon the Hawks rising back to prominence. However, players of his type oftentimes struggle with durability as their careers progress (see: Shaw, Andrew), so that is one thing to take into serious consideration here.

On the flip side, the return for Hagel right now rumored to have already been turned down by the Blackhawks is a first-round pick and a prospect. Based on the return for Tyler Toffoli, that return would seem to be accurate given the market. For a team starving for quality prospects and future assets, that is an extremely difficult return to say no to for a player who would ultimately be a third-liner on a Stanley Cup team. Can you actually turn down two quality future assets for a third-line winger? Can you actually turn down those assets when you realistically should be able to at worst replace Hagel’s value with that late first-round pick? Again, I truly do love Hagel, I really do, but that would be an awfully tough pill to swallow entering a rebuild. It is a tough decision, but that is why Davidson is paid the big bucks. While I do not think the Blackhawks would necessarily regret keeping Hagel, his value will likely never be higher than it is right now. He needs to be a player the team either keeps through his prime or moves now; anything outside of that is poor asset management. Moving Hagel for a quality return is the epitome of asset maximization, though it sounds like the Hawks do plan to keep him in the fold.

Fan favorite Brandon Hagel has drawn plenty of debate leading up to the trade deadline. (Photo by Melissa Tamez / Getty Images)

Tyler Johnson — $5 million cap hit through 2023–24

Back to much simpler answers, Johnson likely will not be going anywhere for the foreseeable future given his contract. Johnson seems destined to be one of those players who will be a veteran to lean on for legitimate NHL minutes through the rebuild, and that is fine. Not much to see here.

Patrick Kane — $10.5 million cap hit through 2022–23

Oh, there is so much to debate here, but the fact of the matter is, right or wrong, Kane will not be going anywhere unless he wants to. Short of something drastically changing in the coming days, Kane will not be dealt at the deadline, which would push his trade window to the draft at the earliest. Of course, moving Kane would be the largest possible pill to swallow for the organization financially, but he is by far the most valuable asset the team has, and again, with the focus on asset maximization, moving Kane within the next year would work wonders toward truly rebuilding the Blackhawks. Some would argue the team cannot truly rebuild without moving him, and it is difficult to disagree. Sure, Kane would likely still be a quality player in four or five years, but by not moving him, the team would be prolonging the rebuild and likely guaranteeing not winning another Cup during Kane’s playing career. It will be tough, but the bullet has to be bitten at some point.

Jujhar Khaira — $975,000 cap hit through 2022–23

Khaira has been injured for much of the season, but is similar to Carpenter in the sense he is a reliable veteran fourth-liner that teams know they can count on come playoff time. Expect Khaira to be next year’s Carpenter, being dealt at the 2023 trade deadline for a late pick. To give Hawks fans a comparable they can relate to, the team acquiring Khaira next year will be looking at their version of the Blackhawks acquiring Andrew Desjardins back in the day.

Dominik Kubalik — $3.7 million cap hit, pending restricted free agent

Kubalik is a prime example of poor asset management. Kubalik’s value was sky high after a wildly successful 30-goal rookie campaign, but has sharply dropped since he has returned back to Earth in the last couple of seasons. Still, Kubalik is a capable goal scorer who can slot into a playoff lineup in a depth role, and depth scoring is critically important for playoff success. As such, Kubalik would be a player fans should expect could be dealt ahead of the deadline. While the Hawks could opt to keep him around for some depth scoring of their own, it seems like Kubalik has fallen out of favor in Chicago, so just cashing out on the asset might make the most sense both in the short and long term. The return will not be nearly what it would have been in the offseason of 2020, but the Hawks should still manage a decent return and are apparently asking for a second-round pick, though I would say a third-round pick for Kubalik is more realistic.

Dominik Kubalik is another player who may be moved ahead of Monday’s trade deadline. (Photo courtesy of NBC Sports Chicago)

Philipp Kurashev — $842,500 cap hit, pending restricted free agent

Kurashev falls into a similar category as Entwistle, being a player with a fairly safe long-term future in Chicago. The Hawks likely hoped Kurashev would take a step forward this season, but it did not come. Still, Kurashev will likely be around for the foreseeable future, likely fitting in the lineup as a reliable two-way third-liner with the ability to slot up higher if needed.

Sam Lafferty — $750,000 cap hit, pending unrestricted free agent

Lafferty is actually an intriguing case. He is a depth forward likely in the prime of his career, but it seems like the Hawks like him and he has actually started heating up a bit of late. While he likely would not bring much of a return, capitalizing on the hot streak might make the most sense from the asset maximization standpoint, especially since Lafferty likely would not be playing a notable role by the time the Blackhawks are through their rebuild. If the team does move on from Lafferty at the deadline, something in the range of a fifth- or sixth-round pick is probably reasonable to expect. Still though, with the team seemingly liking what he offers, do not be surprised if he sticks around past the deadline and re-signs in the offseason.

Dylan Strome — $3 million cap hit, pending restricted free agent

Love him or hate him, Strome has quickly turned around his season with an impressive hot streak entering the deadline, and what perfect timing. The team has reportedly been trying to find a suitor for a year now without luck, but his surge might just change that. However, as time has worn on, it has become evident Strome would hold a different role with the Hawks than he would with a contending team, and the potential problem with that is most teams likely know Strome is not really suited for being a third-line player, which is where he would likely slot in on a contender. He is the type of player who needs to be playing big minutes with quality players in order to produce, and that is probably not something a contending team could provide him. The Blackhawks are reportedly asking for a second-round pick in return for Strome, though a third-round pick is probably more realistic. But given that, is it even worth it to move him for that type of return? If Strome can be an affordable top-six guy during the rebuild, that might not be the worst thing to just keep him, especially with his obvious chemistry with DeBrincat and Kane. Again, the Hawks need NHL players playing NHL minutes during the rebuild, and that is something Strome could provide. But, if they do find a suitor and move him, you will not find anyone complaining here.

Dylan Strome’s time in Chicago may be coming to an end, or, it could just be beginning. (Photo by Paul Sancya / Associated Press)

Jonathan Toews — $10.5 million cap hit through 2022–23

Toews’ situation is similar to Kane’s in the sense he will not be going anywhere unless he wants to, plain and simple. Also similar to Kane, a deal would likely not happen until the draft at the earliest. But, unlike Kane, there would not be nearly as big of a market for Toews should he want to move on. His health concerns are very legitimate, and that does not even begin to factor in the monstrous cap hit. Even at half retained, there likely would not be a huge return coming Chicago’s way given he would probably be a third-line center on a contending team. While it is possible Toews could move on one day, it is probably more realistic for Toews to finish his esteemed career as a Blackhawk, whenever that might be, and it could very well be sooner rather than later.

Defensemen

Calvin de Haan — $4.55 million cap hit, pending unrestricted free agent

This might be among the easier decisions Davidson has at the deadline. Similar to Carpenter, de Haan is the type of player contending teams crave at the deadline. De Haan is a reliable, defense-first defenseman who is willing to put his body on the line to get the job done, something every Cup team needs. It is highly likely de Haan would not re-sign with the team, so cashing out on him now is the only rational choice here. While it may require the Hawks to retain some of his cap hit in order to receive a quality return, that is something they should eagerly welcome. The reported ask is a second-round pick, and that could feasibly happen if the Blackhawks did retain half of his cap hit, but expecting a third-round pick is probably more realistic for the veteran blueliner.

Calvin de Haan is one player most people expect to be dealt ahead of Monday’s trade deadline. (Photo courtesy of The Fourth Period)

Erik Gustafsson — $800,000 cap hit, pending unrestricted free agent

The Blackhawks managed to deal Gustafsson at the trade deadline once before. If another team is willing to give the Hawks literally anything for him this time around, Davidson needs to accept and hang up the phone before the other team changes their mind. It is either sayonara now or in the offseason, so if an asset can be had, great. Don’t let the door hit you on the way out, again.

Caleb Jones — $850,000 cap hit, pending restricted free agent

The younger Jones is likely a player the Blackhawks plan to have around for a while, which is fine. He is a young, serviceable bottom-pairing guy at a cheap cap hit. Nothing wrong with that, but not much to see here, either.

Seth Jones — $9.5 million cap hit through 2029–30

The elder Jones has been solid for the Hawks this season, but will always be judged in light of the gargantuan package then-general manager Stan Bowman gave up to acquire him at the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. Yes, the Blackhawks badly needed a No. 1 defenseman, but mortgaging the future entering a rebuild to acquire one was not the way to do it. Jones will be a valuable piece for the Hawks for many years to come, but they had better hope they will be back to contending while Jones is still playing at a high level.

Jake McCabe — $4 million cap hit through 2024–25

McCabe is one of those players where you kind of just throw your hands up and ask “Why?” because you just are not sure what to make of him. As has been said earlier, the Blackhawks will need NHL players playing NHL minutes during the rebuild, and that is precisely what he will do.

Connor Murphy — $4.4 million cap hit through 2025–26

Murphy has developed into a quality blueliner for the Hawks, though like Jones, he will always be tied to the trade made to acquire him. Despite that, Murphy will be another quality piece moving forward. It seems likely he will be in Chicago for a while, though entertaining the idea of cashing out on him sometime in the next couple of years might not be the worst thing, either. He would certainly be on the decline by the time the Hawks are regular playoff contenders, so in the name of asset maximization, it would make sense to move him eventually.

Riley Stillman — $1.35 million cap hit through 2023–24

Stillman is similar to Caleb Jones in the sense he is also a cheap 24-year-old bottom-pairing defender. The Blackhawks seem to like Stillman, so do not expect him to be leaving the organization any time soon. Not much to see here.

Alex Vlasic — $824,167 cap hit through 2023–24

The newest member of the Hawks is just getting his professional career started, so there is no reason to think he will be heading out the door in the near future. A physically imposing blueliner, it will be enjoyable to see if Vlasic can reach his potential and develop into a top-four defenseman capable of doing a bit of everything. If you want to read a bit more about Vlasic, check out my piece about his signing.

Goaltenders

Marc-Andre Fleury — $7 million cap hit, pending unrestricted free agent

Another hot-button topic leading up to the deadline is what will happen with the legendary netminder. You might be disappointed, but I am not going to waste much time here. A promise was made to Fleury that it would be his decision regarding a potential move at the deadline and the team intends to keep that promise. Right or wrong, that is the reality of the situation. Yell at clouds all you want, like our own Jeff Osborn has been doing. Obviously yes, from a rebuilding standpoint, moving Fleury and getting a solid return—such as, say, a first-round pick—would be hugely beneficial for the Blackhawks. If Fleury wants to stay for the rest of the season, that’s fine, too. The team got a year out of a legendary player and person, and there is value in that. Even though this is The Rink, not everything needs to be negative. If Fleury wants to move to a contender and the Hawks get some assets in return, wonderful. If he wants to stay for the homestretch, enjoy it. Simple as that.

Marc-Andre Fleury holds the cards in any potential deal involving him leading up to the trade deadline. Fleury’s decision will have a defining impact on the outcome of the Chicago Blackhawks’ deadline dealings. (Photo courtesy of The Athletic)

Kevin Lankinen — $800,000 cap hit, pending unrestricted free agent

Like Lafferty, Lankinen might be an underrated name heading into the deadline, especially if Fleury wants to stay in Chicago. With teams looking for goaltending help, a dirt-cheap option like Lankinen might actually prove to be quite appealing at the deadline. Lankinen can provide NHL minutes both now and in the future for whichever team he finds himself on come March 22. If it is with the Hawks, he can likely be a tandem goalie through the rebuild, which is perfectly fine and good. If he is dealt, he might fetch the Hawks a mid-round pick, which, hey, that is more than what they gave up to get him (hint: nothing). Lankinen is very replaceable, so if the Hawks do have an offer of note for him at the deadline, they might as well pull the trigger and ensure they get something for him since he could theoretically walk this summer.

Recap

That was a lot of information, so let’s summarize. The players to really keep an eye on ahead of Monday’s trade deadline are the following: Carpenter, de Haan, Fleury and Kubalik. Maybe add in the likes of Hagel and Strome, too. And for those sneaky trade chips, maybe Lafferty and Lankinen. And Gustafsson, if anyone actually wants him. Outside of those names, everyone else is likely safe, at least for now. And that is not to say all of those players will be dealt; quite the contrary. If even half of those players are moved, it will have been an eventful deadline for Davidson and the Blackhawks.

Of course, being able to move some of those bigger chips and acquire some quality pieces for the future has to be the goal, and if a first-round pick for this year’s draft can be recouped, even better. Realistically, let’s hope for maybe a second-round pick and some mid-round picks. But regardless of the outcome, how Davidson handles this weekend will likely start to paint a picture of the future of the franchise, both for the short and long term, and that is certainly something Blackhawks fans can look forward to.

The post Setting realistic expectations for the Chicago Blackhawks’ trade deadline appeared first on The Rink.

Chicago Blackhawks General Manager Stan Bowman’s trade deadline balance sheet looks like the following:

IN
RW Vinnie Hinostroza
RW Brett Connolly
D Riley Stillman
C/W Henrik Borgstrom
C/W Adam Gaudette
F Ryder Rolston
F Josh Dickinson
2021 second-round pick
2022 third-round pick
2021 fourth-round pick
2021 seventh-round pick

OUT
F Brad Morrison
F Lucas Wallmark
D Lucas Carlsson
F Matthew Highmore
C Carl Soderberg
C/W Mattias Janmark
D Madison Bowey
2021 fifth-round pick
2022 fifth-round pick

Net result: Positive, since the Hawks gave up absolutely nothing that is part of their long-term plan or even close to it, and acquired some projectable assets.

Caveat: While the same folks are doing the same “Big StanBo Victory Dance-a-thon” on Twitter this afternoon, if we are really being honest, the actual return here is, ahem, pretty conditional. Put another way, we know that all the “guys” than Bowman unloaded are nothing more than “guys.” But, we also know that:

• Hinostroza has historically been, well, a “guy”
• Connolly has been a disappointment much of his career and will very plausibly be wearing a Kraken sweater this summer
• No one has ever seen Stillman and Carlsson in the same room at the same time
• Vancouver thought Gaudette was worth losing for Highmore
• Rolston has been described in scouting reports as being defensively weak, a perimeter player and lacking high-level hockey sense. But, he is a Notre Dame guy, so, go Stan!

How this will play out: Fifth- and seventh-round draft picks are only slightly more statistically likely to play in the NHL than I am. But, Borgstrom (a 2016 first-round pick), and the second- and third-round picks Bowman acquired could each turn into something of value down the line. Similarly, statistically, many second- and third-rounders do not make it in the NHL (look no further than the Hawks’ own history in those rounds).

But, let’s say Borgstrom and one of those picks matriculate as solid contributors for the Hawks in say, middle- or bottom-six roles? Meh, okay, because in the larger perspective, Bowman gave up nothing he wanted to keep.

So, this trade deadline was overall a “win” for Bowman and the Hawks, but also not necessarily a big win—unless some combination of the picks and prospects Bowman acquired beat the odds, and exceed expectations and current projections.

All we have for now.

The post ANALYSIS: Blackhawks have a no-lose/maybe-win trade deadline appeared first on The Rink.

Date	The-Rink Division	Outgoing Player/Pick	Opposite Team	Player/Pick Received
4/2/21		Brad Morrison		Vince Hinostroza
4/8/21		Lucas Carlsson, Lucas Wallmark		Brett Connolly, Riley Stillman, Henrik Borgstrom, 7th round draft pick
4/9/21		2022 conditional seventh round pick		Riley Nash
4/9/21		2022 fourth-round selection		Patrik Nemeth
4/9/21		Greg Pateryn		Devan Dubnyk
4/10/21		David Savard and Brian Lashoff thru		2021 NHL Draft and a 2022 third-round pick
4/11/21		David Rittich		2022 third round pick
4/11/21		Nick Foligno and Stefan Noesen thru		2021 first round pick, 2021 fourth round pick and 2022 fourth round pick
4/12/21		Adam Gaudette		Matthew Highmore
4/12/21		2021 2nd and 2022 3rd round draft pick thru		Mattias Janmark and 2022 5th round draft pick
4/12/21		Josh Dickinson and Ryder Rolston		Carl Soderberg
4/12/21		2021 4th round draft pick		Madison Bowey and a 2021 fifth round draft pick
4/12/21		Antti Suomela		Alexander Barabanov
		Ben Hutton		2022 fifth round draft pick

Trade Analysis/Break Down:

• • • • Chicago Blackhawks acquired Vinnie Hinostroza from the Florida Panthers for Brad Morrison
      • Toronto Maple Leafs acquired Riley Nash from the Columbus Blue Jackets for a 2022 conditional seventh round pick
      • Colorado Avalanche acquired Patrik Nemeth from the Detroit Red Wings for a 2022 fourth round pick
      • Columbus Blue Jackets/Detroit Red Wings/Tampa Bay Lightning 3-way trade:
        • Tampa Bay Lightning acquired Brian Lashoff from the Columbus Blue Jackets for 2021 first round pick and 2022 third round pick
        • Tampa Bay Lightning acquired David Savard from the Detroit Red Wings for a 2021 fourth round pick
        • Detroit Red Wings acquired David Savard from the Columbus Blue Jackets for Brian Lashoff
      • Colorado Avalanche acquired Devan Dubnyk from the San Jose Sharks for Greg Pateryn and 2021 fifth round pick
      • Columbus Blue Jackets/San Jose Sharks/Toronto Maple Leafs 3-way trade:
        • San Jose Sharks acquired Nick Foligno from the Columbus Blue Jackets for Stefan Noesen
        • Toronto Maple Leafs acquired Nick Foligno from the San Jose Sharks for 2021 fourth round pick
        • Toronto Maple Leafs acquired Stefan Noesen from the Columbus Blue Jackets for 2021 first round pick and 2022 fourth round pick
      • Toronto Maple Leafs acquired David Rittich from the Calgary Flames for a 2022 third round pick
      • Chicago Blackhawks acquired Adam Gaudette from the Vancouver Canucks for Matthew Highmore
      • Chicago Blackhawks/San Jose Sharks/Vegas Golden Knights 3-way trade:
        • San Jose Sharks acquired Mattias Janmark from the Chicago Blackhawks for Nick DeSimone
        • Vegas Golden Knights acquired Mattias Janmark from the San Jose Sharks for 2022 fifth round pick
        • Vegas Golden Knights acquired Nick DeSimone and 2022 fifth round pick from the Chicago Blackhawks for 2021 second round pick and 2022 third round pick
      • Colorado Avalanche acquired Carl Soderberg from the Chicago Blackhawks for Josh Dickinson and Ryder Rolston
      • Vancouver Canucks acquired Madison Bowey and 2021 fifth round pick from the Chicago Blackhawks for 2021 fourth round draft pick
      • San Jose Sharks acquired Alexander Barabanov from the Toronto Maple Leafs for Antti Suomela
      • Toronto Maple Leafs acquire Ben Hutton from Anaheim in exchange for a 2022 fifth-round selection

Also, be sure to follow the entire The-Rink staff on Twitter for up to the minute updates, as well:

The Rink Official

Chicago Divison
The Rinkcast
John Jaeckel
Ray Napientek
Eric Andrews
Sean Fitzgerald
Eric Johnson

Colorado Divison
Aaron Goldschmidt
Marie Sexton
Owyn Cooper
Craig Jones
Karen Cherrett

Seattle Divison
Kraken Hostile Seattle Rinkcast
Jeff Osborn

Toronto Divison
Cristina Caruso

Columbus Divison

The post The-Rink.com 2021 NHL Trade Deadline Tracker appeared first on The Rink.

The-Rink.com co-hosts “Gatekeeper” and “Double J” get together to discuss the COVID-19 lockdown and postponement of all professional sports.

• Blackhawks, IceHogs and Fuel seasons postponed
• What scenarios have we been hearing?
• Rocky Wirtz talks to NBC Sports Chicago and fuels the fire.
• If you are interested in writing for The Rink for any division, email writefor@the-rink.com

Please subscribe, rate this episode, and even write us a review. Reviews will be read on the air.

Also, please help spread the word to more #RinkRats and visit our sponsor www.PUCKHCKY.com. Use the discount code “THERINK” for 10% off all orders.

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The post Blackhawks Rinkcast – Season 3, Episode 15 – Don’t Fear the Reaper appeared first on The Rink.

The-Rink.com co-hosts “Gatekeeper” and “Double J” get together with former Chicago Tribune Blackhawks beat writer Jimmy Greenfield to discuss the post-deadline Blackhawks.

• Blackhawks three game winning streak.
• Nick Seeler, Ian Mitchell, Evan Barratt.
• Should the upper management be consulting the cup core?
• More insight on the goalie situation
• Wrap up with some listener questions.
• If you are interested in writing for The Rink for any division, email writefor@the-rink.com

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The post Blackhawks Rinkcast – Season 3, Episode 14 – featuring Jimmy Greenfield appeared first on The Rink.

The-Rink.com co-hosts “Gatekeeper” and “Double J” get together with HockeyBuzz Blackhawks writer Tyler Cameron to discuss the Blackhawks highly disappointing trade deadline.

• Nathan Noel to the Philadelphia Flyers for TJ Brennan
• Robin Lehner to the Vegas Golden Knights in a three way deal (including Toronto) for Malcolm Subban, Stanislav Demin, and 2020 second round pick
• Erik Gustafsson to Calgary for a draft pick
• If you are interested in writing for The Rink for any division, email writefor@the-rink.com

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The post Blackhawks Rinkcast – Season 3, Episode 13 – Trade deadline “fizzle-ure” appeared first on The Rink.

Brennan returns to Rockford

It was a rather interesting NHL trade deadline for the IceHogs this year. The NHL and AHL use the same deadline to make trades and make players available to move along the waiver wire once trade deadline day passes. As of nearly two hours after said deadline, no players where moved between the Blackhawks and IceHogs as “paper transactions,” which would make those players eligible to be sent from the NHL to the AHL, were the IceHogs to make the Calder Cup playoffs this season.

But alas, in a world of instant gratification, the Blackhawks paper transactions did finally come through the AHL wire as Lucas Carlsson and Matthew Highmore were assigned to and recalled from the IceHogs later Monday evening.

To the trade and a welcome back to the IceHogs for T.J. Brennan.

T.J. Brennan played for the #IceHogs in the 2014-15 season (36pts in 54 GM). He has 475pts in 673 #AHL games. 5x AHL All-Star, 2x AHL Best Defesneman, 3x AHL defenseman points leader#Blackhawks #NHL #NHLTradeDeadline

— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) February 24, 2020

Brennan is a seasoned veteran in professional hockey with 53 NHL games and 673 AHL games under his belt, including 63 AHL playoff games. His accolades at the AHL level make for a highly impressive resume, being named an AHL All-Star five times, leading the league in scoring for defensemen three times, and twice being named the Eddie Shore Award winner as the AHL’s best defenseman in 2014 and 2016.

In his last four seasons in the AHL, Brennan has been playing with the Philadelphia Flyers’ AHL affiliate, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. He has just eight points in 28 games this season for the Phantoms after scoring 40-plus points in his last three years. Brennan has not dressed for the Phantoms since January 10.

His addition fills a gap in the Rockford defensive core with Carlsson in Chicago currently, but the move does little, if anything, to help the Blackhawks or IceHogs moving forward. If a fresh start for this season is what Brennan needed, hopefully he can find it in a familiar IceHogs setting.

What’s next?

The Rockford IceHogs are back in action on Wednesday against the Texas Stars. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. in Cedar Park, Texas. The IceHogs begin a three-game road trip in Texas, as they will face the Stars again on Friday night and then wrapping up with a Sunday afternoon contest against the San Antonio Rampage.

Rockford currently sits two points outside of the Calder Cup Playoff picture in fifth-place in the Central Division standings. They are three points ahead of the Stars and one point ahead of the Rampage in the division.

The post Blackhawks acquire T.J. Brennan, will report to IceHogs appeared first on The Rink.

Gustafsson was drafted by the Edmonton Oilers in the fourth round (93rd overall) of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. He was signed by the Blackhawks as a free agent in 2015 after his draft rights expired and he was not able to come to terms with Edmonton. He played 41 with the team in 2015–16 and 35 games in 2016–17, but his big break was last season when he 60 points (17 goals, 43 assists) in 79 games with Chicago. His numbers have significantly dropped off this season and he will become an unrestricted free agent following this season. It was unlikely that the Blackhawks would make a significant offer to keep him.

In return, the Blackhawks acquired a third-round draft pick. More detailed info to come.

The post BREAKING: Blackhawks trade Erik Gustafsson to Calgary Flames appeared first on The Rink.

Date	The-Rink Division	Outgoing Player/Pick	Opposite Team	Player/Pick Received
2/19/20		Mason Marchment		Denis Malgin
2/19/20		Aaron Luchuk and a conditional 2021 6th round draft pick		Max Veronneau
2/22/20		Miikka Salomaki		Ben Harpur
2/24/20		Michael Hutchinson		Calle Rosen
2/24/20		Erik Gustafsson		Third round draft pick
2/24/20		Vladislav Namestnikov		2021 fourth round pick
2/24/20		Part 1 Robin Lehner		Malcolm Subban, Slava Demin and a 2nd round pick
2/24/20		Part 2 Robin Lehner and Martins Dzierkals		2020 5th round draft pick
2/24/20		Nathan Noel		TJ Brennan
2/24/20		Markus Hannikainen		conditional 2020 seventh round pick
2/24/20		Sonny Milano		Devin Shore
2/24/20		Jordan Schmaltz		Matt Lorito

Trade Analysis:

• Toronto Maple Leafs acquired Denis Malgin from the Florida Panthers for Mason Marchment
• Toronto Maple Leafs acquired Max Veronneau from the Ottawa Senators for Aaron Luchuk and conditional 2021 sixth round pick
• Toronto Maple Leafs acquired Ben Harpur from the Nashville Predators for Miikka Solomaki
• Toronto Maple Leafs acquired Calle Rosen from the Colorado Avalanche for Michael Hutchinson
• Colorado Avalanche acquired Vladislav Namestnikov from the Ottawa Senators for a 2021 fourth round pick
• Chicago Blackhawks trade Erik Gustafsson to the Calgary Flames for a third round pick
• Chicago Blackhawks trade Robin Lehner to the Vegas Golden Knights for Malcom Subban, and a second round pick.
• Chicago Blackhawks trade Nathan Noel to the Philadelpia Flyers for T.J. Brennan.
• Arizona Coyotes acquired Markus Hannikainen from the Columbus Blue Jackets for a conditional 2020 seventh round pick
• Columbus Blue Jackets acquired Devin Shore from the Anaheim Ducks for Sonny Milano
• New York Islanders traded Matt Lorito to Toronto Maple Leafs for Jordan Schmaltz

Also, be sure follow the entire The-Rink staff on Twitter for up to the minute updates, as well:

The Rink Official

Chicago Divison
The Rinkcast
Jeff Osborn
John Jaeckel
Mario Tirabassi
Ray Napientek
Juliana Nikac
Eric Andrews
Matt Csakai
Ron Luce
Sean Fitzgerald
Lenny Arquilla
Eric Johnson

Colorado Divison
Aaron Goldschmidt
JJ Seaward
Lucas Rozell
Marie Sexton

Toronto Divison
Cristina Caruso

Columbus Divison

The post The-Rink.com 2020 NHL Trade Deadline Tracker appeared first on The Rink.

The-Rink.com co-hosts “Gatekeeper” and “Double J” get together to discuss the Blackhawks latest slide, and the upcoming trade deadline.

• The Blackhawks play has them falling down the standings.
• Alex DeBrincat and Dylan Strome.  What is up with Alex Debrincat?
• Corey Crawford and Robin Lehner.
• Blackhawks claim defenseman Nick Seeler from the Wild.
• A few The Rink #Puckbag questions.
• If you are interested in writing for The Rink for any division, email writefor@the-rink.com

Please subscribe, rate this episode, and even write us a review. Reviews will be read on the air.

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The post Blackhawks Rinkcast – Season 3, Episode 12 – “As we’ve been saying…” appeared first on The Rink.

The-Rink.com host “Gatekeeper” gets together with Blackhawks and Steel writer Ray Napientek to discuss the state of the team at the all-star break.

• What are the Blackhawks at the 51 game mark?
• Coach Q returns to feed the Blackhawks a little of their own familiar medicine.
• Dominik Kubalik, Kirby Dach and Adam Boqvist are all some great positives.
• Brandon Hagel gets a shot, hopefully.
• More #PayRobin talk: How incredibly dumb it would be to let a guy of this talent go.
• A few The Rink #Puckbag questions.
• If you are interested in writing for The Rink for any division, email writefor@the-rink.com

Please subscribe, rate this episode, and even write us a review. Reviews will be read on the air.

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The-Rink.com host “Gatekeeper” goes solo and gets together with our old buddy Tyler Cameron from HockeyBuzz.

• Recorded prior to the Sens and Habs games.
• We discuss the pending Robin Lehner contract situation.
• Dominik Kubalik is red hot and looking like a steal.
• Who are our picks for a new Blackhawks GM?
• What might happen around the trade deadline?
• If you’re interested in writing for The-Rink about  any division, email writefor@the-rink.com

Please subscribe, rate this episode, and even write us a review. Reviews will be read on the air.

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The post Blackhawks Rinkcast – Season 3, Episode 10 – Tyler Cameron of HockeyBuzz appeared first on The Rink.

Corey Crawford Activated Off IR

As the NHL trade deadline ticked down on Monday afternoon, the Chicago Blackhawks announced that goaltender Corey Crawford would be activated off of the injured reserve list. Crawford has been dealing with a concussion/concussion symptoms since December but reports over the last few days pointed towards his return being sooner rather than later.

On NHL trade deadline day, the Blackhawks made no moves besides activating Crawford and assigning goaltender Collin Delia to the Rockford IceHogs.

Before going down with his injury this season, Crawford held a 6-14-2 record with a 3.28 GAA and a 0.902 save-percentage.

Blackhawks Make Pair Of Players Eligible For AHL Roster

As a part of the NHL trade deadline day, players who are to be eligible for AHL rosters beyond February 25 needed to be on the AHL roster by the 2pm CT deadline time. For the Blackhawks, two players were made available to the IceHogs with Collin Delia and Dylan Sikura being placed on the IceHogs roster. Additionally, newly acquired forward Spencer Watson, acquired in the deal for Matheson Iacopelli, was also on the AHL roster at deadline time.

Collin Delia makes a save against the San Antonio Rampage. (Courtesy: Rockford IceHogs)

With the Blackhawks this season, Delia made it known that he was ready to take the next step in his career and become an NHL-caliber goaltender. In his 15 appearances with Chicago, Delia had a 6-4-3 record with a 3.48 GAA and a team-leading 0.908 save-percentage. While the GAA is high, take it with a grain of salt as the Blackhawks have given up the most goals in the NHL this season.

Delia returns to the AHL with the IceHogs sitting in fourth-place in the AHL Central Division, three points clear of a Calder Cup Playoff spot. His 2.34 GAA and 0.933 save-percentage in the AHL this season lead the IceHogs in both categories and ranks fifth and first among goalies to play at least 15 AHL games this season.

Rockford IceHogs forward Dylan Sikura fires a shot against the Grand Rapids Griffins. (Courtesy: Rockford IceHogs)

For Dylan Sikura, his transaction was a paper transaction as he was recalled back to Chicago once the 2pm CT trade deadline passed. Sikura with the Blackhawks this season has skated in 18 games and has tallied six assists. In his 40 games with the IceHogs this season, Sikura has 30 points. Both players are eligible for any potential Calder Cup Playoff run for Rockford.

What’s Next?

For the Rockford IceHogs, they return to action on Tuesday night on the road against the Chicago Wolves. Rockford closes a four-game road trip against Chicago, having gone 1-1-1 in the previous three games on the trip. Puck drop is set for 7pm CT at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont. Rockford holds a 5-3-1 record against Chicago this season.

For the Chicago Blackhawks, they return to the ice on Wednesday night as they begin a three-game California road trip. On Wednesday, the Blackhawks take on the Anaheim Ducks for a 9pm CT puck drop at the Honda Center in Anaheim. The Ducks and Blackhawks have split the first two meetings between the teams this season.

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Trade Analysis:

Darren Raddysh for Peter Holland

Peter Holland – Center – 6’2″ 210lbs – 28-years-old

Jeff – This is a very minor depth trade that looks a lot like the deal last year that brought Chris DiDomenico to the Icehogs for the stretch playoff run. Raddysh wasn’t going to get much playing time outside of Rockford with the glutton of defensemen in the system, and the Hogs desperately need scoring help.  Holland is a UFA this summer while Raddysh has another year left on his deal.

Matheson Iacopelli for Spencer Watson

Jeff – Super minor deal. Swap of ECHL players that weren’t working out in their current situations.

Also, be sure follow the entire The-Rink staff on Twitter for up to the minute updates, as well:

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Jeff Osborn
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The post Chicago Blackhawks 2019 Trade Deadline Tracker appeared first on The Rink.

The-Rink.com co-hosts Jeff “Gatekeeper” Osborn and John “JJ” Jaeckel wrap up the Blackhawks trade deadline.

• Michal Kempny traded to Washington
• Ryan Hartman traded to Nashville
• Hawks acquire Victor Ejdsell
• Tommy Wingels traded to Boston
• JF Berube looked good in his one start, but the Blackhawks still need to shut Corey Crawford down
• Matthew Highmore called up from Rockford
• More, Laz in the box
• And, as always, some great listener questions.

Please subscribe, rate this episode, and even write us a review. Reviews will be read on the air.

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No IceHogs Involved In Blackhawks Deadline Moves

The Blackhawks made two deals on Monday, neither one touched the roster of the IceHogs. First, Chicago dealt forward Ryan Hartman to the Nashville Predators.

• Blackhawks Receive: 2018 1st Round pick, 2018 4th Round pick, Victor Ejdsell
• Predators Receive: Ryan Hartman, 2018 5th Round pick

As the clock struck 2pm, the Blackhawks made their second move of Deadline Day sending forward Tommy Wingels to the Boston Bruins.

• Blackhawks Receive: 2018 Conditional 5th Round pick (If Bruins reach Eastern Conference Semi-Finals or re-sign Wingels, pick becomes 2018 4th Round)
• Bruins Receive: Tommy Wingels

While rumors swirled that the Blackhawks may have been trying to deal defenseman Brent Seabrook and/or forward Artem Anisimov, the deals would have potentially needed to involve prospects to sweeten any type of deal. The IceHogs were able to come away from the NHL Deadline without losing any key personnel.

As far as trade reaction goes, the Blackhawks were essentially able to turn Ryan Hartman and Tommy Wingels into 2018 1st and 4th round picks and a “near NHL-ready” prospect, to quote general manager Stan Bowman, in Ejdsell. All-in-all, a decent haul for what was being moved. It hurts to lose a player like Hartman, but the return makes the most sense for trying to rebuild towards the future. With that 1st Round pick coming from the Predators, it’ll more than likely come in the late 20’s, maybe even as high as 30th or 31st, we’ll see.

Pushing Paper

As well as making trades on Monday, the Blackhawks and IceHogs needed to be mindful of the roster limits of the AHL. With the passing of the NHL Trade Deadline, the AHL rosters would be locked for who could participate in any postseason action. With that in mind, the Blackhawks made “paper transactions” to make sure that David Kampf, Carl Dahlstrom, and J.F. Berube would be eligible for any kind of Calder Cup Playoff action the IceHogs may see in the Spring.

Kampf originally was recalled by Chicago on Dec. 27 and since then, he has skated in 27 games with eight points (3G, 5A). In his time with the IceHogs, Kampf played in 30 games with 16 points (7G, 9A).

Dahlstrom, after being named an AHL All-Star in January, was recalled by the Blackhawks on Feb. 9 and since has skated in seven games with two assists. While in Rockford this season, he played in 47 games with 23 points (3G, 20A).

J.F. Berube makes a save against the Cleveland Monsters. (Courtesy: Todd Reicher)

Berube has had two stints with the Blackhawks this season, but made his first start with Chicago just a few days ago on Friday, Feb. 23 against the Sharks. In two appearances in the NHL this year, Berube is 1-0-0 with a 1.73 GAA and a .947 save percentage. With the IceHogs, he made 15 appearances with a 7-8-0 record, a 2.37 GAA and .920 save percentage.

Roster Moves To Make

Aside from the paper transactions and trades made on Monday, the Blackhawks also made a pair of moves to open up roster space in Chicago. Forward Lance Bouma was placed on waivers on Sunday and cleared on Monday afternoon. Once clearing, Bouma was assigned to the IceHogs. This season in Chicago, Bouma has skated in 53 games with nine points (3G, 6A) and has 95 games of AHL experience, all with the Abbotsford Heat.

With Bouma being sent down to the IceHogs, the Blackhawks made a corresponding move by re-calling forward Matthew Highmore. A free agent signing in the Summer, Highmore leads the IceHogs with 35 points (21G, 14A) in 56 games played. In his latest game against the Hershey Bears, Highmore netted his 21st goal of the season and in doing so, set the franchise AHL record for goal-scoring by a rookie.

Matthew Highmore drives to the net against the Bakersfield Condors. (Courtesy: Todd Reicher)

Along with Highmore, it would not be surprising to see the Blackhawks recall players like John Hayden, Gustav Forsling, or Anthony Louis and give them a shot with Chicago before season’s end. Hayden played in 39 games with the Blackhawks this season before being sent to Rockford on Jan. 8. Since then, Hayden has skated in 19 games with 14 points (5G, 9A). Forsling is another player that began the 2017-18 season with the Blackhawks, but was sent to the IceHogs on Jan. 21 and has since skated in 12 games with three points.

Finally, Anthony Louis has been one of the more underrated forwards for Rockford this season. When players like Kampf, Tomas Jurco, and Vince Hinostroza were recalled by the Blackhawks, Louis and Highmore took the offensive reins. Louis has 32 points (10G, 22A) in 51 games his first full year in the AHL this season. With the trades of Hartman and Wingels, along with the Bouma assignment, the Blackhawks have the roster space and the IceHogs have the players worthy of a look in the NHL.

What’s Next?

The IceHogs return to action on Wednesday as they host the Texas Stars in Rockford. Puck drop is set for 7pm Central Time at the BMO Harris Ban Center. Both the Stars and IceHogs are fighting to keep their Calder Cup Playoff hopes alive as the Stars sit in 3rd place in the AHL Pacific Division with a 29-19-7 record, 65 points and a .591 point-percentage. As for Rockford, they currently are on the outside looking in at the Playoff picture. Sitting in 5th place in the AHL Central Division with a 27-23-6 record, 60 points and a .536 point-percentage, the IceHogs trail the Iowa Wild by .047 point-percentage points for 4th place and a spot in the Calder Cup Playoffs. As of Monday, Rockford has 20 games to play, while the Wild have 22 to play. There is work to be done for the IceHogs.

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Also, be sure follow the entire The-Rink staff on Twitter for up to the minute updates, as well:

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John Jaeckel
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Mario Tirabassi
Aaron Goldschmidt
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Trade Analysis:

Ryan Hartman and a pick to Nashville for two picks and a prospect

Jeff – Getting a second 1st round pick is usually pretty good.  This pick will be a late round pick because the Predators will go deep in the playoffs, but this draft should be deep.  The player they get in return (Victor Ejdsell) is a huge Swedish center.  Looks like a younger faster Artem Anisimov.

Tommy Wingels to Boston for a 5th Round pick

Jeff – This is free money, because he is an unrestricted free agent on July 1st. Wingels will come back in the off season, if the Blackhawks want him back. Smart move, for one more pick next summer. The pick is conditional, and becomes a 4th round pick if Wingels either re-signs with Boston or the Bruins win a series in the playoffs.

The post Chicago Blackhawks 2018 Trade Deadline Tracker appeared first on The Rink.

And away we go, rumor season is definitely kicking in to a higher (anyway) gear:

BROADLY

It appears the Hawks are following the Anthony Duclair-Richard Panik model in more than one set of trade discussions: a value for value deal where each GM hopes a change of scenery/coaching/role will help the player they are acquiring. A couple of these deals appear to potentially include Connor Murphy, who one source described to me last night as “struggling” (from the team’s perspective).

Over the last 72 hours, I have heard about the Hawks having several discussions with three teams, about multiple players. Across the board:

OTTAWA

One potential Murphy deal I heard about was with the Senators, possibly involving the Hawks acquiring C Zack Smith (two separate sources).

Before everyone goes off the rails, breaking down a Smith-Murphy deal, a couple of caveats. I was told by one source, the Hawks and Sens are talking about a lot of players right now, and Smith is only one.

At -25 for the year, Zack Smith is not the sexiest acquisition. But none of the names I’m hearing are. It’s more about potentially upgrading a spot in the lineup. Smith does a couple of things consistently well: grind and win faceoffs. Which the Hawks probably need more of, especially faceoff wins.

Speaking of Hawk trade discussions no one will get too terribly excited about . . .

THE RANGERS

Another potential destination for Murphy, with the possible return of defenseman Brendan Smith. I was told “no deal is imminent, but there have been discussions.”

FINALLY, MONTREAL

No news there from my last report. But the teams have been talking about numerous players.

THE COMMON THREAD?

There may be more discussions, and kinds of discussions, going on with more teams, but the ones I’ve heard about seem to be following a very specific pattern: Eastern Conference teams who, like the Hawks, have underperformed and may be looking for a chemistry change at the deadline.

That said, none of these teams are driven right now by the urgency of playoff needs, and some of these conversations—I was told—may not lead anywhere right now, but could resume at the end of the season.

What do you think, discuss below (remember, I’m just the messenger).

Follow @jaeckel

The post New Blackhawk Deadline Rumors appeared first on The Rink.

Typically, at this point of the NHL season, Hawk blogs and message boards are rife with trade rumors and speculation.  But this season has been anything but “typical” for Blackhawk fans—at least within the context of the last decade or so.

My inbox usually has daily updates at this time of year with tips on Hawk trade targets, discussions on deals, who or what could be going the other way, etc. This year, quite honestly, (and I say this knowing a huge deal could plausibly go down tomorrow, or at any time in the next couple of weeks), it’s been very quiet. And by all the usual signs, it appears the Hawks are not going to be buyers for the first time in several seasons—and they may not even do much selling either.

All I have heard is this: a few rumors here and there of the Hawks shopping Michal Kempny and/or Erik Gustafsson—and some interest that actually has gone back to the summer in Vancouver defenseman Michael Del Zotto. Some defensive depth tweaks, nothing more. And all this was related to me when the Hawks were still eyeing the playoffs and not early tee times at Medinah.

Since then, we’ve heard GM Stan Bowman make the oddly defiant (yet classically Bowman) statement that he expects next year’s team to look a lot like this year’s—which will remind some pre-2007 fans of Mike Smith’s equally frustrating  “I like our team” assessments about 15 years ago. That’s what GMs do. It’s a poker game. Even if the opponents are laughing at your poker face.

Then there was (is) the ongoing, bizarre injury/recovery/interpretations etc., surrounding Corey Crawford.

And the nonsensical handling of the backup goalies in Crawford’s absence—which now has Jeff Glass back in the minors, where he’s always really belonged, Anton Forsberg’s head probably completely messed up, and fun-sized journeyman JF Berube as the latest savior coming over the ridge.

What all this suggests is, right now, the Hawks are in organizational gridlock. They don’t know what to do. About anything.

Joel Quenneville has tried literally every line combination possible—and it is Q who has at least been penciling n the goalie’s names night after night in that particular debacle.

Young, recent first round picks like Brandon Saad, Ryan Hartman, and even Nick Schmaltz of late, underperform and look like zombies most nights.

Kempny, Gustafsson, and now Carl (or Calle, we can’t decide) Dahlstrom shuffle in and out of the lineup, while Gustav Forsling plies his trade in Rockford for the time being.

Meh, OK.

But what, if anything, is the plan? If Bowman is to be believed. We’re going to stay this course. The apologist narrative has become, predictably, this is a playoff team with Crawford in net. Yet the Hawks were actually not in playoff position when Crawford “went down” on 12/23.

And even if you do adhere to that belief/rationale, perhaps you might consider that the guy who is therefore the critical lynch pin to your team’s success next season has missed half a season now with what have been reported to be concussion symptoms.

Hello?

So as the trade deadline approaches, where sellers typically load up for the future and buyers overpay, as those who still lament the Dale Weise/Tomas Fleischmann deal of two seasons ago know all too well, do the Hawks have a plan?

My guess, today, this morning—although i have been told there is more information “to come”—is that the hawks will try to sell off depth guys like Lance Bouma or Kempny for draft picks, and that’s it. And really, when you consider that right now, Marian Hossa’s contract is nearly untradeable, as is Brent Seabrook’s, maybe that’s all you can realistically expect.

Fine.

But going back to the bizarre, almost circus sideshow handling of the Crawford injury, then the backup goalies, Bowman’s statements (and non-statements), there’s some evidence that suggests the Hawks as an organization are not sure what to do right now. And perhaps, in light of how quickly and utterly the wheels have fallen off the One Goal Express this season, they are as shocked and overwhelmed as anyone by it.

The bottom line, however, is, well the bottom line.

There’s way too much money at stake in the operation of one of professional sports most successful franchises, located in a large media market, for the team to go without a plan for long. And Rockwell Wirtz is no dummy.

Again, much can happen in the next couple of weeks. But my strong hunch is “the plan” may be conceived above Bowman’s head, will emerge more toward mid-April (at the earliest)—and quite a bit could happen then, in the dressing room, behind the bench, and possibly in the front office.

All for now, I will report rumors as I hear them (even if that bothers some!), please comment below.

Follow: @jaeckel

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