Days keep flying off the calendar, and the NHL’s pre-Olympic trade freeze is now just six days away. Teams around the league are starting to make moves, and trade buzz is intensifying with the day. Which begs the question: when will the Blackhawks put up the For Sale sign?
The hard part for the Blackhawks at the immediate moment is they’re playing fairly well, even if the wins aren’t coming as frequently as we would prefer. Upsetting the roster presents some turmoil, which isn’t ideal.
However, making moves before the Olympic freeze might give the Blackhawks the best opportunity to get a more formal reset; they can come out of the three-week break with a fresh look and build chemistry from the jump rather than making moves once they start rolling again.
As a reminder: the Olympic trade freeze is lifted on Feb. 22 — just 12 days before the NHL Trade Deadline. The Blackhawks play four road games between returning from the Olympics and the trade deadline. They could use that trip to solidify their rotation and build for a strong home stretch.
With that in mind, here’s what’s popping on the trade market right now. We’ve got some updated comments about Blackhawks trade pieces, and some updated notes on the blue line market around the league.
Jamie Sabau-USA TODAY SportsBlackhawks Trade Chips
On Wednesday, Chris Johnston at The Athletic updated a more robust Trade Big Board. He now lists 40 potentially available names, three of which are Chicago Blackhawks. Here’s what he had to say about the three guys on his list:
14. Connor Murphy
Big, strong and experienced, Murphy has posted strong defensive results under less-than-favorable conditions with the Blackhawks in recent years. The right shot comes with an expiring contract that should be fairly easy to move, particularly in light of how few options are likely to be available in free agency next summer. This is a time of transition in Chicago so roster flexibility is paramount.
19. Ilya Mikheyev
A big winger capable of playing up and down the lineup, Mikheyev brings a fair amount of versatility with his game. He’s been deployed as a penalty-killer throughout his NHL career and is a threat to score short-handed. Not only is Mikheyev a pending UFA, 15 percent of his contract was retained by the Vancouver Canucks in a previous trade, so the cap hit on his deal is eligible to be reduced further.
29. Jason Dickinson
A defense-first center who specializes in smothering opponents, Dickinson is ideally suited for a bottom-six role on a strong team. He’s produced strong underlying metrics for the Blackhawks this season despite being fed a steady diet of defensive-zone starts. While Dickinson doesn’t produce much offense, he can anchor a shutdown line and bring added value as a penalty killer. He’s also playing on an expiring contract.
The Defense Market
I will again note that, while Murphy is the only Blackhawks’ defenseman getting a lot of mentions right now, Matt Grzelcyk is also a likely trade chip for Chicago. On a one-year deal with a bargain basement $1M cap hit, the veteran defenseman is quarterbacking the Blackhawks’ second power play unit. The Blackhawks could open that role for either Kevin Korchinski or Sam Rinzel if/when they move Grzelcyk.
In a rumor dump from David Pagnotta at The Fourth Period on Wednesday, he notes that Winnipeg could move two veteran defensemen.
The Winnipeg Jets are expected to move Luke Schenn at some point before the trade deadline. He probably won’t be the only blueliner the team moves, as sources suggest to me that Logan Stanley is also a very likely candidate to be traded this season. The Jets have not yet had formal contract negotiations with his agent, and there is strong belief out there that Stanley will be dealt.
Schenn, 36, is a right-handed defenseman. Stanley, 27, is a left-handed defenseman. They’re both in the final seasons of their respective contracts that see Schenn carrying a $2.75M cap hit and Stanley boasting a $1.25M cap hit. They’re both headed to unrestricted free agency this summer.
Pagnotta mentions another veteran right-handed defenseman we’ve talked about here previously.
Have the Boston Bruins shifted focus yet to St. Louis Blues veteran Justin Faulk?
As I’ve written previously, the 33-year-old Faulk has a $6.5M cap hit and has one additional year of term left on his contract beyond the current season.
One more name in the Pagnotta rumor piece that’s perhaps the most interesting is veteran right-handed defenseman Mackenzie Weegar. Pagnotta writes a potential fire sale could begin soon in Calgary, and there’s interest in the 32-year-old defenseman. What makes his name being included in the mix is his contract: Weegar’s contract carries a $6.25M cap hit thru the 2030-31 season.
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