After moving on from Alex DeBrincat and Kirby Dach, which Blackhawks player is next?
The Chicago Blackhawks have come in hot to the offseason. They pulled off three major trades on Day 1 of the 2022 NHL Draft which made it even more clear the direction they are headed in. The rebuild is in full effect, and it will be a tough few years, but the future already looks bright.
First, let’s look at the three trades the Blackhawks did pull off already this offseason. It started by sending 24-year-old Alex DeBrincat to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for the 2022 seventh overall pick, 2022 39th overall pick, and a 2024 third round pick. Then the Blackhawks traded away 21-year-old Kirby Dach and got back the 2022 13th overall pick and 2022 66th overall pick from the Montreal Canadiens. The final deal made was later in the first round when the Blackhawks took on the contract of Petr Mrazek from the Toronto Maple Leafs and moved up 13 spots in the draft to pick for the third time in the first round. Also remember the Blackhawks dealt Brandon Hagel to the Tampa Bay Lightning at the trade deadline for a great return, but he too is very young (23 years old).
There may be criticism on what the Blackhawks acquired for DeBrincat or why they gave up on Dach so early into his career, but overall, they started to really tear things down and dive into a full rebuild that will last a few years at the basement of the league.
Let’s get into the thick of things. The Blackhawks are not done making moves and trades, and with money going out, they will also have to bring money in. The Arizona Coyotes are a perfect example of how a rebuilding team can collect players on bad contracts that other teams want to get rid of in exchange for draft picks and/or prospects. This is how the Blackhawks will be able to stay above the cap floor even though they are paying a good sum of money to a few players.
4 More Blackhawks of Interest
There are now four remaining players that stand out as logical trade candidates for the Blackhawks. The first is Patrick Kane who has one year left on his $10.5 million deal. The next two younger players’ names have been in the rumor mill for some time, as they are both restricted free agents and have offensive potential. They would be Dylan Strome and Dominik Kubalik. The last and least likely of the bunch to be traded is Jonathan Toews. He would garner interest from teams, but the Blackhawks would have to eat a large sum of his contract for his final year.
According to Craig Button of TSN, he said, “You think he’s hanging around, not a chance” hen asked about Kane and the fallout of the DeBrincat trade. Regardless of if he’s won three Stanley Cups, he is in control of where he ends up, and almost any team will be a better choice for the final season of his deal. If the Blackhawks have to retain salary, it is well worth it to get something back for him before they inevitably lose him in free agency in 2023.
Strome has garnered interest from a number of teams and Kubalik’s goal-scoring ability should have him on teams’ radars despite a down year. So to the question of who will be the next Blackhawks player traded. My answer is Kane, then Strome, followed by Kubalik.
Buckle up Blackhawks fans, it could be a long Summer in the Windy City.
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