The Chicago Blackhawks have plenty of resources entering the offseason to make big swings at adding to the roster through free agency or the trade market. They had a strong end to this past season, with plenty of draft picks from recent years signing their entry-level contracts and making their debuts with the organization. Despite their promising conclusion to the campaign, Chicago finished 31st in the league standings as they did a year ago. They will be selecting third overall in next month’s draft and will have a handful of forward prospects to choose from to add to their growing prospect pool.
While free agency and the draft will be huge for the Blackhawks, the trade market has not been talked about enough early on in the offseason. It will definitely be harder to get deals done, but Chicago has the ammo to make a play at any young player that could be available. One option they could try to pursue was former top draft pick just a few years ago.
Why the Chicago Blackhawks should pursue Shane Wright
Shane Wright was the fourth overall pick in the 2022 draft by the Seattle Kraken, and hasn’t exactly lived up to the hype of the former top prospect he once was. Long before the draft took place, Wright was seen as the “can’t miss” guy in his class. That quickly turned right around draft time, as he dropped out of the top three altogether. He has been a player rumored to be on Seattle’s moving list for a couple of years now, as it took him a while to stay put at the NHL level.
The 2024-25 campaign was Wright’s first full season with Seattle, and he posted 19 goals to pair with his 25 assists for 44 total points in 79 games. He showed plenty of promise throughout the year, and the Blackhawks could look at that alone as a reason to go after Wright if he is brought up in trade talks this summer. The 21-year-old made his NHL debut during the 2022-23 season, where he played eight games
Why it would be hard to get Shane Wright on the Chicago Blackhawks
Because Wright showed some flashes this past year, it might be too early for the Kraken to completely give up on him. This could keep teams like Chicago from landing him this offseason, and it would be totally understandable if Seattle feels the need to see how he does in the fall before determining his long term future with the franchise.
Wright has two more years under contract before becoming a restricted free agent, which would make his cost very high in a trade. The Blackhawks certainly have the assets to get any type of deal done, but it all depends on how much they are willing to give for a guy who only has one full NHL season under his belt.
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