With the All-Star break approaching, the trade deadline looms large and is about a month and a half away. Where does each team stand, and what moves should they be looking to make? We continue our look around the league with the Chicago Blackhawks.
After completely tearing down the team over the last several years, there was no question that the Blackhawks would be one of the lower-tier teams entering this season. After drafting Connor Bedard with the first overall selection last summer, the team attempted to put veteran players such as Taylor Hall, Nick Foligno, and Corey Perry around the young phenom to help his transition into the NHL; but even that plan has not entirely gone to plan. Outside of injury, Bedard has been exactly as advertised for Chicago, but a slew of injuries has prohibited the organization from taking any noticeable steps forward this season.
Record
14-34-2, 8th in the Central
Deadline Status
Seller
Deadline Cap Space
$41.8MM on deadline day, 1/3 retention slots used, 45/50 contracts used, per CapFriendly.
Upcoming Draft Picks
2024: CHI 1st, TB 1st*, CHI 2nd, VAN 2nd, LA 2nd, CHI 3rd, OTT 3rd, CHI 6th
2025: CHI 1st, TOR 1st**, CHI 2nd, DAL 2nd, CHI 3rd***, CHI 4th, NYR 4th, CHI 5th***, CHI 6th, CHI 7th
* If the Tampa Bay Lightning’s 2024 first-round pick falls within the top 10, they will not need to move the draft pick to the Blackhawks.
** If the Toronto Maple Leafs’ 2025 first-round pick falls within the top 10, they will not need to move the draft pick to the Blackhawks.
*** If Jake McCabe plays in less than 50% of Toronto’s 2023 Playoff games OR less than 25% of Toronto’s 2023-24 regular season games, Chicago will transfer their 2025 3rd round pick instead of their 2025 5th round pick.
Trade Chips
Chicago has already taken several trade chips off the board, signing Jason Dickinson, Petr Mrazek, and Foligno each to two-year extensions. The team may look to peddle veteran forwards such as Tyler Johnson and Anthony Beauvillier; but with both currently on the team’s injured reserve, the Blackhawks could be very limited in what they can move this trade deadline season.
If the team does end up trading any of their pending unrestricted or restricted free agents, they will most certainly need to retain salary in any move considering the team is currently only $5.3MM above the salary cap floor. With $29MM currently on the team’s injured reserve, one of the biggest trade chips Chicago has to offer is their available cap space and roster space.
Outside of Beauvillier and Johnson, the Blackhawks simply do not have that much to offer teams outside of cap space at this year’s deadline. With one sizeable trade already out of the way with Elias Lindholm heading to the Vancouver Canucks, look for Chicago to be a salary broker in any future trade involving a cash-strapped buyer in the future.
Team Needs
1) Star Next To Bedard: With Bedard already penciled into the Blackhawks’ long-term plans, it is now time to find another player that he can rely on for much of his career. Nearly a month ago, Chicago missed out on budding star Cutter Gauthier, whom the Philadelphia Flyers moved to the Anaheim Ducks. While no other players similar to Gauthier have been brought up in any trade conversation; he is the right kind of player that Chicago should be targeting if any become available at the deadline. Nevertheless, with having the projected number one overall selection for the second year in a row, the Blackhawks could certainly fill this void with Macklin Celebrini in the upcoming draft.
2) Thin Out The Herd: By design, Chicago has 11 players set to hit unrestricted free agency this summer, while a whopping 14 players will become restricted free agents. Appearing to be somewhat of a crossroads for the franchise, the organization will have to determine which players are worth investing in for the future of the franchise. As things currently stand, Chicago has a roster full of bubble players, and more ice time will have to be allocated to players that the team is convinced should be around for the future. Without any chance of competing for this year’s playoffs, the Blackhawks simply have nothing to lose by giving unofficial tryouts to several of these bubble players throughout the last stretch of the season.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports.
AKA. Anyone not named Bedard is available unless they signed them for leadership in the past 2 months is available. Will take pennies on the dollar if prime picks are involved.
Now imagine if they signed Perry to a 2M salary and decided to shop him now for his team leadership abilities and what they could get with retention… Another 2nd round pick? But now it may cost them 3M-ish for cutting him after a few games because he did something only that team deemed “cut worthy”.
After Kyle Beach does that really shock you? It shouldn’t.
The entire year was intended to be “unofficial tryouts to several of these bubble players.” The incredible 10-12 rotation on/off IR accentuated this.
The allegations were it was verbal assault and unwanted advances. Dont need that crap, especially from someone you signed to be a club house presemce and veteran leader. Good riddance. Not sure how you sign him for 2 mil. The reason they signed him and Folgino at all was because literally no one was going pay them 4 mil and Hawks could to reach the floor. Otherwise they aren’t coming to the Hawks, they are going to contenders.
Hopefully Johnson comes back and we can flip him for something. Also Raddysh needs to go. He’s on par with Reichel as far as disappointments for this year.
I think Reichel needs a fresh start someplace else. The pressure of being a #1 draft pick here is obviously a lot of weight for him. Raddysh is a 4th line guy on a good team at best. Johnson isn’t going to bring back much and the Hawks really don’t need any more draft picks anyway unless they’re after 2026. If you’re expecting big returns , Prepare for disappointment. If anybody wanted any of those guys they’d be gone already.
Raddysh is top 6 forward on most teams. He has shown an pretty decent ability to score, but just like everyone on this team right biw, he cant find the back of the net. He also doesn’t have the ability to be a 4th line player. To be honest, it can’t be all that surprising when literally everyone they expected to score is on IR. The lack of development for Reichel and Kurashev is really disappointing for sure.
I don’t think Reichel could score right now in a shootout if the Goalie went over to the bench and had a beer .
Reichel was a pick of Stan Bowman. He thought he was an evaluator of hockey talent but never had any on the job training. Agree with most, move him!
Reichel has no shot, Is lousy on the boards, Can’t pass worth a damn, Refuses to go to the front of the net at any time. Other than that, he’s just the guy I would have picked. He’s just fast, It’s all he does. The right team could find a use for him. He’s a bowl of jello here.