Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Blackhawks Rumors

Evening Notes: Murphy, Josi, Team Canada

at CDT | by 1 Comment

Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times wrote today on Blackhawks defenseman Connor Murphy and his falling role with the club. Murphy is the longest-tenured Blackhawk, whose timeline overlapped with the likes of Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook, and Patrick Sharp in 2017-18. A steady presence throughout Chicago’s tougher times, it appears the 32-year-old is on the outside looking in. His ice time has fallen dramatically this season, some of the lowest of his entire career. 

The veteran has handled it professionally, saying he understands the decision, as mentioned by Pope. Injuries have not been a factor either, as it seems that Murphy’s seat has simply been taken by the younger 6’8″ Louis Crevier, and fellow veteran Matt Grzelcyk, who offers more mobility in new Head Coach Jeff Blashill’s system.

It is not ideal for a player in his ninth season with the Blackhawks, with the team finally showing progress, to only now lose his role. However, Murphy could have interest from teams looking for a veteran rental on the back-end. His $4.4MM cap hit may need retention for a deal to work, however Chicago has the room to retain. One way or the other, GM Kyle Davidson will surely do the veteran right, considering his contributions over the years. 

Elsewhere across the league:

  • Nick Kieser of Lower Broad Hockey shared earlier today Predators GM Barry Trotz’s update on Roman Josi. The Preds’ captain is still a few weeks away from a return. Josi was listed late last month as week-to-week with an upper-body injury. In his absence, Nashville remains above bottom-feeder status, an improvement from last year, but their play has not evoked much confidence of contention either. The Swiss defenseman’s presence is critical for the group, but at 35, it is hard to imagine Josi can sustain his usual workload into 2026 and beyond. If he can stay healthy for 30 more games this year, Josi will reach the esteemed 1,000 game mark. 
  • Marco D’Amico of RG Media shared that Don Sweeney, Bruins GM, and Doug Armstrong, Blues GM, are both in attendance for tonight’s game between the Canadiens and Flyers. While this may raise some eyebrows, both are with Team Canada ahead of the 2026 Olympic Games in Italy, set to start next February. The matchup features a wealth of players to scout for Team Canada; and D’Amico mentioned Nick Suzuki, Noah Dobson, Sam Montembeault, Travis Konecny, and Travis Sanheim as all possibilities.

Blackhawks Recall Oliver Moore, Place Jason Dickinson On IR

at CDT | by 5 Comments

4 p.m:  In a corresponding move, the Blackhawks have assigned forward Landon Slaggert to the minor-leagues. Head coach Jeff Blashill told Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times that Slaggert was considered the odd-man-out as the team reworked their lineup to fit in Moore. The 23-year-old has struggled through five NHL games this season, posting no scoring and a minus-two, after missing the start of the year with an injury.

3 p.m:One of the Chicago Blackhawks’ top prospects is headed to the NHL. According to a team announcement, the Blackhawks have recalled Oliver Moore from the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs. Making room for him on the roster, Chicago has placed Jason Dickinson on the injured reserve.

Much like his teammate Ryan Greene, Moore received an opportunity due to an injury. Greene has performed well during his time, leading the Blackhawks to keep him on the active roster for the time being. Although Dickinson is expected to be out for a few weeks with a shoulder injury, it remains unclear whether Moore’s current recall will be permanent or temporary.

Still, the Blackhawks must be feeling positive about Moore’s start in the AHL this year. The former 19th overall pick of the 2023 NHL Draft has scored six goals and nine points in nine games with a +8 rating. Considering he tallied four assists in nine games to end the year with the Blackhawks last season, Moore appears NHL-ready.

Unfortunately, his place in the lineup is somewhat harder to predict. While he would complement Connor Bedard and André Burakovsky on the top line, the team seems hesitant to disrupt their existing chemistry.

Nevertheless, Moore is guaranteed to enter the lineup tonight against the Seattle Kraken, according to the team. They’ll likely start him in a fourth-line role for now, and slowly unleash him into the top-six should he continue earning the opportunity.

Kantserov Won't Decide On Coming To North America Until Next Year

at CDT | by 4 Comments

  • Blackhawks prospect Roman Kantserov is in the final year of his KHL contract, leading some to hope that he will come to North America for next season. Speaking with RG’s Sergey Demidov, the 21-year-old indicated that he’d like to test himself in the NHL but isn’t planning on making a decision on his future until next year when his deal expires.  A second-round pick in 2023 (44th overall), Kantserov had 38 points in 47 games last season and is off to a better start in 2025-26, notching a league-high 13 goals and eight assists in 21 appearances so far.

Seven-Defensemen Lineups Done With Load Management In Mind

at CDT | by 1 Comment

  • The Blackhawks have deployed the unconventional 11-forward, seven-defensemen lineup in all but two of their 11 games this season. Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times examines the logic behind head coach Jeff Blashill’s logic, noting that the new bench boss is already thinking in terms of season-long load management, not wanting to overload his young blueliners.  Five of their seven defenders are 24 or younger so their goal is to not overwork them by going with an extra rearguard most nights over a 12th forward, hoping that the strategy will pay off as the season goes on.

Logan Cooley Extension Setting RFA Market

at CDT | by 4 Comments

The Utah Mammoth became the first to cave when they signed pending-restricted free agent and star center Logan Cooley to an eight-year, $80MM contract extension. Mammoth owner Ryan Smith said after that the deal gives both team and player the assurance that Cooley will be able to plant his roots. For teams across the league, the move could have a deeper impact. With fellow young stars Connor Bedard, Leo Carlsson, and Adam Fantilli all on expiring deals of their own – Cooley’s $10MM annual price tag could be the start of negotiations, per Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic.

That’s great news for Bedard, who is the only on the list to outscore Cooley through their young careers. Cooley boasts 53 goals and 121 points in 168 career games, including this season, while Bedard has managed 51 goals and 142 points in 161 games. There’s no doubt that Bedard has facen the tougher test as well, looking to buoy a desolate Chicago Blackhawks club while Cooley’s rebranded Mammoth look to make their first playoff push.

The heavier load should earn Bedard a boost when negotiations roll around. His yearly cap hit could match Cooley’s $10MM on a shorter deal, potentially four-to-five years, or could go as high as $12MM on a max-term, eight-year deal per LeBrun, who points out that Bedard holds all of the leverage in negotiations. The 20-year-old centerman is a pillar of Chicago’s nightly lineup, and could even be a candidate for their captaincy on his next deal. With no salary cap concerns in sight, Chicago won’t be pressured to spoil Bedard’s importance by trying to save a few extra bucks.

Negotiations could be a bit tougher for Fantilli, who has elevated his play to a true top-line level but hasn’t yet taken over the top forward role for the Columbus Blue Jackets. That title has to stand with right-winger Kirill Marchenko, whose 10 points in 10 games is double what Fantilli’s five points on the year. Part of that scoring dip comes from Fantilli moved away from centering Marchenko, one season after the two played together more than any other Columbus forward pair. Fantilli scored a career-high 31 goals and 54 points, while shooting at a manageable 16.2 percent, in the elevated role last season. This year, he’s been tasked with commanding the team’s second-line, to mixed results.

Signs of continued growing pains does separate Fantilli from the dominant roles of Cooley and Bedard. With those two rivaling for eight-figure contracts, it seems Fantilli would have better luck pushing for a deal in the realm of $9MM each season. Blackhawks winger Frank Nazar recently signed a surprising seven-year, $46.2MM contract after carrying Team USA to a World Championship Gold alongside Cooley. The deal carries a team-friendly $6.6MM cap hit, but pays Nazar $9.1MM and $8.66MM in salary through the first two years respectively. Those numbers could be significant markers for Fantilli, as he looks to sign his own deal as second-fiddle. Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell shared that Columbus doesn’t plan to negotiate a new deal with Fantilli until after the Olympic break, per LeBrun.

Just like at the 2023 Draft, Carlsson’s fate lies somewhere between Bedard and Fantilli. The Swedish-native has taken on a major role for the Anaheim Ducks, offering both top-end impacts both on and off of the puck. He scored a career-high 45 points in 76 games last season. That’s the lowest personal-best on this list, though it came with a Ducks squad that scored the third-fewest goals in the 2024-25 season. Anaheim was led in scoring by Troy Terry’s 55 points last year, a mark that Carlsson could reasonably clear with some bolstered roles around him. He’s proving as much early on this season, with a team-leading 11 points in nine games while playing alongside Alex Killorn and either Cutter Gauthier or Chris Kreider.

Carlsson appears to have taken a big step forward through the early year. Anaheim won’t have to look far for a comparable deal, after signing Mason McTavish to a six-year, $42MM contract extension in the weeks before the season. The resulting $7MM cap hit is likely a bit cheaper than McTavish could’ve managed on a seven-or-eight-year deal. That should well support Carlsson’s push towards a $9MM contract next summer, especially if he can continue to outscore McTavish through the rest of the year.

The NHL salary cap is presently skyrocketting. It is up $7.5MM this season, and expected to rise another $18MM before the 2027-28 season. That growth has made projecting new contracts a much tougher task – which is where timely extensions like Cooley’s help set the market. He’s been awarded $10MM to man his team’s top-forward role for much of the next decade. That’s set a price tag for the role – one that some 2026 restricted free agents could live up to, while others need to keep trying to play their way into a bigger payday.

Photo courtesy of Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images.

Summer Synopsis: Chicago Blackhawks

at CDT | by 5 Comments

With the regular season now upon us, the bulk of the heavy lifting has been done from a roster perspective.  Most unrestricted free agents have found new homes, the arbitration period has come and gone, and the trade market has cooled.  Accordingly, it’s a good time to take a look at what each team accomplished over the offseason.  Next up is a look at the Chicago Blackhawks.

The Blackhawks rebuild continues to chug along with Connor Bedard leading the charge. At this point, the Blackhawks’ deep prospect pool hasn’t yielded much NHL success, but given the depth of the system, it’s not unrealistic to think that upwards of 12-15 of their current prospects become NHL players in the next couple of years. That won’t do much for their fortunes this season, as the team may not be ready to compete for a playoff spot just yet, but make no mistake, they are trending in the right direction.

Draft

1-3 – F Anton Frondell, Djurgårdens IF J20 (J20 Nationell)
1-25 – RW Václav Nestrašil, Muskegon (USHL)
1-29 – F Mason West, Fargo (USHL)
3-66 – F Nathan Behm, Kamloops (WHL)
4-98 – C Julius Sumpf, Moncton (QMJHL)
4-107 – LW Parker Holmes, Brantford (OHL) 
6-162 – D Ashton Cumby, Seattle (WHL)
7-194 – G Ilya Kanarsky, AKM Tula (MHL)

The Blackhawks made a total of eight draft picks this offseason, three of which came in the first round. Frondell was the third overall pick and projects as a top-line player with a floor of being a second liner. He is an explosive skater with an excellent shot and terrific offensive instincts. He has the build of a power forward, and while this is undoubtedly an advantage, it can slow him down when he is trying to get back to the defensive zone to defend the transition game. There are also concerns about his agility, which might affect his ability to defend.

Nestrašil was the Blackhawks’ second first-round pick and also projects as a potential power forward with a tremendous reach. Despite his size and reach, he can work effectively around the net and has soft hands, using them to create chances for himself and his teammates. He projects as a power winger and likely a second-line scorer who will need development to reach his full potential, particularly with his skating, which requires improvement in acceleration and agility. At the very least, he should be an NHL player given his skill set at this stage of his career.

With their final third first-round pick, the Blackhawks pick another potential power forward in West, who moves very well for a big man and has an exceptional skating stride. He has a fantastic shot and sees the ice exceptionally well. His ability to create open looks for his teammates should translate well to the NHL, particularly if he is paired up with scorers. While he has a lot of upside and could be a massive steal if he fully develops, he is seen as somewhat of a project, as his consistency and puck handling have some question marks.

Behm was a third-round selection and is also a forward on the bigger side. He, too, can get around the ice effectively but is more of a pure shooter. He could be a solid value pick in the middle of the draft if he can get better at playing a two-way game. His work away from the puck leaves a lot to be desired and could be what prevents him from becoming a complete player. There is a small contingent of scouts who see Behm as more of an offensive specialist rather than a two-way forward, which means he will need to display consistency in the scoring department to justify his regular spot in an NHL lineup. Niche offensive players can find roles in the NHL and certainly have significant value. Victor Olofsson of the Colorado Avalanche is a good example of that; however, when they go cold, it is pronounced and can be problematic.

Trade Acquisitions

LW Andre Burakovsky (from Seattle)
F Sam Lafferty (from Buffalo)
D Ryan Mast (from Boston)

The Blackhawks added some pace to their lineup by reacquiring Lafferty from the Sabres. The 30-year-old was signed as a free agent last summer by Buffalo, but he scored just four goals and three assists in 60 games during a disappointing season. The seven-year pro has never been much of an offensive producer, but he is a reliable fourth-line player who plays with energy, hits, and can kill penalties. Lafferty has often shown glimpses of being more of an impact player, but has never been able to break through and become a consistent contributor.

Chicago also acquired Burakovsky from the Kraken in exchange for Joe Veleno. The deal brought an underperforming forward to the Blackhawks, but one with a strong track record of scoring. The two-time Stanley Cup champion hasn’t lived up to his $5.5MM cap hit on the free agent contract he signed back in 2022, but he remains an effective player who should carve out a role in Chicago and generate points.

UFA Signings

C Ryan Donato (four years, $16MM)
D Matt Grzelcyk (one year, $1MM)
C Dominic Toninato (two years, $1.7MM)*

*-denotes two-way contract
^-denotes re-signing

The Blackhawks didn’t do much business in the free agent market this offseason, but they secured a key player before he could hit the market by signing Donato. The 29-year-old chose to stay in Chicago, passing up what could have been a more lucrative opportunity on the open market. However, considering the market’s unpredictability, Donato probably made the right decision by playing it safe and accepting a guaranteed payday. He doubled his most productive season, tallying 62 points in 80 games last year (31 goals and 31 assists), and even if he reverts to his career norms around 30-35 points, the contract wouldn’t be an overpay. Nonetheless, if he produces 50-60 points annually in the coming years, the $4MM AAV will be an absolute bargain.

Now, speaking of the market’s unpredictability, we have Grzelcyk, who was expected to get a multi-year contract this summer that would top $3MM per season. He didn’t come close to that figure, instead signing a PTO with Chicago before converting it to a one-year deal. It was a surprising outcome for a player who had a career-high in points last season and seemed destined for a decent-sized payday. His size and defensive play likely contributed to the lack of a market for his services, and Chicago was more than happy to step in and scoop him up at a bargain.

RFA Re-Signings

D Louis Crevier (two years, $1.8MM)
D Wyatt Kaiser (two years, $3.4MM)
G Spencer Knight (three years, $17,499,999)
F Frank Nazar (seven years, $46,199,937)
G Arvid Soderblom (two years, $5.5MM)

*-denotes two-way contract

The Blackhawks chose to lock in a couple of players early, including Nazar and Knight. The Nazar contract was a risk, considering the 21-year-old had only played 56 NHL games before signing and hadn’t been a prolific scorer. Picked 13th overall in 2022, Nazar had a solid first full NHL season, posting 12 goals and 14 assists in 53 games. Although some of his underlying stats weren’t ideal, it was enough to persuade the Blackhawks to sign him long-term. There is significant risk on the Chicago side with this deal, but if he develops as they hope, it could be a massive win for the Blackhawks, especially with a rising salary cap.

Knight was also a 13th overall pick, and like Nazar, the Blackhawks re-signed him before he reached restricted free agency. The 24-year-old faced some setbacks early in his career but settled in last year after a midseason trade to Chicago and has been hot to start this year. Knight has good size and all the tools to be a star NHL netminder, and the Blackhawks are hopeful that the same is true so that they can see value in his three-year extension.

Departures

F Andreas Athanasiou (remains unsigned)
F Cole Guttman (signed with Los Angeles, two years, $1.55MM)*
F Philipp Kurashev (signed with San Jose, one year, $1.2MM)
F Pat Maroon (retired)
D Alec Martinez (retired)
F Aku Raty (signed in Finland)
LW Zach Sanford (signed in Switzerland)

*-denotes two-way contract

The Blackhawks didn’t add much this summer, but they didn’t really suffer many losses either, and most of the players who left will be replaced by young prospects moving up to the NHL. Maroon’s retirement was somewhat unexpected at the time. Still, his last two seasons showed a significant decline in his overall performance, so it wasn’t surprising that he decided to hang up his skates. He was a solid pro for many years, often taking well below market value to stay in advantageous positions, especially with the Tampa Bay Lightning. The sacrifice paid off, though; he won three Stanley Cups and leaves behind a career to be proud of. In the NHL, Chicago will miss his veteran leadership and the physicality he brought to the bottom of the lineup.

Martinez was another three-time Stanley Cup champion who retired at the end of last season. It wasn’t all that surprising, considering he was 37 at the time and had struggled to stay healthy in the later stages of his career. Martinez didn’t play an easy game, blocking numerous shots, killing penalties, and taking on complex defensive assignments throughout his career. He had a knack for playing alongside really good defensemen, finding chemistry with Alex Pietrangelo and Shea Theodore in Vegas, which might seem straightforward, but playing with offensively skilled defensemen can be pretty challenging due to the many odd-man situations that arise. Martinez had a terrific NHL career and left a veteran void in the Blackhawks dressing room similar to Maroon’s, but he didn’t leave much of a defensive void thanks to his level of play towards the end of his career.

Athanasiou, Raty, and Sanford weren’t significant losses to the Blackhawks’ depth since none of them managed to secure NHL jobs or stay in North America. Athanasiou remains unsigned, and there isn’t much news on him, so his future is unclear. However, he hasn’t looked like an NHL player for quite some time. Given the current NHL landscape and teams’ preference for developing younger players, Athanasiou might need to look overseas to continue his playing career.

Kurashev’s meteoric rise and fall were compelling to watch in Chicago, as the Blackhawks chose not to tender him, leading to his move to the Sharks. After scoring 54 points in 2023-24, his numbers plummeted last season, tallying just 14 points in 51 games. His underlying stats have never been impressive, and when he isn’t scoring on the rush or drawing penalties, his game is somewhat limited, which is why Chicago was comfortable moving on. Depending on his role, Kurashev could rise again, but his 54-point season now seems like an outlier—possibly the exception, as he hasn’t been a great fit in San Jose so far this season.

Salary Cap Outlook

The Blackhawks have just over $17.3MM in available cap space (as per PuckPedia), giving them the flexibility to make moves during the season if they choose to add or subtract from their roster as their season unfolds. The figure moves north of $71MM at the NHL Trade Deadline, which would be a remarkable sum if Chicago decided to go on a buying spree. Even if they don’t, that cap space could be used to take on bad contracts if other teams are eager to offload salary, potentially allowing Chicago to acquire more assets.

Key Questions

What will Connor Bedard’s contract extension look like?

Bedard’s contract talks will be interesting to follow. Many fans expected he would sign an extension this past summer, but nothing materialized. There are a few reasons why Bedard hasn’t signed yet; the most likely is that he and the team are weighing their options before finalizing an agreement. Bedard might be waiting to see the team’s direction and what he would be playing with in the long term, while the Blackhawks could be assessing their comfort level with terms and dollars. It’s challenging to know what both sides are thinking, but the deal will eventually be completed.

Will any young players step up?

As mentioned above, Chicago has an excellent prospect pipeline, but most of their key pieces have yet to reach the NHL. Make no mistake, reinforcements are coming to the Windy City, but the question is whether they will make that trip this season. Bedard and Nazar are already NHL players, supported by defensemen Artyom Levshunov and Sam Rinzel, both of whom are former first-round picks, with Levshunov being the second overall in 2024. Oliver Moore is another player making the jump, but the question remains: Who else is coming this year?

How will Knight perform full-time?

Knight’s talent is clear to anyone who watches him or evaluates his numbers. The skill is there, so the question becomes, how will he perform as a full-time NHL starter? Knight seems ready to seize the opportunity, and with a new extension signed, the Blackhawks are betting that he is prepared as well. Goaltending has been a concern in Chicago for some time, and they’ve had a revolving door of goalies for a decade. Knight securing the position and holding it would go a long way toward helping Chicago become a contender again.

Photo by Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Injury Notes: Hurricanes, Maple Leafs, Blackhawks, Sharks

at CDT | by 1 Comment

Carolina Head Coach Rod Brind’Amour told Chip Alexander of the Raleigh News that K’Andre Miller could be back shortly, however, Jaccob Slavin could be absent for “a while”. Miller has not played since October 20th, but has been off to a great start in his Carolina tenure with four points in six games. Meanwhile, Slavin was placed on IR last week with a lower-body injury, appearing in the Canes’ first two games before going back down. The ailment has bothered the star defenseman throughout October, and the team has been vague on further details. 

Carolina has been great so far despite missing both defensemen, with a 6-2-0 record. Based on Brind’Amour’s comments, it seems a real possibility Miller could be all set when his Hurricanes go to Madison Square Garden to take on the Rangers next week, after an offseason blockbuster sent the talented 25-year-old to Carolina. 

Elsewhere across the league:

  • Nick Barden of The Hockey News Toronto updated earlier today that William Nylander and Calle Jarnkrok could play versus Calgary tomorrow, as both are dealing with lower-body injuries. Additionally, veterans Scott Laughton and Chris Tanev could rejoin the team later in the week ahead of Saturday’s tilt in Philadelphia. Nylander, who missed just his second regular season game since 2020-21, has dazzled with 14 points in 8 games so far. Laughton was injured in the preseason and has yet to debut in 2025-26, as he looks to get more comfortable as a Leaf, having put up just 4 points in 20 regular season games after being traded to Toronto. 
  • Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times shared this morning that two Blackhawks veterans, Ilya Mikheyev and Tyler Bertuzzi, did not appear at practice. Mikheyev left Sunday’s game versus Los Angeles after crashing hard into the boards. Thankfully, he is considered day-to-day as it appears a more serious issue was avoided. Meanwhile, Bertuzzi missed yesterday’s game altogether, and is also thought to be day-to-day. Chicago hosts Ottawa tomorrow, and they will hope to have their wingers back before long, as they try to stay above the .500 mark. 
  • Sunday’s big shootout win for the Sharks at Minnesota came at a cost, as Adam Gaudette left due to an upper body injury and did not return, as per the team. His status is unknown as San Jose hosts their in-state rival the Kings tomorrow night. The 29-year-old center has 3 goals in 9 games. 

Tyler Bertuzzi Day-to-Day, Questionable Sunday Vs. Kings

at CDT | by 1 Comment

  • Chicago Blackhawks forward Tyler Bertuzzi is dealing with a day-to-day injury and is questionable to play in tonight’s game against the Los Angeles Kings, reports Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times. This development positions Bertuzzi to potentially miss a game this season for the first time, as he’s skated in all eight of the Blackhawks’ contests up to this point. The 30-year-old has played a notable role in helping Chicago get off to a fast start to the 2025-26 season, beating most industry projections en route to a solid 4-2-2 record. Bertuzzi has scored two goals and six points through eight games, and combined with the recent trade of Lukas Reichel to the Vancouver Canucks, this injury is only further testing the Blackhawks’ forward depth, although there is a chance Bertuzzi is able to play in tonight’s game.

Evening Notes: Reichel, Sharangovich, Lightning

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Having been dealt today to Vancouver in exchange for a 2027 fourth-round pick, Pierre LeBrun of TSN had an interesting note on Lukas Reichel, that the former top prospect had asked for a trade out of Chicago. Lebrun added that according to Reichel’s agent, it had been a long-time discussion, but that things were amicable as both sides worked peacefully through the process. 

As has been discussed, a fourth-round pick may feel underwhelming for Chicago fans, but the German native has just not been able to establish himself, never surpassing the 22-point mark in a season. On the flip side though, Reichel, still just 23, seems like a very solid low-risk addition for Vancouver. Even if the change of scenery does not pan out into Reichel becoming a true top-six forward, his skating ability and effort level could be useful in any team’s bottom six. Many in his mold have evolved and simplified their games to stick in the NHL, and it will be interesting to see what comes of the former first-round pick. 

Elsewhere across the league:

  • Derek Wills, voice of the Calgary Flames, shared today that Yegor Sharangovich is expected to draw back into the lineup tonight in Winnipeg. The forward was scratched for the last two games, after putting up just one assist in 6 games. Given the brutal start for Calgary so far, currently last in the league, there is perhaps nothing to lose to try and get the skilled winger going, who broke out two years ago as a Flame, scoring 31 goals. Especially as Sharangovich seems set in Calgary for the foreseeable future, in year one of a five-year contract worth $5.75MM per year. 
  • The Tampa Bay Lightning have re-assigned Scott Sabourin to AHL Syracuse, and in a corresponding move, they welcomed back Zemgus Girgensons, who has been activated, as Head Coach Jon Cooper told Eduardo A. Encina of the Tampa Bay Times. Girgensons is expected to make his season debut tomorrow. Meanwhile Sabourin, 33, will bring a veteran presence and a physical edge to the Crunch. He did not appear in a game for the Bolts, but the undrafted grinder has 47 NHL games to his name. Off to a poor start, Tampa Bay will look to turn the corner and silence any early speculation that the club’s long sustained success may be on the downturn. 

Canucks Acquire Lukas Reichel

at CDT | by 25 Comments

The Canucks announced Friday that they’ve acquired forward Lukas Reichel from the Blackhawks in exchange for a 2027 fourth-round pick. They announced shortly before the move that center Teddy Blueger has been placed on injured reserve, retroactive to Sunday, as the corresponding transaction.

It is not at all the return on investment Chicago hoped for when they made Reichel the 17th overall pick of the 2020 draft. Now 23, Reichel made his NHL debut in 2022, amid a spectacular rookie season in the AHL that saw the German forward notch over a point per game with the Rockford IceHogs. Reichel got a more extended look in Chicago’s lineup the following season and looked like the future top-six fixture they hoped he’d be. He turned in seven goals and 15 points through 23 games, averaging 16:22 of ice time per night and leading the team in points per game among players who finished the season in the organization.

Once Reichel first broke camp with the Blackhawks in 2023-24, though, the regression was quick and steep. Reichel was initially slotted as the No. 2 center behind Connor Bedard, but that experiment ended quickly as he was getting caved in defensively and barely generating offense. He finished the season with just five goals and 16 points in 65 appearances and was sent back to Rockford later to boost his confidence, managing three goals and 12 points in 14 combined regular-season and playoff games.

Last year was a slight improvement, but not enough to truly boost his standing in the organization. He was still an occasional healthy scratch and saw his ice time slashed to under 12 minutes per game, although he did make a career-high 70 appearances. That came with a slight bump in offense in his reduced role, managing an 8-14–22 scoring line, but he still had negative defensive impacts and won just 39.9% of his faceoffs as he spent most of the year down the middle. That turned into Chicago making Reichel available for trade over the offseason and even mulling placing him on waivers late in training camp, but he stuck with the team on opening night.

Reichel was scratched for three of the Blackhawks’ first four games but played in four straight to end his tenure in Chicago. That streak included a two-goal, three-point effort against the Blues back on Oct. 15 in a season-high 13:11 of ice time. That gives him four points in five games on the year, all at even strength, despite averaging under 10 minutes per game.

That’s an intriguing taste of the upside Vancouver is now betting on. While a natural left-winger, Chicago tried Reichel at center multiple times. With the Canucks’ depth issues down the middle behind Elias Pettersson and the oft-injured Filip Chytil, it stands to reason they’d prefer to keep Reichel down the middle. Since Chytil is currently out of the lineup with an upper-body injury, there’s a prime opportunity for Reichel to have his leash removed and immediately jump into a second-line role on a trial basis, likely between veterans Jake DeBrusk and Brock Boeser.

It’s a no-risk pickup for Vancouver, who can walk away from Reichel next summer if he doesn’t pan out by not issuing him a qualifying offer. He’s in the back half of a two-year, $2.4MM deal he signed with Chicago in 2024 that carries a cap hit of $1.2MM.

Blueger has been placed on IR with an undisclosed injury in a corresponding move. That designation is retroactive to Ocotber 19th, which will force Blueger out of Vancouver’s Saturday matchup against the Montreal Canadiens. He could be activated ahead of Sunday’s game against the Edmonton Oilers, though that would require the canucks to send another player to the minor-leagues. Blueger scored one goal in two games before falling to injury. He has been a core piece of Vancouver’s fourth-line for the last two seasons, and should slot back into the lineup as soon as he’s back to full health.

The Canucks are currently carrying Arshdeep Bains and Joseph LaBate as their extra forwards. Both players would require waivers to be sent to the AHL. Extra defenseman Tom Willander would not require waivers, though Vancouver could want to avoid reassigning one of their top prospects before awarding him with his NHL debut.

Photo courtesy of Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports.

Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

scroll to top