The Chicago Blackhawks are starting their weekend off with a bang. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic published an article detailing the latest news he is hearing around the league, including some pertinent Blackhawks information.
LeBrun reported that general manager Kyle Davidson continues to make calls “looking around for a top-six forward and perhaps a middle-six forward too.” (from ‘ NHL rumblings: Trade Talk heats up on Laine, Necas, Ehlers and more, plus latest on Cooper-Canada’ – The Athletic – 06/13/2024).
This isn’t exactly a bombshell, considering there was talk about the Blackhawks being linked to Carolina Hurricanes’ forward Jake Guentzel. Still, it does give validity to the Hawks possibly wanting to upgrade their forward group. With that, let’s look at the most prominent trade names and see if they make sense for Chicago to explore.
1. Nikolaj Ehlers – Nay
I want to start with Nikolaj Ehlers because I mentioned him last month as a fit for the Blackhawks. He has one year left on his contract ($6 million AAV), and at 28 years old, he could arrive with the option of it turning into a longer-term deal if he were to pan out. Realistically, there is a good chance it would, as he has been a consistent 40-plus point producer throughout his nine-year career with the Winnipeg Jets. His responsible two-way play could work wonders next to Connor Bedard.
A report from Darren Deger of TSN said that Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff would like to keep Ehlers, but knowing that Kyle Connor is due for an extension makes it challenging. So, the Jets aren’t just going to give Ehlers up as strictly a cap dump. He was their fourth-best scorer this season. Our Jets contributor, Connor Hrabchak, told me the Jets could be looking for a top-4 right-hand defenseman, a mid to late first-round pick, and a B-C level prospect. He did emphasize the defenseman, though.
If that is the case, the Blackhawks might not have that to offer besides Connor Murphy. However, he isn’t exactly a top defenseman, and he has some injury concerns. If it worked out with Ehler’s 10-team no-trade list, his cap hit for one year is reasonable, but I’m not sure about the fit anymore. It would be fun, but it probably won’t happen, especially since Hrabchak mentioned Winnipeg doesn’t typically make these deals with division rivals.
2. Martin Nečas – Yae
The tale of Hurricanes’ forward Martin Nečas will live all summer long, as he is probably the hottest trade bait going. He seems like a great fit for the Blackhawks, but truthfully, he is an excellent fit for any NHL team. A 25-year-old who has blossomed into a player that seemingly gets better every year. His best season was 2022-23, where he recorded 71 points in 82 games. However, his production saw a dip this year with 53 points in 77 games, but that is still better than average.
Elliotte Friedman reported that the Hurricanes want “star power” in a possible trade return. In another twist, LeBrun reported that the Blackhawks showed interest in Necas while elaborating, “The Canes have told teams they are ready to keep him” if they don’t get the package they are looking for.
Suppose the Hawks are looking for a young player to continue to grow alongside Bedard while already being an established player. In that case, this move makes all the sense in the world since Necas is a center and wing (he was drafted as a center but mainly played wing on Carolina). That could take some pressure off of Bedard, being able to interchange them as needed and still provide an elite scoring touch.
Knowing that the Hurricanes are willing to play hardball and keep him makes me wonder if the Hawks even have the “star power” the Hurricanes want since Bedard is the team’s biggest star. A former MVP in Taylor Hall could be enticing, but that doesn’t seem realistic since he missed most of last season with an ACL injury, and there is risk there. Our Hurricanes’ contributor, Zach Martin, mentioned Philipp Kurashev or Lukas Reichel as possible players the Hurricanes could look at. Even though Kurashev had a career year, I do think they would part with him for Nečas, but I’m not sure that Kurashev being a focal point is enough to get something done. But who knows? If Nečas wants out, and it’s reported he does, and the Hurricanes don’t want him to walk for nothing, maybe both sides can work something out.
3. Jake Guentzel – Yea
The Jake Guentzel to Chicago rumors started at the beginning of June when insider Elliotte Friedman shared a theory that the Blackhawks could be a fit for him as a free agent signing, and it has picked up steam ever since. Now, we know that the Hurricanes are asking for a mid-round pick in exchange for his signing rights since they might not be able to afford his next contract. We also have insight from Davidson on whether he wants to go down that path.
Davidson spoke on the Guentzel rumors and had a “we’ll see” approach, saying he wouldn’t address it but that for any player they perceive as valuable, they’ll explore the possibility. It seems like a no-brainer to trade a mid-round pick to garner a high-end goal-scorer. The problem is, it’s up to Davidson whether he wants to commit to the 29-year-old long-term since they want to be mindful of cap space, and he’s possibly commanding $8 million AAV. Still, for someone who is a consistent 30-plus goal scorer, it’s not a bad gamble to attempt to acquire his signing rights. If not, they can try to sign him in July, but he will have many suitors.
4. Patrik Laine – Yea And Nay
For the last big candidate, TSN Insider Trading reported that forward Patrik Laine and the Columbus Blue Jackets are working to facilitate a trade as he seeks a fresh start. This was a big bombshell, considering Laine has two years left on his four-year deal ($8.7 million) and a 10-team no-trade list.
Laine is known for being a 26-year-old goal scorer, with 204 goals in 480 career games. His best season was 2017-18, when he notched 44 goals with Winnipeg. A young, pure-scoring winger is what every team craves, but there have been concerns. The first is that he last played an entire 82-game season in 2018-19, and he only played in 18 games (nine points) this season due to injuries and entering the Player Assistance Program. Furthermore, Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell said Laine recently had shoulder surgery, but it was a “cleanup” and nothing concerning. The second hesitation is his salary is high. Yet, considering that might be a fear for many teams, Columbus retaining salary is not out of the realm of possibility.
I understand the variables of a high-cap hit player being in and out of the lineup being a risky move. But if Laine is unhappy with his current situation, sometimes bringing out a player’s best takes a new environment. If he wanted to come to Chicago, playing with Bedard could certainly do that. It’s unclear what the Blue Jackets would be asking for in return, but they might have a limited amount of leverage for a player who saw a dip in stats and wants out. This might intrigue the Blackhawks if they don’t have to part with significant assets and if they could work with Columbus for them to retain some salary. I like the term on Laine’s contract because it’s short. If he didn’t work out, then it’s not that much of a hindrance. It’s something to think about. Waddell referred to him as a “difference maker,” and when he is at peak Laine, he is.
Overall, the Blackhawks are in a fun position because they have the salary cap space ($33 million) and draft capital (26 picks in the next three drafts) to trade for big names if they choose to do so. If they were to acquire any of the names listed, their 2024 18th overall pick would likely be in play, which could be key. LeBrun said the Blackhawks are working to get Bedard some help, and no doubt any of these names would be a big upgrade, but I believe Laine and Guentzel are the ones to watch based on the reported trade packages.
