Chicago Blackhawks’ Nalimov Requests Trade, Raises Concern For Future

Ivan Nalimov, the Chicago Blackhawks’ most promising goaltending prospect from the KHL, has requested a trade from the team in search of new opportunities

Ivan Nalimov, a goaltender who was a sixth-round draft pick in 2014 by the Chicago Blackhawks, has decided he doesn’t want to be part of the organization any longer and terminated his contract this past Wednesday. This likely comes to a shock to the ‘Hawks, who are in desperate need of a backup goaltender.

The goaltender currently plays for the Salavat Yulaev Ufa in the KHL, where he sported a 2.56 goals-allowed average and a .927 save percentage last year.

Prior to being traded to Salivate last season, Nalimov played for the Vladivostok Admiral, where he contributed a 1.98 GAA and a .942 save percentage.

He seemed like a sure pick to solidify the pipes behind Corey Crawford, whose status is currently under investigation that leads to no new answers. Nobody knows if he’ll be play next season, or if he’ll be able to play at the elite level we’re used to, which is concerning to say the least.

Poor excuses in net lead to more frustration

It’s no doubt the Blackhawks have quite the sore sight between the pipes right now. Between Jeff Glass, Anton Forsberg, Colin Delia and J-F Berube, nothing seems solidified and it requires some work. Nalimov seemed to have brought some hopes and dreams that one day he’d become a regular backup, but now those dreams are crushed.

There’s no way the Blackhawks can come back to being an elite team without a qualified backup, and with how last season went for those aforementioned goalies, it’s currently unsuitable.

There might be hope guided in the fact the Blackhawks are considering making a trade with the Carolina Hurricanes to bring back Scott Darling, but that’s going to cost a lot to the team and might bring across other problems with who they export.

Next: Blackhawks' Carl Dahlstrom Should Be Next Man Up

If it can’t get better, it’s going to get worse. Right now, things are looking pretty bleak.