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The Pros and Cons of the Chicago Blackhawks Trading Dylan Strome

By Jimmy Lynch |
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - FEBRUARY 21: Dylan Strome #17 of the Chicago Blackhawks controls the puck under pressure from Ryan Ellis #4 of the Nashville Predators at the United Center on February 21, 2020 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - FEBRUARY 21: Dylan Strome #17 of the Chicago Blackhawks controls the puck under pressure from Ryan Ellis #4 of the Nashville Predators at the United Center on February 21, 2020 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
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Dylan Strome, Chicago Blackhawks (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
Dylan Strome, Chicago Blackhawks (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /

The Chicago Blackhawks are going to have some tough decisions to make rather soon about the future about some of their players. One notable player Stan Bowman is going to have to decide whether or not he will return is Dylan Strome.

Dylan Strome does not have a contract for next season yet. If he had chosen to sign at the beginning of the year, Strome would be looking at a decent sum of money. However, his numbers have dropped after the 2019-20 season.

Strome put up just 38 points in 58 games this season, which is 13 points less from the season before in the same amount of games. While I believe Strome is going to be a big part of this team’s future, the Chicago Blackhawks might want to move in the other direction thanks to his poor season this year.

Strome was only averaging 15:56 minutes a game this past season, and the addition of Kirby Dach really just makes Strome expendable. The Blackhawks have three great centers right now with Dach, Strome, and Toews, maybe we do not need all three of them.

Before we go into the pros and cons of keeping Strome I think it is important to say this. The NHL salary cap is going to be influenced by the COVID-19 crisis, and it might just impact the Blackhawks roster next year too. While we all expected the cap to go up more than a few million next year, that might not be the case. That might just be why Strome is being talked about as a trade piece for the Blackhawks.

Dylan Strome, Chicago Blackhawks (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
Dylan Strome, Chicago Blackhawks (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /

Pros of trading Dylan Strome

Trading Dylan Strome would give the Blackhawks an asset in a position that they need more help. Imagine if the Blackhawks could bring in another top-level defenseman, or top winger that could play in the top nine next season, maybe that could be worthwhile.

The Blackhawks are not guaranteed to re-sign Strome at this time, and they have shown in the past that they are capable of trading young assets instead of offering them a final contract. Think of players like Brandon Saad and Andrew Shaw that were traded before given a new contract.

The history books have shown that trading Strome is likely for Bowman. He might be able to bring in a great draft pick to help with the team’s young farm system moving forward and he will clear up some cap space for the future.

If Strome is asking for more than three or four million then I would consider trading him too. I think they are going to need to offer him a bridge deal of two or two and a half million, and I hope he takes it because I still think he is apart of the future.

Dylan Strome, Chicago Blackhawks (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
Dylan Strome, Chicago Blackhawks (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /

Cons of trading Dylan Strome

The Blackhawks are a team that is built on their centers. They require the center to play up and down the ice, and they require him to be a leader no matter the situation. Strome has shown that he can play just that way, and he was a valuable team to our power play last season thanks to chemistry with his opponents.

If the Blackhawks were to trade Dylan Strome it would drastically hurt Alex DeBrincat. DeBrincat and Strome make each other better, and we saw that throughout most of last season. While DeBrincat was not great this season, he was better when he had Strome in the lineup with him.

I know that if the Blackhawks give Strome a shot, he is going to be a big part of the future of this team. The Blackhawks can go out and trade him, and yeah maybe they bring in a few draft picks, but draft picks are not a guarantee. Your young prospects are not guaranteed NHL players, there is a risk with every pick and prospect.

Related Story. Save money and trade Calvin de Haan this summer. light

So why trade away a guaranteed NHL player in Strome, for an opportunity to restart with another young player? It is only a matter of time before Stan Bowman makes his decision!

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