Three reasons the Blackhawks can not trade for any rentals at the deadline

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Patrick Kane #88, Mattias Janmark #13, Chicago Blackhawks (Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images) /

The Chicago Blackhawks have an interesting trade deadline ahead of them, hopefully, one that is more quiet than usual.

Trading for rental pieces is something a team does when they are trying to find that one missing piece in order to get the Stanley Cup. For the Blackhawks, they are not in that position.

The Hawks went into this season expecting to be bad. While the team has been better than expected, they are still a few years before they are truly going to be a contender again. I want to see the team win, but I also want to see them keep prioritizing the success of the future team over buying into something right now.

The Blackhawks have had a number of great trade deadline deals in the past. Antoine Vermette in 2015, Michal Handzus in 2013, and Andrew Ladd in 2016 were all great moves by the team that added some talent to the lineup.

With the exception of Ladd, these moves did not bring in top-line players, instead, it was a role player and a bottom-six player that can help alleviate some overworked players in the lineup. Let’s go over three reasons the Blackhawks can not trade for any rental pieces.

1. The team can not afford to give up any assets right now.

Trading for a rental piece often involves giving up some good players, prospects, or draft picks in return. This lineup is not prepared to give up any of the young guys they are currently using. Sure the defense is a little cramped with players, but that is not an issue for a team that has not had depth at that position in a long time.

Trading for a rental is just not the best move for the organization. They need to focus on developing their players and are not in a position to buy at the deadline in the sense of adding short-term talent.

Kevin Lankinen #32, Chicago Blackhawks Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports /

2. This team needs more than just one high-end trade package.

The Blackhawks need more than just a few pieces to fill out their lineup. When they traded for Vermette in 2015 the Hawks were looking for that one missing piece in order to go on a run. For Chicago to set up a team like that they would need to make four or five trades minimum before having a lineup that could remotely be as deep as they used to be.

The Blackhawks can not trade for rentals but that does not mean they can not make any trades period. This team might be better off if they add someone that can stay with the organization for a few more years. Maybe even taking on some salary can be an option for this team.

I am not trying to say the Hawks shouldn’t make trades, rather they need to make the right trades for where they are at. Plus at the end of the day, it all would end with the same first-round matchup.

3. Any deals most likely won’t change the ending of the first-round series against a team like Tampa Bay.

Stan Bowman knows who the Hawks would be scheduled to face if they did make the playoffs. A first-round matchup against Tampa Bay (or Carolina or Florida) probably would not end in the Blackhawks’ favor.

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We have seen crazy things happen in the past like when Columbus beat the Lightning, but adding one rental piece would not make the difference for Chicago, and all it would do is hurt their future.

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The Chicago Blackhawks have an interesting trade deadline ahead of them, hopefully, one that is more quiet than usual.

1. The team can not afford to give up any assets right now.

2. This team needs more than just one high-end trade package.

3. Any deals most likely won’t change the ending of the first-round series against a team like Tampa Bay.

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