3 blockbuster trades that could redefine the Chicago Blackhawks this summer

The Chicago Blackhawks find themselves at a crossroads this offseason. The club has the pieces in place to make headway in the Central Division but lacks the sort of star power needed to become a serious playoff contender.

So, the Blackhawks could be looking to stir the pot by pulling off a blockbuster trade, or two, that could redefine the team, transforming it into a perennial playoff contender for the foreseeable future.

Let’s explore three blockbuster trade ideas that could reshape the Chicago Blackhawks this summer.

Boston Bruins

The Boston Bruins are likely headed toward the dreaded R-word in the near future. They traded off virtually all of their established veterans this past deadline, leaving them with only a handful of reliable names moving forward.

As such, the Bruins will be looking to stockpile draft picks and rebuild its prospect pool to hopefully turn around quickly and avoid a painful rebuild similar to what’s been happening for the better part of a decade in Detroit and Buffalo.

The Bruins could enticed to move a couple of underwhelming players like Elias Lindholm or Nikita Zadorov to balance their books and reload the prospect/draft pick cupboard.

Lindholm could provide a solid second-line center to play behind Connor Bedard. While Lindholm had an underwhelming year in Boston, we can chalk that up to the overall dysfunctional year the team had.

Lindholm comes with a $7.75 million till 2031, part of which could be offset with some retention from the Bruins.

As for Zadorov, he’s a big, bruising blueliner who could instantly add some meat to the Blackhawks’ defense corps. That’s something the Blackhawks will need in a tough Central Division where the Dallas Stars, Winnipeg Jets, and Colorado Avalanche are poised to dominate for the next half-decade or so.

Toronto Maple Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leafs are standing on the edge of the abyss. Another disappointing playoff exit could mean the beginning of a major shakeup in Canada’s largest hockey market. And, that’s something that could benefit a team like the Blackhawks.

The Leafs have a number of interesting pieces that could be moved for the right price. Firstly, the elephant in the room is Mitch Marner. He’s an impending free agent and his re-signing in Toronto is questionable.

That situation could open the door for the Leafs to trade Marner’s rights in exchange for a draft pick or mid-tier prospect.

The Leafs could also ship out bottom-six forwards like David Kampf, Max Domi, and Calle Jarnkrok, or make a huge splash and move a big name like Morgan Rielly.

Given the Leafs need to turn over the roster, the Blackhawks could stand to gain from this shakeup, landing solid players for prices below market value. It remains to be seen if that’s the route Toronto will take. But if it does, the Chicago Blackhawks could do well to pick up the phone to find out who might be available this summer.

Pittsburgh Penguins

The Pittsburgh Penguins are in denial regarding their impending reset/retool/rebuild. Evgeni Malkin has already announced that next season will be his farewell tour, while the sun is setting on Sidney Crosby’s career.

Kris Letang and Erik Karlsson are also players who might be looking to move on from Pittsburgh as the Penguins transition to a new core.

It’s Karlsson that could be an interesting alternative for the Chicago Blackhawks. Karlsson is said to be displeased with the idea of a rebuild during the last two years of his current contract. If so, he might be amenable to waiving his no-trade clause to go to a team like the Blackhawks, who are seemingly on the up and up.

Karlsson has two years left at $10 million per season. That’s something that could be offset with some retention. Karlsson could be a solid replacement for Seth Jones as the Blackhawks would be in the market for a number-one blue liner for the short term.

Additionally, Rickard Rakell or Bryan Rust might be available depending on how the math works out for the Penguins moving forward. These veteran forwards could provide the Blackhawks with solid secondary scoring as the club looks to continue breaking in younger players into the full-time lineup.