5 Blackhawks vets who could be flipped by the trade deadline

The Chicago Blackhawks enter the second half of the season in an interesting conundrum. With a 19-19-7 record and 45 points, they sit just two points out of a playoff spot with 37 games remaining. The return of Connor Bedard could not have come at a better time, as this team looks to keep riding a hot start to 2026, having lost just one game.

The Blackhawks have a good chunk of veteran players with expiring contracts after this season. They could choose to hang onto these players, especially if they remain in the heat of the postseason race after the Olympic break and the trade deadline nears. Or they could choose to flip some of these players for assets if the team comes back to earth and make room for what will likely be a younger roster late in the season, as more important future core pieces of this franchise could be added to this squad.

Here are five players general manager Kyle Davidson may be taking calls on soon, depending on how the end of the year unfolds.

Ilya Mikheyev

Ilya Mikheyev has established himself as a vital part of this Blackhawks team during his two-year tenure. This is mostly for the value he has provided on the penalty kill, which currently ranks fourth in the entire NHL. He has been the main driving force behind this with his strong defensive play. As his current contract comes to an end upon the conclusion of this campaign, the Blackhawks have a decision to make. Mikheyev could get a solid haul as Stanley Cup contenders look to beef up their special teams for the playoffs. However, it might be in the team's best interest to hang on to him and extend him in the offseason, as his contributions to the penalty kill could be hard to replace.

Jason Dickinson

Jason Dickinson is in the midst of his fourth season with the Blackhawks. He was rewarded with a two-year contract extension during the 23-24 season, as he made his mark as both a reliable secondary-scoring producer and a penalty-kill specialist. Since Dickinson has struggled to remain healthy, his game has not been on the same level. With the emergence of Mikheyev, his services no longer seem needed here. He is a player who should draw interest from contenders looking for a dependable defensive forward.

Nick Foligno

Nick Foligno has been a model of leadership during his three-year Blackhawks tenure. This could be the final season in the show for the 38-year-old Chicago captain, entering the last year of his deal. If this team no longer remains in the playoff conversation in March, Davidson may want to give Foligno one last shot at the Stanley Cup in what could be his swansong. With respect to the future of the Blackhawks captaincy, this would make it easy to pass the torch to Bedard in 26-27 as the C appears inevitable for him.

Connor Murphy

The longest tenured Blackhawk, having slugged it out on some brutal Chicago teams since the 17-18 season, Connor Murphy has never tasted a true playoff run with the exception of a 2020 bubble experience in what was an unconventional postseason appearance. And he may never will as his contract comes to a close this year. Murphy should draw interest from clubs looking for a steady shot blocking defenseman who can eat up minutes and provide invaluable physicality in the playoff trenches.

Matt Grzelcyk

Matt Grzelcyk has been a pleasant surprise on the Blackhawks' blueline this season, performing responsibly in a shutdown role. He was a late addition to this group, having earned a one-year contract off a PTO signing just prior to the season. With a defensive group largely made up of youth, Grzelcyk's consistent veteran presence has been valued by Jeff Blashill. There is not a lot of drama with his game; what you see is what you get. He is exactly the kind of third-pairing defenseman playoff teams would want down the stretch.