As the trade market opens, who should the Blackhawks be calling on?

We are a quarter of the way through the National Hockey League season. It’s crazy that we are already in Thanksgiving week. It feels like we were at the first day of training camp just last week. The quarter-mark of the season gives general managers across the league a real feel for their postseason chances. Sure, there are still 60-plus games left, but some teams are already looking to make roster changes.

The Nashville Predators, St. Louis Blues, and Vancouver Canucks have all gotten off to slow starts, with their general managers searching for the right formula. While none of these teams are waving the white flag on the season, they need to do something fast because what they have on their rosters isn't working.

Chicago Blackhawks’ general manager Kyle Davidson is in a good spot. He has plenty of young prospects and draft capital, as well as a ton of salary cap space. If he wants to be in on any player who becomes available, he has the assets to make an intriguing offer. The main question is, does he want anyone from this trio of teams?

Singing the Blues in St. Louis

A year ago, the Blues pounced on head coach Jim Montgomery after the Boston Bruins fired him. It was a great move as he turned their season around and got them to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. They were 2.2 seconds away from upsetting the Winnipeg Jets in the first round before losing in double overtime.

The Blues are off to another slow start, and there isn’t a new coach bump coming to wake them up. Insider Frank Seravalli recently reported that they are “open for business” on the trade market. They are currently 13th in the Western Conference with 20 points, and are seven points out of a wild-card spot. While that isn’t insurmountable, their minus-24 goal differential suggests otherwise.

Jordan Binnington’s name has popped up in the rumor mill, as his roller coaster career continues. He went from being a Canadian hero at the 4 Nations Face-Off last February to one of the worst goalies in the NHL with an .880 save percentage (SV%). While the Blackhawks have zero interest in acquiring him, they could talk to them about a potential Laurent Brossoit trade if they are looking to add a netminder. That is a big if, considering Brossoit hasn’t played a game in two years.

When you look at the Blues' current roster, there aren’t many players who make sense for the Blackhawks. The one guy I’d make a run at is Jordan Kyrou. His name was in the rumor mill over the summer, and being a healthy scratch earlier this season added fuel to the fire. The 27-year-old has had three straight seasons of at least 31 goals and is signed through the 2030-31 season with an $8.125 million salary cap hit. He has the speed and skill to fit in with the current Blackhawks’ direction and his age fits him in the window of contention, too.

Vancouver’s Vicious Cycle Continues

It never seems to stop in Vancouver. The Canucks get good for a year or two, then take a step back and start trading everyone away. There never seems to be a long-term plan in place, so they remain spinning their tires in the mud. They are currently tied with the Blues with 20 points and have Quinn Hughes’ contract expiring after next season. It almost feels like a foregone conclusion that he will be moving on via free agency or a trade before his contract expires.

Elliotte Friedman reported this week that the Canucks are listening to trade offers on “veteran players.” He added that Hughes is not one of those players, at least not right now. They want to stay competitive while getting younger at the same time.  There are two players in Vancouver I’d love the Blackhawks to target: Elias Pettersson and Conor Garland.

Pettersson survived the challenging 2024-25 season, which saw his feud with captain J.T. Miller end when Miller was traded to the New York Rangers. He has seven goals and 20 points in 23 games this season. He’s 27 and feels like he’s just entering the prime of his career. Prior to last season, he had three straight years of at least 32 goals, including 39 goals and 102 points in 2022-23.

Elite-level forwards rarely hit free agency anymore; they need to be acquired through a trade. If the Canucks are looking to move Pettersson, he fits the Blackhawks perfectly. He has the high-end skill to be a top-line playmaker. He’s signed through the 2031-32 season with a $11.6 million salary cap hit. With the cap going up, that is not a daunting number. He will demand a big return, but the Blackhawks are one of the few teams that can offer the Canucks talented young players who can suit up in the NHL right away.

Garland would be an intriguing target. The 29-year-old winger plays a gritty power game. He can be a great fit on the third line for years to come, providing some physicality and secondary scoring. He’s had at least 46 points in each of the last four seasons. He just signed a six-year contract extension worth $36 million that doesn’t kick in until next season, so it is unlikely that the Canucks will look to move him.

Down-Trotz-en in Nashville

Predators general manager Barry Trotz was the toast of the NHL after winning the 2024 offseason. He signed Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, and Brady Skjei on July 1, and many felt they were a legit Stanley Cup contender. Instead, they finished with 68 points, and somehow Trotz thought it was a good idea to run it back with everyone intact. His reward? The last-place team in the Western Conference, a quarter of the way through the season.  

Over the weekend, Trotz publicly said that he needs more from his team. So, they went out Monday night and lost 8-3 to the Florida Panthers, giving up the first goal in 11 seconds. If that isn’t the sign to blow it all up and start over, nothing ever will be. Trotz told ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski that he isn’t open for business yet, but if he doesn’t do something fast, he’ll be the one looking for a new job.

If the Predators start to have a fire sale, they will need to get young. Again, that gives the Blackhawks an advantage over most teams. But who would they want? The trio of Stamkos, Marchessault, and Skjei does nothing for me, and shouldn’t do anything for Davidson.

Ryan O’Reilly would be an intriguing name if the Blackhawks were one veteran center away from being a serious playoff threat. They aren’t there yet, so trading for him doesn’t make any sense. If Filip Forsberg were available for a reasonable price, you’d at least have to have a conversation. At 31, he doesn’t fit the long-term plans, but he is still producing at a high rate and can get them into contention more quickly than the current path. He’s signed through the 2029-30 season with an $8.5 million cap hit. His asking price would likely be lower than Pettersson’s, especially if you take the whole contract.

One thing we know about Davidson is that he is an extremely patient man. He’s dedicated to his vision and has yet to be tempted to deviate from his path. He won’t make a trade just for the sake of making one. However, he will add to this team if it makes sense beyond this season. Kyrou, Pettersson, Garland, and Forsberg all come with term and are not rentals. The Blackhawks have a plethora of prospects and picks, so now might be a good time to start testing the market.