Blackhawks could be gearing up for massive trade, insider muses

The Chicago Blackhawks head into the offseason firmly entrenched to pick second in the 2026 NHL Draft.

However, picking second-overall (or potentially first) might not be the only highlight of the Blackhawks’ offseason. The Blackhawks might be looking to make a splash on the trade market. That’s what notable insider Frank Servalli believes.

Seravalli mused about the possibility of the Blackhawks trading multiple picks to land a big-ticket player this offseason. The rationale is transforming the Hawks into a tougher team to play against.

“I’m going to say that the Hawks trade multiple first-round picks this summer to go out and get one of those difference-makers… and when I say multiple, maybe that extra Florida pick. It’s probably not going to be that top four pick the Blackhawks have coming their way this year, and it might also be other first-round picks that they’ve drafted over the last couple of years who may not have panned out just yet.”

That’s quite a statement from Seravalli. If the Blackhawks are serious about putting a dent into the trade market this summer, they certainly have the pieces to do it. However, there are a couple of caveats here.

First of all, that “extra Florida pick” won’t be this year. The pick, which came in the Seth Jones trade last season, is top-10 protected. As such, the Panthers’ awful season has dropped them to the eighth pick this season. If that holds, the Blackhawks won’t get it. They’ll get next year’s unprotected Florida pick.

Second, the first-rounders that haven’t panned out yet sound like a vague reference. For instance, could Seravalli be referring to someone like Oliver Moore or Kevin Korchinski?

It’s also worth pointing out that the Blackhawks have the Edmonton Oilers’ first-rounder for next season, plus three second-rounders this year.

So, could all of those picks come into play as part of a package for a big-name star? That’s certainly a tantalizing possibility this summer.

Blackhawks will need to wade through the NHL trade market

With the dry powder to make a deal happen, the Blackhawks will have to wade through the trade market to see who becomes available. Several names could hit the block among teams missing the playoffs.

One of the names that won’t go away is Robert Thomas of the St. Louis Blues. The Blues could also be looking to move Jordan Kyrou and Colton Parayko. Based on Seravalli’s comments, Parayko could be an interesting choice for the Blackhawks. He’s a big, physical blueliner who could add some punch to the young Blackhawks’ blueline.

The Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers, and New Jersey Devils are teams that could be looking to move some extra bodies. For example, the Devils will be looking to move Dougie Hamilton. Could he waive his no-trade clause to play on an up-and-coming team like the Blackhawks?

All told, the Blackhawks will have plenty of options to look at. It all depends on what the team is willing to do and what trade partners want to part with. Beyond that, the pieces could be in place for the Blackhawks to make a splash this summer.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow