The Blackhawks should trade Laurent Brossoit without giving it a second thought

When the Chicago Blackhawks signed goaltender Laurent Brossoit to a two-year, $3.3 million contract on July 1, 2024, it was the biggest mistake they made, considering his injury history. Brossoit has yet to play a single game with the Blackhawks, and may never get the chance to do so.

After undergoing surgery on August 28, 2024, Brossoit was placed on injured reserve and wasn't expected to play at all during the 2024-25 season, according to CBS Sports. With his $3.30 million cap hit going through the 2025-26, there are people beginning to question if he fits into Chicago's long-term plans or not with the young roster the Hawks have.

Meanwhile, the Blackhawks have already found their future tandem in Spencer Knight and Arvid Soderblom.

Knight, acquired from Florida on March 1 for veteran defenseman Seth Jones, posted a combine 17-16-3 record with a 2.72 goals-against average and a .902 save percentage with two shutouts with the Florida Panthers and Chicago Blackhawks in 38 games this season.

Thirty-six of those games he started. In 15 games with Chicago, he went 5-8-2 with a 3.18 GAA and a .896 save percentage. Even though those aren't bold numbers, they do show promise of what he can bring.

Soderblom, on the other hand, finished the season with a 10-18-7 record with a 3.18 GAA and a .898 save percentage. Though the results haven't been there in the standings, both young netminders have shown potential and flashes of development for the future.

That leaves Brossoit, 32, as the odd man out.

While he still carries veteran experience and playoff pedigree, his absence combined with the emergence of Knight and Soderblom raises the question: Do the Hawks really need to keep him?

The answer is no, especially with another emerging young goaltender in Drew Commesso of the Rockford IceHogs.

Commesso made his first NHL start back on Dec. 14, 2024, in a 4-1 loss to the New Jersey Devils, stopping 20 of 24 shots faced. While it wasn't the start he was hoping for, his work in he AHL has been impactful. With the Rockford IceHogs, Commesso finished with an 18-15-4 record with a 2.54 GAA and a .911 save percentage and four shutouts. He has earned a definite call-up to the NHL after his performance with the IceHogs, but it seems more like a matter of when--not if.

It's just not worth it for the Hawks to hold on to an injured veteran in Laurent Brossoit, especially when the team's direction is focused on youth and development. If Brossoit does return healthy, the Blackhawks could explore trading him to a playoff contender or a team that is in need of insurance in net.