Could the Blackhawks and Blues do business this summer?

There is little doubt that the Chicago Blackhawks need to make an upgrade to their lineup this summer. With the free agent market not bearing many difference makers, any significant additions will have to come via a trade. This, of course, will be costly, but general manager Kyle Davidson has plenty of currency to pay the price.

Blackhawks fans are hoping a trade can be made to acquire someone like Matthew Knies from the Toronto Maple Leafs or Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson. However, there is no confirmation that either player is available.

Then there is St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas. He’s been rumored to be available, but the asking price is high. According to a report, the Minnesota Wild made an offer that included goaltender Jesper Wallstedt and forward Danila Yurkov but was rejected.

If the Blackhawks don’t want to pay the high price for Thomas, they could go after one of his teammates.

Push Beyond Thomas, Look to Kyrou

The Blues are in a weird spot. They are stuck in the NHL middle. They are good enough to contend for a Wild Card spot, but not good enough to be a serious Stanley Cup contender. It’s hard to build a contender when you’re constantly drafting in the middle of the pack. They have three first-round picks this season thanks to trades with the Detroit Red Wings and Colorado Avalanche. They currently have the 11th and 15th overall picks, and the Avalanche’s pick will be somewhere between 30th and 32nd overall.

Their front office is undergoing changes as they transition from Doug Armstrong to Alexander Steen on July 1. So, it will be interesting to see if Steen decides to try to trade off a few pieces to get younger. They tried to trade defenseman Colton Parayko at the trade deadline, but he refused to waive his no-trade clause to go to the Buffalo Sabres.

Thomas would bring back a massive haul if the Blues are looking to start a rebuild. What makes the 26-year-old so expensive is that he’s under contract for five more seasons with a reasonable $8.13 cap hit. Don’t get me wrong, Thomas would look nice in a Blackhawks uniform. He would add to the center depth, meaning you could move Frank Nazar or Anton Frondell to the wing. However, the Blackhawks might have better luck going after winger Jordan Kyrou.

Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic feels that the 28-year-old will be on the trade block this offseason. He also says the Blue might want an established player, a prospect, and a draft pick, but doesn’t think they’ll get it.

Plenty to Like About Kyrou

Kyrou is coming off a down season with only 18 goals and 46 points. This is coming off three straight seasons of over 30 goals, during which he put up 104 goals and 210 points while missing only three games. The drop in production last season will likely mean a drop in what teams are willing to pay. But, with so few players available this summer and a ton of teams looking to add, Steen might get what he’s looking for in the end.

The Blackhawks have plenty of prospects and draft picks they could offer, so that won’t be an issue. It’s the “established player” they might have some trouble with. If the Blues are looking to get younger, they won’t want Teuvo Teravainen or Ryan Donato. It’s doubtful that they would want Andre Burakovsky either. So, this is where Davidson will have to get creative. Does he throw in an extra draft or another promising young player?

Kyrou would move right into the top six, likely on Connor Bedard’s line. He’s a dynamic offensive winger who excels at carrying the puck in transition and scoring off the rush. He has a great shot and good vision to be a playmaker on the ice. He has the speed to keep up with the Blackhawks’ young core and likes to play an up-tempo style of hockey. He’s no slouch defensively, either. Kyrou comes with the same exact contract as Thomas, so you’d have him for five seasons, hopefully, during the prime of his career.

For me, Kyrou is the move to make. He would instantly make the Blackhawks' top six more dangerous. He’d be the best all-around player Bedard has ever played with, if he ends up on the top line. He does most of his damage at 5-on-5, but contributes to the power play, as well. Davidson has a surplus of what the Blues are looking for, so it feels like an easy decision if Kyrou is put on the trade block.

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