Ilya Mikheyev is one of the most underrated Chicago Blackhawks acquisitions in recent memory

Chicago Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson has made his share of frustrating moves.

He has also made some good ones.

T.J. Brodie was a miss in free agency. Teuvo Teravainen and Tyler Bertuzzi have provided solid numbers, but not the impact to raise the team's overall level of play as was hoped when they were signed.

Laurent Brossiot's knee injury has made it feel like he no longer exists.

Davidson's free agent acquisitions leave a lot to be desired. Free agency might not be his strength.

However, in terms of the three avenues to add players, being weak in free agency is not the end of the world, so long as he continues to demonstrate his ability to be strong in acquiring players via trade and the draft.

He has done some good work there by building up the prospect pool into one of the league's best. Many of the promising players are now with the NHL club and showing potential, indicating that better days are ahead for this franchise.

Davidson has also done some good work in trades.

He acquired a great leader and still relatively productive player in Nick Foligno. He won the Riley Stillman for Jason Dickinson deal. He is winning the Kirby Dach draft-day trade that allowed the team to draft Frank Nazar.

Davidson was also able to get his No. 1 goalie of the present and future in Spencer Knight, all while getting rid of Seth Jones' terrible contract.

Kyle Davidson wins trades even if the rosters he builds do not.

The most underrated trade Davidson has pulled off is getting Ilya Mikheyev from Vancouver.

The Canucks might want to block Davidson's number because he continues to fleece them.

To be fair to Vancouver, this was a salary dump move (a subscription is required to access content linked).

He was underachieving and the Canucks needed the cap space.

Also, this move might have gotten buried since the Blackhawks also acquired former fan favorite Sam Lafferty, who decided not to sign with Chicago during the exclusive negotiating rights window the Hawks traded for.

The Hawks still needed Mikheyev's $4.75 million cap hit to reach the salary floor. Any production he provided was an added bonus.

He has been given the Hawks some very solid production this season while Vancouver may not make the playoffs.

Mikheyev has 20 goals and 14 assists in 75 games this season. He is showing that the speed in his game has returned.

Mikheyev's renaissance has Canucks world wondering if Vancouver should have been more patient with the 30-year-old Russian forward. Plus, the Hawks are still owed a 2027 second-round pick in that deal.

Since Mikheyev is still 30 and has at least proven he can be a productive NHL player, he is an ideal veteran to keep around since he can be moved up and down the lines and provide the style of play the Hawks are looking for offensively--playing fast.

With the salary cap set to go up next season, the final year on his deal seems like a bargain.

The Hawks want better numbers from a top-line player, they will also need guys for the next good future teams to provide what he is giving. That is why his acquisition is one of the most underrated in recent history.