Could the Blackhawks be the ultimate destination for a former Jennings Trophy winner?

If you haven’t already heard, Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman has yet to sign his deal to play for the team in 2024-25 and beyond. Right now, it doesn’t seem to be looking good that the two sides will reach a deal soon, meaning the Bruins could end up trading Swayman elsewhere. 

While the current word is that neither Boston nor Swayman wants to see a trade occur, I digress. What else would you expect the two sides to say with the NHL regular season right around the corner? Of course, they’re going to say they want to get a deal worked out, and if I were one of the parties in the same situation, I’d say the same. 

Then again, pro sports is all about smoke and mirrors when it comes to athletes holding out for a lucrative deal with their current teams. Sometimes, things work for the better, but that’s not always the case. So, let’s say the Bruins don’t sign Swayman, and he asks for a trade. The Blackhawks would make for an excellent landing spot for a few reasons. 

Blackhawks would be an excellent organization for Jeremy Swayman

For one, the Blackhawks have the cap space should they inquire, then acquire, Jeremy Swayman. While the current number, per Puck Pedia, may be lower than what Swayman wants in a long-term deal, they would also find themselves trading a few players for his services, one of whom would likely be goaltender Petr Mrazek, who would thrive behind a good hockey team. 

Trading for Swayman would require the Hawks to give up other assets, maybe someone like Connor Murphy, who has a 10-team no-trade list that Boston probably isn’t on; and perhaps someone like Jason Dickinson, who would make a solid depth scoring option in Boston. 

I’m just naming names at this point, but it would allow the Hawks to make room for more young players to join the big club in 2024-25. Few think Chicago will be in the playoffs this season anyway, so we shouldn’t have many qualms about trading a few veterans for Swayman, and before you ask, yes, general manager Kyle Davidson would be giving up more than just some older players. 

There would likely be a first-round pick (or two) involved, but in this case, Chicago would be getting a franchise goaltender, and it wouldn’t surprise me if Davidson threw in a high-end prospect. Bruins general manager Don Sweeney would likely toss in an asset or two as well to complete this hypothetical trade. 

In the end, it would give the Bruins a proven stopgap at goaltender to pair with Joonas Korpisalo, plus solid pieces to make their current lineup deeper, along with future assets. For the Blackhawks, they’re getting a franchise goaltender and potential organizational depth. This would be a trade more than worth pursuing for the Hawks should things get even bleaker between Swayman and the Bruins.