Constructing the Best Roster of Former Chicago Blackhawks Still Playing

Gustav Forsling
How he was acquired: traded from Vancouver for Adam Clendening.
How he left: traded to Carolina along with Anton Forsberg for Calvin De Haan and Aleksi Saarela.
What he did after leaving the Blackhawks: Forsling struggled to establish himself as a core piece on the Hawks’ blueline and was dealt for the veteran De Haan in 2019. He played a full season in the AHL before being claimed off waivers by Florida. He became a fixture in their top four and played a key role in the Panthers’ run to the Cup Final last spring.

Erik Gustafsson
How he was acquired: First, he was a 2015 free-agent signing. He returned as a 2021 free-agent signing.
How he left: The first time he was traded to Calgary for a conditional 2020 third-round pick. He left the second time via free agency.
What he did after leaving the Blackhawks: Known more for his ability to quarterback a power play than for his defense, Gustafsson posted a career-high 60 points in 2018-2019. He bounced between teams the next few years and had another stint with Chicago before finding success in Washington, Toronto, and now New York.

Nikita Zadorov
How he was acquired: Traded from Colorado along with Anton Lindholm for Brandon Saad and Dennis Gilbert.
How he left: Traded to Calgary for a 2022 third-round pick.
What he did after leaving the Blackhawks: Brought in by Bowman to bolster the Hawks' defense, the hulking Zadorov played one year in Chicago before his trade to Calgary. His physicality and decent offensive production (14 goals last season) made him a desired trade chip for Calgary, who shipped him to Vancouver earlier this season.

Nick Leddy
How he was acquired: Traded from Minnesota along with Kim Johnsson for Cam Barker.
How he left: Traded to the New York Islanders for TJ Brennan, Ville Pokka, Kent Simpson, and Anders Nilsson.
What he did after leaving the Blackhawks: The swift-skating Leddy won a Cup with Chicago in 2013 and then enjoyed seven productive seasons on Long Island. He now plies his trade for the division rival Blues.

Olli Määttä
How he was acquired: traded from Pittsburgh for Dominik Kahun and a 2019 fifth-round pick
How he left: Traded to Los Angeles for Brad Morisson.
What he did after leaving the Blackhawks: A two-time Cup champ with Pittsburgh, Määttä had a solid but uneventful season with Chicago before being moved to clear cap space in the 2020 offseason. He has since become a dependable blueliner for Detroit.

Caleb Jones
How he was acquired: Traded from Edmonton along with a conditional 2022 third-round pick for Duncan Keith and Tim Söderlund.
How he left: Free agency
What he did after leaving the Blackhawks: The brother of current Hawks defenseman Seth Jones, Caleb was brought on board in Chicago after franchise legend Duncan Keith requested a trade. The Hawks opted not to re-sign him following last season, and he has split time between the NHL and AHL this year for Colorado. Watching Jarred Tinordi struggle this year, it would be nice to watch a younger player like Jones instead.