Shaping the Chicago Blackhawks' next dynasty by copying past top transactions

The Chicago Blackhawks made some blockbusters trades and signed key players in the past to win Stanley Cups last decade and run off a string of playoff appearances in the 1990s.

Whether acquiring young talent or adding veterans, they certainly made significant moves to become a power in the 90s and a dynasty this past decades...

1. Acquiring Tony Amonte: On March 21, 1994, the Blackhawks acquired forward Tony Amonte from the New York Rangers for Stephane Matteau and Brian Noonan. Amonte became a offensive player for Chicago with 541 points (268 goals, 273 assists) in 627 games played in nine seasons.

2. The Patrick Sharp Trade: On December 5, 2005, the Blackhawks acquired Patrick Sharp from the Flyers for forward Matt Ellison and a third-round pick in the 2006 NHL Draft. Sharp played a pivotal role during his 11 seasons with the Blackhawks and helped them win three Stanley Cups (2010, 2013, and 2015). He had 532 points (249 goals, 283 assists) in 749 games played in 11 seasons with the Blackhawks.

3. Signing Marian Hossa: Although not a trade, signing Marian Hossa signed with the Blackhawks to a 12-year deal on July 1, 2009. After consecutive losses in the Stanley Cup Final in 2008 and 2009 with Pittsburgh and Detroit, Hossa played an instrumental role during his time in Chicago. During his eight seasons, he put up 415 points (186 goals, 229 assists) in 534 games and won three Stanley Cups with the Blackhawks (2010, 2013, and 2015). His #81 hangs up in the rafters at the United Center.

4. Bringing in Jeremy Roenick: Drafted eight overall in the 1988 NHL Draft, Jeremy Roenick became a star player right away in the Windy City. In his first eight seasons with the Blackhawks, Roenick had 596 points (267 goals, 329 assists) in 524 games played, showcasing his offensive firepower during his time with the Hawks. Roenick was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2024.

5. Acquiring Chris Chelios: On June 29, 1990, the Blackhawks acquired the hometown defensemen and Hockey Hall of Famer Chris Chelios from the Montreal Canadiens for other Hockey Hall of Famer, Denis Savard in this blockbuster deal. Chelios became the backbone for Chicago's blue line for 9 seasons with Chicago (1990-1999), contributing 487 points (92 goals, 395 assists) in 664 games played. His ability to shut down opponents was jaw-dropping.

As they rebuild around Connor Bedard, the Hawks can make similar trades to the ones they made in the past...

1. Trading Taylor Hall to the Anaheim Ducks: Trading Taylor Hall (with 50% salary retained), Kevin Korchinski, and either Philipp Kurashev or a 2026 first-round pick or both to the Ducks for Trevor Zegras and Brock McGinn could be a great move for both teams.

Anaheim gets a veteran scorer in Hall, a young two-way defensemen prospect like Korchinski, and additional depth in Kurashev or a future draft pick. For Chicago, Zegras would bring high-end skill, creativity, and talent to the team to pair with Connor Bedard.

This move is similar to the Tony Amonte trade because it focuses on bringing younger talent (which the Blackhawks definitely need to make their rebuild successful).

2. Trading Seth Jones for Marcus Pettersson: Chicago's defense has struggled this season, ranking third in the league for goals against (161) and are averaging 2.60 goals per game.

Despite his last three games, Seth Jones has struggled with the Blackhawks and his plus/minus is -11. Trading Jones along with a second or third-round pick to the Pittsburgh Penguins for Marcus Pettersson could improve the Blackhawks defensive structure.

Despite Pettersson being 28, he could mentor some of the Blackhawks younger defense (kind of like the Chris Chelios trade).

3. Trading Jason Dickinson and Lukas Reichel: This could be similar to the Patrick Sharp trade. There were rumors going around that Elias Pettersson may get traded from the Canucks.

If the Blackhawks want to go for Elias Pettersson, they'll have to make a big-time trade.

The Blackhawks may have to give up Jason Dickinson, Lukas Reichel, and a first-round pick for this to go through. Pettersson can be second line center with Colton Dach and Nick Foligno, giving the Blackhawks a solid top six forward group.

4. Trading for J.T. Miller: If the Elias Pettersson trade does not work in the Canucks favor, getting J.T. Miller for someone like Lukas Reichel can possibly work well for both teams. The Canucks are willing to trade either Elias Pettersson or J.T. Miller or potentially both and Lukas Reichel can be 2nd line center for the Canucks and J.T. Miiller can help out well on the top six.

5. Trading TJ Brodie for Brock Nelson: TJ Brodie hasn't found his spot in Chicago. He has nine points (two goals, seven assists) in 43 games played and is a -18. Even though there's no point in adding players over 30 on the team when we have talent from our young squad, Brock Nelson could bring more star power to the Blackhawks lineup, compared to the Blackhawks drafting Jeremy Roenick.

By looking back at some of the big time trades in the past, the Blackhawks can make similar moves today to bolster their roster around Connor Bedard. This will relieve pressure off the 19-year-old and their plans to make a future dynasty.