The Blackhawks are a sneaky trade destination for Simon Edvinsson

Do not show this to Bowen Byram. The offseason acquisition came to the Chicago Blackhawks in hopes of finally being a No. 1 defenseman, but in an unfortunate twist, it could make sense for Chicago to add to their defensive group by acquiring Simon Edvinsson from the Detroit Red Wings.

Would Edvinsson be the No. 1 over Byram? At the least, it would be a 1A/1B situation, which isn't a bad thing. With Byram averaging over 25 minutes per night on the left-side, wouldn't it be a luxury to have someone who can play just as much? That would cover plenty of ground for the Blackhawks.

If Chicago could get 23 minutes per night out of Byram and Edvinsson, with Alex Vlasic covering the other 14-16, the team would have their defense in order for a long time.

With Kevin Korchinski falling out of favor a bit in Chicago, it would make sense for the fellow left-shot defenseman to go the other way in the Edvinsson deal. The acquisition for the Red Wings would give them a bit of hope that he can replace some of those minutes if they can get a bit more out of him than the Blackhawks have been able to.

The Red Wings not only want futures, but they also want players who can help them right now. One that stands out is Teuvo Teravainen, who had a good start to the season, but holds limited trade protection and will see a bit of a reduced role once Connor Bedard returns. Trading him would also open up another $5.4 million in salary cap.

Blackhawks' best offer for Simon Edvinsson

The Blackhawks would likely be in a bidding war after Edvinsson's trade preference became known. Teams like the Toronto Maple Leafs, Boston Bruins, and San Jose Sharks are among those that are getting tied to making a deal. Those returns could include prospects like Easton Cowan, Sam Dickinson, and Dean Letourneau, or win-now players like Pavel Zacha.

Chicago would have to add some sweeteners to the deal, and sacrificing one of their three first-round picks in the upcoming draft is a small price to pay. The Edmonton Oilers' pick would make the most sense to trade for Kyle Davidson, as the Blackhawks could pick high with their own and the Florida Panthers are once again going through some injury issues that could cause them to struggle again this season. However, the Red Wings could want one of the picks with more potential to land in the lottery.

Marek Vanacker was also a plug-in as a final sweetener. The Blackhawks have some great young depth, and while trading one of their better prospects in Vanacker would sting, they have plenty more who could fill the void.

It would all be worth it to land Edvinsson, as the 23-year-old is a steady, 6-foot-6, two-way defenseman who can achor this team's blueline alongside Byram and Artyom Levshunov for a long time.

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