The Chicago Blackhawks add two prospects after taking on salary in deal before the NHL trade deadline expired

Moving off of Seth Jones’ burdensome contract gave Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson some cap space to work with in the coming years, and he decided to use it to his advantage today. 

In a trade with the Utah Hockey Club, the Hawks acquired Shea Weber’s contract, defenseman Victor Söderström, and forward Akü Räty in exchange for a 2026 6th-round pick. 

The Hawks will not be on the hook for long with Weber’s contract as it only runs through the end of next season. That being said, it is still a $7.86 million commitment. Luckily, the team has almost $33 million in projected cap space to play with this summer, so this trade should not hinder the pursuit of any potential free agent signings. 

The more interesting aspects of this deal are the two prospects headed Chicago’s way. 

Söderström, 24, was the 11th overall selection in the 2019 draft. The Swede has tallied 11 points in 53 NHL games as well as 82 points across 170 AHL games. Though it may be concerning that Söderström is currently playing for Byrnäs in the SHL, he has contributed an impressive nine goals and 36 points in 47 games. His offensive uptick is encouraging, and if he decides to come back to North America, he could compete for a bottom pair job on the Hawks’ blueline next season. 

Räty was an Arizona fifth-rounder in 2019. The 23-year-old Finn has managed just four goals and 19 points with Utah’s AHL affiliate this season. Last year, his first in the AHL, Räty was second in team scoring with 44 points in 55 games. The Hawks are hoping that this season is just a sophomore slump and that he can regain his offense in short order. 

This trade is nowhere near as exciting as the Jones or even Mrazek deal, but it is a tidy bit of work for Davidson. Surrendering a late pick to add two prospects who at the very worst can be solid AHLers is solid business.