Much of this offseason was focused on the Blackhawks getting better at the NHL level. The attention of GM Kyle Davidson and his staff has previously been centered around building an excellent prospect pool from the ground up, but he also acknowledged that if the NHL product doesn’t improve from last year’s 31st-ranked finish, the fan base won’t be happy. That resulted in a slew of free agent acquisitions on July 1 and a new-look roster for this fall for the Blackhawks.
After those moves, which appeared to have been made to help Chicago try to compete for a playoff spot next spring, it seems silly at first glance to consider the team sellers. However, it’s no secret that the Blackhawks aren’t quite ready for playoff hockey. Even though the current team is designed to get them there, the heart of Chicago is buried underneath them at the AHL level.
That means even if the Blackhawks are more successful this year, they’ll still be getting rid of pieces at the deadline. Since talented skaters like Frank Nazar, Landon Slaggert, Ethan Del Mastro and Wyatt Kaiser are being held off the NHL roster where they’ll eventually play, the assumption is that they’ll be ready by next spring, meaning Chicago will have to open up a few spots for them. A few veterans have already emerged as candidates to be moved before March 6.
Hall is a perfect example of a trade chip for the Blackhawks – He’s 32 years old and doesn’t fit Chicago’s rebuild timeline, but when healthy, he’s still a true star who can produce at a high level on any team in the league. The former Hart Trophy winner is entering the final year of his deal with an AAV of $6 million, and the Blackhawks have enough cap space that they could retain some of that salary. The team receiving him would be able to get a star forward at a more-than-reasonable cap cost while not tying themselves down for longer than a few months.
In return, the Blackhawks could take advantage of such a team by squeezing them for high-tier prospects. Chicago doesn’t need a higher quantity of prospects with an already deep pipeline, but if they could get one to two NHL-ready talents, that would be more than enough value for them to pull the trigger, making a deal that improves their standing in the long run.
Though he doesn’t possess quite the same name recognition as Hall, Athanasiou has plenty to offer any team, assuming he can overcome his difficulties staying healthy. When he is, he’s a speed-first forward who profiles as one of the fastest players in the NHL and can produce at times offensively. That’s a great skill to have on the trade market, and he could prove enticing for a team lacking in bottom-six speed. His contract expires after this season, and he wouldn’t be too likely to be brought back by the Blackhawks next summer. Getting anything they can for him would be a shrewd move, especially if it sets them up for long-term success.
This list wouldn’t be complete without a veteran defenseman, as it seems a contender is looking to replenish their blue line with a reliable talent every year. Martinez is 37 years old and isn’t more than a bottom-pairing guy at this point in his career, but he would be a great depth piece for any team that sees its ranks thinned due to injuries or other factors. He’s probably one of the more enticing options for teams scavenging the Blackhawks’ roster, as others like Connor Murphy and TJ Brodie are still under contract for two seasons.
Given the state of Chicago’s prospect pool, they’ll be willing to let an older skater like Martinez go for nearly nothing. With Del Mastro, Kaiser, and even Artyom Levshunov looking ready to complete their development at the NHL level, the Blackhawks will want to give them some run in the big show before the end of this season. With the contracts of Kaiser and Isaak Phillips expiring at the end of this season, Chicago has extra motivation to give them one final look at the level where they’ll be expected to play before deciding whether to offer them contract extensions.
