What I’m hearing and seeing from the Blackhawks as the NHL trade deadline nears

CHICAGO — Connor Murphy was all the time the almost definitely Chicago Blackhawks participant to be traded, so it was no shock he was the first one dealt earlier than Friday’s NHL trade deadline.

The Blackhawks might have waited to see if they may get a greater provide for Murphy, however they obtained what they needed in a second-round choose and discovered a very good touchdown spot for Murphy to make the playoffs with the Edmonton Oilers, who’ve an 81 percent chance of constructing the minimize. The Blackhawks needed to do proper by Murphy after he remained so optimistic throughout some powerful rebuilding years.

Here’s what else I’m hearing and seeing round the Blackhawks earlier than the 2 pm CT Friday deadline:

• Based on one recreation with out Murphy, it seems Blackhawks coach Jeff Blashill plans to present Sam Rinzel, Louis Crevier and Alex Vlasic extra duty. Rinzel performed a season-high 20:12 of five-on-five ice time Tuesday. Vlasic began a season-high 18 defensive-zone faceoffs. His earlier excessive was 12. Crevier began a season-high 15 defensive-zone faceoffs. His earlier excessive was 9.

• Three targets appear to be the magic quantity for the Blackhawks recently. Since Connor Bedard returned from harm on Jan. 9, they’ve gone 5-10-3. Of these 18 video games, they’ve gone 4-0-1 after they’ve scored three or extra targets and 1-10-2 after they’ve scored fewer than three.

• The Blackhawks’ goalie tandem of Spencer Knight and Arvid Söderblom has been stable all through that 18-game stretch, too. The Blackhawks have had the Fifteenth-highest save proportion over that span.

• Jason Dickinson is the almost definitely Blackhawks participant to be traded earlier than the deadline. Although there was some curiosity in him, it is not a positive factor he’ll be handled. The Blackhawks aren’t going to take simply something for him. They do not see a degree in buying a late-round choose merely to maneuver him. He’s nonetheless taking part in a key position and takes a few of the stress off the crew’s younger facilities.

• Ilya Mikheyev might additionally nonetheless be traded. As with Dickinson, it must be the proper provide to make a Mikheyev trade worthwhile. There can also be nonetheless an out of doors likelihood the Blackhawks will re-sign Mikheyev. He turned down their newest provide, however the talks aren’t essentially lifeless.

• If the Blackhawks transfer Dickinson, Ryan Greene is the logical participant to interchange him in that shutdown middle position. Outside of Dickinson, Greene has taken most of the defensive-zone and short-handed faceoffs for the Blackhawks. Oliver Moore is one other potential choice, however he has taken simply 35 defensive-zone faceoffs in 49 video games.

• Of course, shifting Greene into that position would take him off the Blackhawks’ prime line alongside Bedard. With 363 minutes of five-on-five ice collectively, Greene has been Bedard’s second-most-frequent linemate this season. The Blackhawks have outscored opponents 23-17 with them on the ice collectively.

• Over Bedard’s three seasons, his most frequent linemates have been Philipp Kurashev (968:55), Ryan Donato (698:34), Tyler Bertuzzi (599:19), Nick Foligno (586:49), André Burakovsky (445:16), Greene (363:24), Mikheyev (341:48), Frank Nazar (341:16) and Teuvo Teräväinen (296:16).

• There might be a greater argument to maintain Greene as Bedard’s linemate over Burakovsky primarily based on their current play. In the 18 video games since Bedard’s return, Greene has three targets and two assists, each main, in five-on-five play, and Burakovsky has produced zero targets and one help, which was a main. Fifteen gamers have produced greater than Burakovsky at five-on-five throughout that span.

• For these questioning, it is unlikely the Blackhawks will contemplate shopping for out Burakovsky after this season. Part of the purpose they acquired him was that his contract would assist them to the cap ground subsequent season. If they purchase him out, his cap hit can be $3 million subsequent season as an alternative of $5.5 million. But until Burakovsky turns it round, he might get related therapy to Andreas Athanasiou subsequent season: much less ice time, which might result in wholesome scratches and an AHL demotion. Between Anton Frondell, Roman Kantserov and Nick Lardis, the Blackhawks might have extra top-six choices for subsequent season.

• Might Frondell be a part of the Blackhawks earlier than the finish of this season? That relies on how far Djurgårdens goes in the SHL playoffs. The crew is in ninth place and is more likely to end in that vary. That will put it in a best-of-three playoff sequence, which is able to begin the week of March 15. If Djurgårdens losses in that spherical, Frondell’s arrival might come round the week of March 22. The Blackhawks have a house recreation March 22, then hit the street for 4 video games on the East Coast. If Djurgårdens advances, the subsequent rounds are best-of-seven sequence.

• The Blackhawks additionally stay hopeful Kantserov will be a part of them subsequent season. There have not been any discussions but as a result of Kantserov is underneath contract in the KHL till the finish of the season. He hasn’t re-signed along with his KHL crew, Metallurg Magnitogorsk, and has been receptive to speaking with the Blackhawks growth workers, which looks as if a optimistic signal. The Blackhawks consider Kantserov can step in and play a big position subsequent season. You can anticipate that perception, together with an entry-level contract stuffed with efficiency bonuses, to be their pitch.

• The Blackhawks will seemingly talk about the chance of ahead prospects Sacha Boisvert and John Mustard turning professional after their school seasons. At Boston University, Boisvert hasn’t had the sophomore season he seemed ahead to and has produced simply two assists in his final 9 video games. The Blackhawks nonetheless consider in Boisvert and most likely would not object if he needed to signal. Mustard has taken a step in his sophomore season at Providence. He’s particularly been good recently, scoring in 5 of his final seven video games. The Blackhawks have some flexibility as a result of they’re each sophomores, however the group will likely be aggressive in attempting to signal prospects it feels they’re able to make the soar.

• It seems the Florida Panthers may very well be attempting to maintain their first-round choose this yr. From final yr’s Seth Jones trade, the Blackhawks acquired the Panthers’ 2026 first-round choose, however it’s top-10 protected, that means Florida will hold on to it if it is amongst the draft’s first 10 picks, then ship its unprotected 2027 first-round choose to Chicago. The Panthers have the ninth-worst factors proportion in the league. TheAthletic‘s Pierre LeBrun reported Wednesday that they determined to grow to be sellers at the deadline. A number of groups are simply forward of the Panthers in the standings, so loads might nonetheless occur, and there may be the unpredictability of the present lottery. We’ll see the way it performs out.