Artem Anisimov Trade Rumors Are Heating Up

It's no secret that the Blackhawks are looking to make some deals after their collapse this past postseason. Names have been tossed around for weeks but the reliable John Jaeckel from hockeybuzz.com gave us more insight. He recently told our 312 Podcast in a Blackhawks offseason special that Artem Anisimov is probably the number one candidate to be moved. Anisimov is coming off his best season in his career and his stock couldn't be higher. He struggled at the dot but tallied 22 goals on his way to a career high 45 points.

Montreal Canadiens

Anisimov has been linked to Montreal a lot since the Stanley Cup Final ended. It was originally rumored that the Canadiens were looking to trade Alex Galchenyuk for Anisimov and a 1st round pick this season. Jaeckel said it could be a one for one deal. It would be a like for like trade if you look at the numbers and the position, but there are other variables. The 23 year old Galchenyuk is a restricted free agent while Artem is headed into the third year of a five year deal. The belief that he has more upside than Anisimov, who people feel has reached his potential. Galchenyuk already has a 30 goal season and Artem tied his career high this season with 22. While they both currently play center, it is believed that Galchenyuk is more of a left-winger. This is also important because though the Blackhawks do need a center, they're also in need of a left winger in their top six. As I'm writing this, another Canadiens rumor crossed me on Twitter from Jaeckel. There are no details about what Montreal would give up, but they are inquiring about Anisimov and Panarin together.

New Jersey Devils

John Jaeckel said that he heard that the Devils were sniffing around for Anisimov and Hjalmarsson. In the rumor, New Jersey was looking to deal Adam Henrique and John Moore. This is another like for like deal for the Blackhawks but has kind of been written off because the Blackhawks want more. Henrique is a 40-50 point guy at about the same point in his career as Anisimov. Moore is a stay at home defenseman just like Hammer but it seems like the Blackhawks have no interest in moving him.

Las Vegas Golden Knights

This is a hard one because the Las Vegas Golden Knights have nothing to give up at this point. It's already rumored that Marcus Kruger and Trevor van Riemsdyk are possibly on their way to Vegas, but an Anisimov move there wouldn't occur until after the draft.

Where Is He Going?

I believe that if there is a one for one deal for Galchenyuk on the table, the Blackhawks should pull the trigger. You're getting a younger scorer with more upside. When more players start getting added into the deal, then there is a lot more to look at. Panarin could be the most tradeable player on the Hawks but you need to get another budding superstar. I don't like the deal with New Jersey at all unless they offer in some kind of sweetener. Anisimov for Henrique is fine but when you say Hjalmarsson for Moore, then it just looks like the Blackhawks are getting  ripped off. Hammer's contract is a deal for the type of work he does on the blue line. If the Blackhawks wait around to see what Vegas is doing then they might miss out on a good deal. If you're looking to move Anisimov it would probably be better to do it sooner than later. Follow @Pappy_Hour on Twitter for more Blackhawks new and musings.