It's earlier than anticipated but it's that time of year that the Chicago Blackhawks trade talks are heating up. Age, heavy contracts and no movement clauses (NMC) will make it hard to trade any core players. Chris Hine of the Chicago Tribune believes it's "not out of the realm of possibility" to trade Artemi Panarin.
Almost any player, or contract, the Blackhawks would like to unload this offseason is untradeable. That is with the exception of Panarin.
Take a look at the other players whose names get tossed around in trade talks.
Corey Crawford has a NMC and needs to stay because Scott Darling is going to get starting money to leave Chicago.
Brent Seabrook is 32 and has a huge $6.875m cap hit that runs through 2024. Even if the Blackhawks did have a suitor, he also has a NMC. He's tied as the longest tenured player and his family is rooted here. Seabrook would never sign off on that.
Marian Hossa doesn't have a NMC but he's 38. No one is going to take four more years of his contract at a $5.275m cap hit.
Players like Duncan Keith and Niklas Hjalmarsson don't get mentioned because their contracts are pretty modest for their production. If the Blackhawks did want to trade either of them, they also have NMCs.
An upset Stan Bowman said in his address to the media that "there will be change" following the Blackhawks early exit. We can be assured that means more than just firing assistant coach Mike Kitchen.
This brings us back to Panarin. He was only signed to a two-year deal in December. His $6m cap hit would seem modest for a player coming off two consecutive 30 goal seasons. This would attract a lot of suitors for a win now organization.
While many people are calling for younger and faster defensemen, Bowman pointed to the lack of scoring in the playoffs as a concern.
So why trade a 30 goal scorer?
The Blackhawks need scoring depth. I believe this could be a Billy Beane, Moneyball, move. Instead of trading a 30 goal scorer for another 30 goal scorer, Bowman could get two potential 15-20 goal scorers.
Instead of getting another superstar, the Blackhawks would get the depth and value that they so desperately need.
Blackhawks fans might be upset to see another fan favorite go, but this might be the only player they can really trade for value.
You can listen to Chris Hine discuss this on the Mully & Hanley Show on 670 The Score. It starts at the 15:20 mark here.
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