I feel morally obligated to begin this article with a cautionary disclaimer that I believe the absolute worst, most inexcusably careless thing the Blackhawks could do this forthcoming deadline is to go all in as they did last season.
Long story short, Andrew Ladd, Tomas Fleischmann, and Dale Weise were monumental disappointments and the young, cost-effective, talented price the Blackhawks paid for this deplorable trio of forwards are now thriving elsewhere for teams not named the Chicago Blackhawks. See Phillip Danault’s production in Montreal this season, for example. The second year center in on pace for about 45 points. The duo of players Danault (and a second round pick) was swapped for in 2015-2016 combined for 52 last season to give some perspective.
Also, I love the talented group of youngsters the Blackhawks have at the moment. With their core players aging closer and closer to the age of colonoscopies with each shift, whether you choose to accept it or not, this group of rookies is the future of the organization. Forgive me for not supporting the idea of swapping this future for a rental you might only get three months out of — if you’re lucky. That said, no rental is worth the names Hartman, Schmaltz, Motte, Pokka, Forsling or Hinostroza
Now that you know my stance on the situation let’s go through some of the names connected with the Blackhawks. I’ll also give my opinion on the probability of the move and an overview of the player and all that fun stuff that’ll be sure to tickle your hockey fancies.
Jarome Iginla
Age: 39
Stats: 7 G, 7 8, -18 +/-.
Cap Hit: $5.33 mil
Probability: 4/10
Overview: No. Please no. But it’s not like my opinion matters, though. It all depends on how much Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman believes the aging, formerly-elite goal scorer has left in the tank. Personally, I believe Iggy to be a cracked, brittle shell of his former self. At this point in his long and illustrious career the only noteworthy aspect that remains of Jarome Iginla is his name. Publicity would be the only reason to go through the trouble of acquiring Iginla. The Blackhawks want championships, not spotlight. Think of the White Sox acquisition of Ken Griffey Jr for perspective.
James van Riemsdyk
Age: 27
Stats: 19 G, 24 A, -3 +/-.
Cap Hit: $4.25 mil
Probability: 2/10
Overview: Boy, the better half of the van Riemsdyk brothers would look nice on a wing beside Jonathan Toews. Unfortunately, he’s got another year remaining on his contract which essentially negates any chance of general management giving serious pursuit. Plus, Toronto is probably going to want a proven defenseman in return for JVR – which the Blackhawks do not have to give.
Gabriel Landeskog
Age: 24
Stats: 11 G, 11 A, -13 +/-.
Cap Hit: $5.57 mil
Probability: 0/10
Overview: Landeskog is a nice, young, power-forward who simply needs a change of scenery. His emancipation from the gutter that has become the Colorado Avalanche will not be through a trade to Chicago, though, as it would be utterly insane for the Blackhawks to add another pricey forward who is signed long-term to their already insolvent books. A “Trade Toews” person honestly has a better chance at splitting the atom or becoming president than the Blackhawks have of landing Landeskog (the latter end of this joke would have been much more effective a year ago). With the rough-and-tumble style of game Landeskog brings to the table, don’t be surprised to see the winger in a Kings or Bruins sweater in the near future.
Radim Vrbata
Age: 35
Stats: 11 G, 25 A, -17 +/-.
Cap Hit: $1 mil
Probability: 8/10
Overview: You heard it here. This is the subtle and safe move I believe the Blackhawks will make on, or shortly before, deadline day. Don’t let the age of the former Blackhawk deceive you. As his numbers prove, Vrbata still has plenty of offensive upside left in the tank. His 35 points currently lead a young Coyotes team that finds itself chained in the basement of the Western Conference. His 12 power play points and 17 minutes per game of ice time particularly stand out. Most importantly, Vrbata is a pending free agent who is making about 1/4th ($1 million) of what players of similar statistical output are making. In other words, the winger, who scored 31 goals just two seasons ago, is cheap, offensively relevant and very available for a team with a rich trading history with the Blackhawks organization. Arizona’s asking price is the only potential deterrence. Personally, I could live with coughing up a second round pick and a middle-tier prospect for Vrbata’s services. Another upside is that Vrbata’s cap hit is so low that a potential coinciding move for a depth defenseman could be made.
Martin Hanzal
Age: 29
Stats: 12 G, 9 A, -16 +/-.
Cap Hit: $3.10 mil
Probability: 5/10
Overview: Another Coyote forward. If I had to choose between Vrbata and Hanzal I’d take latter 99 out of 100 times. He’s big (6’6, 226), he’s versatile, and, most importantly, he’s a very effective two-way center when healthy. Career inconsistencies can be attributed to playing for often-bad teams and frequent injuries. Aside from the noted injuries, another potential red flag could be Arizona’s asking price which is reported to be a bit steeper than the Blackhawks might be able to afford. I’m willing to bet someone pays top dollar for Hanzal.
Patrick Sharp
Age: 35
Stats: 7 G, 6 A, -13 +/-.
Cap Hit: $5.90 mil
Probability: 4/10
Overview: Just the mere mention of a Blackhawks reunion with former fan-favorite Patrick Sharp is enough to make every female die hard between the ages of 16 and 50 tingly inside. Unfortunately for every fanboy out there who, to this day, continues to sport their #10 sweater, it’s probably not going to happen as the Stars are still not quite out of the playoff race. Sharp has a pretty critical role to play in Dallas’ playoff push and unless February proves monumentally disastrous for Lindy Ruff’s squad I don’t see the winger being moved. Sorry, ladies! I know it’s Valentines Day but you’ll just have to settle for your current, disappointing significant others. On top of this I just can’t see the Stars trading within their own division mid-season unless they were getting a hefty return – which the Blackhawks just aren’t going to cough up, I’d hope.
Thomas Vanek
Age: 33
Stats: 14 G, 22 A, 3 +/-.
Probability: 5/10
Cap Hit: $2.60 mil
Overview: I see what you’re doing, Vanek. I see through this resurgent smokescreen you’ve conjured. Well guess what? Stan Bowman isn’t falling for it. Not after the bullshit disappearing act you pulled on Long Island, in Montreal and in Minnesota. You are a living, skating manifestation of Q’s infamous doghouse. You can be someone else’s disappointment for 20-30 tail end games.
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