Chicago proceeded to one major trade and freeing some salary by sending Brandon Saad to Columbus. Read more below.
Chicago trades Saad to the Blue Jackets
The Chicago Blackhawks completed a seven player deal today with the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Chicago Blackhawks sent forward Brandon Saad, forward Alex Broadhurst and defenceman Michael Paliotta. In exchange, the Blackhawks acquired forward Artem Anisimov, Marko Dano, Jeremy Morin et Corey Tropp, and a fourth round draft pick in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft. Saad, 23, scored 23 goals and 29 assists for 52 points with the Blackhawks. He also won a Stanley Cup with the Hawks in 2010 and 2013. Saad was seen as a potential target for an offer sheet, and that could be why the Blue decided to trade for him. It is rumored he was looking for a long term deal in the $6.5M range with the Hawks which is something Stan Bowman wasn’t willing to give into.
“We both tried hard to make it work,” Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman said. “It just wasn’t going to work in this scenario. I don’t think we ever came close on a contract.”
Marko Dano is a 20-years-old who was selected in the first round (27th overall) at the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. In 35 games with the Blue Jackets, Dano scored 8 goals and 13 assists for 21 points. He splitted his time with the Columbus AHL affiliate team in Springfield where he recorded 11 goals 8 assists in 39 games played. Dano also represented Slovakia at the World Junior Championship obtaining one point.
“When you get good players that you have to pay top dollar to, you have to face that situation,” Kekalainen said. “I think we’ll probably face that same situation with our group; we have some good young talent growing and if they keep developing as we hope and expect them to, we’re probably going to have to part ways with some of our young talent to fit everybody in.”
Anisimov only played in 52 games in 2014-15 with Columbus. During that time, Anisimov recorded seven goals and 20 assists. The Russian 27-years-old was acquired with from the Rangers in the trade that sent Marian Gaborik to the Rangers. The Blackhawks know Morin very well. The 24-years-old was part of the Chicago Blackhawks organization before. He started the season 2014-2015 season with the Chicago Blackhawks before being sent to the Columbus Blue Jackets later in the season. Morin had 22 points in 82 games played this past season. He was a second round draft pick (45th overall) of the Atlanta Trashers in 2009.
Tropp is a US-born player who’s 25-years-old who compiled 8 points in 61 games played in the NHL, last season. Broadhurst et Paliotta, are also two American born players, the two propspects are 22-years-old dwith good aspirations to play in the NHL one day. Paliotta recorded one assist with Columbus last season.
** Update 1 Jul 15 – 11:54am ** The Chicago Blackhawks have resigned forward Artem Anisimov to a 5-year contract extension worth 22.75M.
