After several stunning trades that saw Alex DeBrincat, Brandon Hagel, and Kirby Dach shipped out, decisions to leave Dylan Strome and Dominik Kubalik unqualified, and recent comments from top players suggesting frustration at the Chicago Blackhawks’ long rebuild plan, it’s tough sledding for fans of the team right now. The front office is actively trying to lose next season to secure a better draft position, which has led to plenty of speculation about the future of franchise icons Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane.
But there are other veterans on the roster, ones that aren’t so far along in their careers or entrenched in the Blackhawks’ history. What about Connor Murphy and Jake McCabe, two defensemen both still on the good side of 30 and capable enough to help almost any team in the league in a certain role?
They won’t be moved, according to Scott Powers of The Athletic, who answered mailbag questions today on all sorts of Blackhawks-related topics. The two veteran defensemen are both expected to stay with the club for the next few years, partly due to their hefty contracts but also because the team wants some capable NHL veterans in place to insulate their young prospects.
McCabe, 28, signed a four-year, $16MM contract with Chicago last summer that includes a seven-team no-trade clause. His $4MM cap hit is easily the largest of his career, and would be a tough contract to extract much surplus value from at this point. Asked to do too much last season, he ended up logging more than 20 minutes a night for the first time since 2017, and was outscored heavily at even-strength. Impressively though, even while receiving absolutely brutal deployment (McCabe rarely started a shift in the offensive zone), he actually did set a career-high in points with 22.
Part of the reason he played so much is because of Murphy’s up-and-down season, which saw him play just 57 games. Now 29, the 6’4″ defenseman is only just now starting the four-year, $17.6MM contract extension that he signed last August, one that includes a ten-team no-trade clause.
Murphy has never played more than 78 games in a single season and now carries a $4.4MM cap hit through 2025-26, making it difficult to trade him even if the Blackhawks wanted to. One thing to note about his deal, however, is that the salary drops to $3.65MM in the final season, and $1MM of that is due in signing bonuses. If there is a time to move him, it might end up being in the summer of 2025 when there is very little actual money owed.
That’s a long time from now though, meaning Murphy and McCabe appear to be stuck with a team that is trying to lose as many games as possible. That’s a tough situation for any veteran to play in, meaning they are still names to keep an eye on as the Chicago rebuild progresses.
Yo move a talent like Debrincat and then reach with the 7th overall pick is a huge miss at first glance. The return itself for him could already be considered a loss. You are supposed to build around talent like that. I feel strongly that there was another way to rebuild in CHI and they opted to just start from scratch. The point of the draft is to find players like the ones you traded away and you don’t always find them.
Good luck Chicago. I hope it’s a quicker rebuild than what it looks to be right now. You deserve better.
Except the reason they had to tear down the roster is because those guys sucked. If they played better they would have added instead of subtracted. The new regime is entitled to bring in their guys and build the organization in their vision.
I could be wrong here but I’m pretty sure a two-time 40 goal scorer who is 24 years old is not part of the problem.
The new regime is absolutely entitled to bring in whoever they want and build their vision. My thoughts are that it’s difficult to see that vision without a guy like Debrincat especially at the return he produced. Two firsts for Hagel was an excellent return though and they’ll have flexibility next year with JT and PK contracts off the books.
Could be a great new era if they win the Bedard lottery and hit on all the picks they’re acquiring.
Personally, I would not have traded Debrincat for Korchinski, Ludwinski, and a 3rd though. Had they gone Savoie at 7, Casey at 39, and get a top-3 pick next year then all of a sudden that’s looking a bit more formidable than who they selected.
Only time will tell though and I’m no scout. I hope they’re right and I’m wrong for Bhawk fans sake.
Bowman really destroyed this team. Wow! It’s egregious that he actually has a Stanley Cup ring especially when Dale Tallon did all the heavy lifting.
One of the worst execs in recent sports history without the scandal, and very possibly the worst when factoring it in.
What??
You just blinked.
Sure my comment got modded cos it’s the only way to preserve the new world order.
The meme police is on watch
If they want out all they have to do is waive the no trade clause and after this year, I’m sure they can be out the door. Nobody has any cap space right now but in the off season hope springs eternal.
“On the good side of 30”, well that was just mean and unnecessary! ;)
Wilf,Bowman was trying to rebuild and it seemed like it was a good plan until Rocky Wirtz decided to change course and wanted a winning team in the hopes that winning will lessen the public opinion of tge sexual abuse allegation that he knew were going to hit. That is why they traded for Seth Jones & Fleury and signed McCabe. Problem with that plan was they forgot Collitam was the coach and he dug them in a huge hole right away and the plan blew up