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Blackhawks To Scratch Mattias Janmark

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The weekend before the trade deadline is when it becomes time to keep a close eye out for surprising scratches as those often signal a possible trade is on the horizon.  That is what has happened with Blackhawks winger Mattias Janmark as head coach Jeremy Colliton told reporters, including NBC Sports Chicago’s Charlie Roumeliotis (Twitter link) that the forward is being held out of the lineup for tonight’s game versus Columbus due to an “organizational decision”, a phrase that seems like a professional way of saying that they’re not risking an injury with the deadline just over 48 hours away.

The 28-year-old is in his first season with Chicago after signing a one-year, $2.25MM deal with them at the beginning of free agency last summer following a strong showing with Dallas in the bubble.  While his possession numbers have been ugly, he has been one of their better secondary scorers as he has notched ten goals and nine assists in 41 games to put him fourth in team scoring while averaging a career-best 16:49 per night.  1:50 of that has come on the penalty kill which will definitely intrigue teams that are buying.

Playoff-bound teams would likely be eyeing Janmark as a bottom-six addition and with it shaping up as a buyers’ market so far, GM Stan Bowman likely won’t be able to get a significant return and will probably need to retain on the contract (or take a player back) to help facilitate a move.  However, with Chicago starting to fall further out of the Central playoff picture (they’re now four points behind Nashville while Dallas can pass them if they win some of their games in hand), the apparent decision to part with the pending UFA certainly makes sense.

Trade Rumors: Florida, Chicago, Toronto, Hall, Iafallo

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The Florida Panthers’ trade of Brett Connolly earlier today was seemingly a precursor to something more, perhaps even a lot more. The trade opens up even more cap room for a Panthers’ team that already had substantial space, seemingly allowing them to do whatever they want at the trade deadline. With an estimated $16.4MM in full-season cap space per CapFriendly, no one is off limits to the Cats, who are looking to make the most of their firm playoff position in the Central Division. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports during the latest edition of “Insider Trading” that Florida is seeking both a top-six forward and top-four defenseman and with this additional space, there is no reason why they can’t address both if they can find reasonable trades. LeBrun notes that the Panthers were one of the teams discussing Kyle Palmieri with the New Jersey Devils prior to yesterday’s deal and will have to look elsewhere for help up front. On the blue line, LeBrun believes that rookie GM Bill Zito could look to reunite with David Savard, one of his former players in Columbus and a player heavily expected to be dealt before the deadline. One way or another, the Panthers are absolutely a buyer and a team to watch as Monday’s deadline approaches.

  • As for the other side of this morning’s trade, the Chicago Blackhawks are expected to continue to use their cap room in hopes of adding other assets, LeBrun reports. Today’s deal not only landed a serviceable forward in Connolly, but also two nice young assets in Riley Stillman and Henrik Borgstrom. GM Stan Bowman would like to make as many of these types of deals as he can before the deadline. With so many teams across the league struggling with cap space, the Blackhawks could net several other pieces by offering up their financial flexibility. Specifically, LeBrun notes that Bowman has been talking to the Maple Leafs about a trade that would free up some space in Toronto.
  • The Maple Leafs have been searching for a forward for some time, but it has not been going well. Not only are the Leafs dealing with a cap crunch, but their targets keep disappearing from the market too. Frank Seravalli reports that Toronto had previously shown strong interest in both Palmieri and Nashville’s Mikael Granlund; Palmieri is now an Islander and the Predators are in playoff position. The team will have to look elsewhere, but don’t expect them to turn to Taylor Hall. While Darren Dreger notes that interest in Hall is picking up with Palmieri off the market, Seravalli notes that the Leafs are not a suitor. Both Hall’s cap cost and the asking price to acquire him are thought to be too much for GM Kyle Dubas. That could change if Toronto finds a way to open up cap space and the bidding war for Hall fizzles out, but it seems unlikely that a deal will come together by Monday if the Leafs have shown no interest thus far.
  • Tanner Pearson has finally signed a new contract with the Vancouver Canucks, but don’t worry a new extension-or-trade drama has already rose up to take it’s place. Seravalli reports that the Los Angeles Kings have been working hard to re-sign impending UFA forward Alex Iafallo and have previously turned away trade offers. However, the two sides have not been able to reach an agreement and time is running out. L.A. is now finally listening to offers for Iafallo, though extension talks continue. The Kings still hope to re-sign the 27-year-old scorer, but will have no choice but to trade him if a deal is not in place by Monday. L.A. is too far outside of a playoff spot right now to justify keeping Iafallo only to watch him walk for nothing as a free agent.

Chicago Blackhawks Acquire Brett Connolly

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The deadline is now just a few days away and the trade action is heating up. The Chicago Blackhawks have worked out a deal that will bring in Brett Connolly, Henrik Borgstrom, and Riley Stillman from the Florida Panthers. The Blackhawks will also receive a seventh-round pick, while the Panthers get Lucas Carlsson and Lucas Wallmark in return.

Chicago has been open with their willingness to take on bad money at the deadline, and Connolly would certainly qualify. The 28-year-old forward signed a four-year, $14MM contract with the Panthers in 2019 after his career-best 46-point season in Washington but has been a huge disappointment in 2020-21. Through 21 games, Connolly has just two goals and four points for the contending Panthers and has been pushed out of the lineup by several newcomers. At the end of February, his $3.5MM cap hit even got him through waivers.

It’s not like Connolly has struggled his entire time in Florida. During the 2019-20 season, he recorded 19 goals and 33 points in 69 games but was invisible in the Panthers’ four postseason contests and hasn’t found his game at all this year. A move to Chicago could potentially get him back on track, but for Florida, it is more about getting some salary off the books.

It may feel like Stillman has been around for years, but the young defenseman only turned 23 last month. Selected in the fourth round in 2016, he didn’t even go a full AHL season before making his NHL debut in 2018-19, and now has 43 games under his belt. Still, as a pending restricted free agent that hasn’t been able to establish himself yet, Stillman isn’t a huge prize for the Blackhawks.

The focus for Blackhawks fans should be Borgstrom, who was a first-round pick in 2016 and has 58 games under his belt at the NHL level. While he hasn’t made the immediate impact that some expected after dominating at the University of Denver, the 23-year-old center still has a lot of upside. That potential does come with risk though, as Borgstrom currently isn’t signed to an NHL contract. Instead, he spent this season playing for HIFK in Finland while remaining a restricted free agent here in North America. The Blackhawks would need to sign him to a new contract if he’s to make an impact next season.

Though the Panthers’ goal here was clearing cap space, Carlsson and Wallmark shouldn’t be completely overlooked. The former is a 23-year-old defenseman who has played in 12 games this season for the Blackhawks, and though he doesn’t have a lot of experience, could likely fill the same injury-replacement role that Stillman held.

Wallmark meanwhile is very familiar with the Panthers organization, having spent the end of last season with the team after a trade from Carolina. The 25-year-old forward had two strong seasons with the Hurricanes as a lineup regular, but hadn’t really found his place in Chicago. His $950K contract will expire at the end of this season, leaving Wallmark a restricted free agent. Of course, the Panthers didn’t qualify him last year, which means he might actually be heading for unrestricted free agency once again unless he can impress the front office down the stretch.

Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic was first to break the trade on Twitter.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Chicago Blackhawks Purchase Rockford IceHogs

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If you’re a fan of the Rockford IceHogs, today was a good day. The Chicago Blackhawks have officially announced the purchase of the minor league affiliate, agreeing to keep the IceHogs in Rockford until at least 2036. The two clubs had already been affiliated since 2007, but the IceHogs had previously operated as an independent and were owned by the city of Rockford.

While the purchase price comes in at $11.8MM, the deal will also include further investment in the BMO Harris Bank Center. The Blackhawks become the 21st NHL team to own their AHL affiliate, a situation that only helps the development and stability of minor league players.

Rockford is having a terrible season, winning just six of their first 19 games in the remade Central Division. But with this kind of investment, the Blackhawks will have even further incentive to make the IceHogs not only a development stop but a dominant minor league franchise.

Many of the players that have helped Chicago become Stanley Cup champions in the past have spent time in the AHL with Rockford. Names like Corey Crawford, Niklas Hjalmarsson, Brandon Saad, and Andrew Shaw all spent some of their formative playing years with the IceHogs, developing the skills that would lead them to success in the NHL.

Lucas Wallmark, Tanner Kero Clear Waivers

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April 6: Both players have cleared waivers and can be assigned to the taxi squad or minor leagues.

April 5: Two more players have hit waivers today, after Luke Johnson and Jacob de La Rose cleared today. The Chicago Blackhawks and Dallas Stars have placed Lucas Wallmark and Tanner Kero on waivers respectively according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.

Wallmark, 25, still doesn’t have a goal this season for the Blackhawks and has been limited to just three points in 16 games. Once a regular with the Carolina Hurricanes, he has become a part-time depth player with Chicago and, with the recent acquisition of Vinnie Hinostroza, on the outside looking in. With a cap hit of $950K there is a chance he is claimed, but it seems much more likey that Wallmark will clear and find himself on the taxi squad.

The same can be said about Kero, even if he has been playing well of late. The 28-year-old has five points in 20 games for the Stars this season, his first taste of NHL action since 2017-18. Given that Kero has already cleared waivers twice this season, Dallas should feel comfortable about putting him through again. If he isn’t claimed, he can once again bounce back and forth between the taxi squad and active roster, saving the team some cap on off days.

Vinnie Hinostroza Driving To Chicago To Reduce Quarantine Time

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  • Blackhawks center Vinnie Hinostroza opted to make the 20-hour drive from Florida to Chicago to reduce his required quarantine tine, notes Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times. The 27-year-old was acquired from the Panthers this week after having a limited role in Florida where he played in just nine games.  Hinostroza isn’t on the CPRA list yet but should be on there once he makes it to his hotel room in Chicago to begin serving his quarantine period.

Jake Wise To Transfer From Boston University To Ohio State

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  • Blackhawks prospect Jake Wise has decided to leave Boston University and transfer to Ohio State, reports Scott Powers of The Athletic (Twitter link). The 21-year-old center was a third-round pick of Chicago back in 2018 but had just three goals in 50 games over three years with the Terriers.  Wise will still have two years of NCAA eligibility remaining.

Chicago Blackhawks Acquire Vinnie Hinostroza

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The Chicago Blackhawks have brought back a familiar face, reacquiring Vinnie Hinostroza from the Florida Panthers. In return, the Panthers will receive minor-league forward Brad Morrison.

Hinostroza, 26, was drafted by the Blackhawks in 2012 and played his first 106 NHL games for the club before a trade took him to the Arizona Coyotes. He returns to the club in the midst of a brutal season for the Panthers, where he has dressed just nine times and doesn’t have a point. The undersized forward reached a career-high of 16 goals and 39 points in the 2018-19 season for the Coyotes but hasn’t been the same player since. Now on just a one-year, $1MM contract, he is a low-risk, low-reward play for the Blackhawks ten days before the deadline.

It’s low-risk because Morrison isn’t much of a prospect, despite his five points in six games so far this season for the Rockford Icehogs. He’s been up and down between the ECHL and AHL since turning pro and is a non-tender candidate when his entry-level contract expires at the end of this season.

If Hinostroza wasn’t going to play for the Panthers, they didn’t need to be carrying his $1MM cap hit on the books any longer. While Florida isn’t in desperate need of cap space and they could have freed up this amount simply by putting him on waivers and then the taxi squad, this at least gets them a closer look at Morrison down the stretch. Really, this is a deal about getting Hinostroza–a Chicago native–back where he feels most comfortable and with the management group that drafted and developed him.

He still may find himself on waivers at some point, but perhaps Hinostroza can refresh his career and find the level he had in the past. For a team still on the playoff bubble, adding some NHL-level depth is never a bad thing.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Brandon Hagel Placed In COVID Protocol

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The Chicago Blackhawks will not have Brandon Hagel available to them today as the young forward has been placed in the league’s COVID Protocol. His name will be added to the list that comes out later today, but no specific details on his absence have been (or likely will be) revealed.

It is important to note that entering the protocol does not mean that a player has tested positive for Coronavirus or even that they have been confirmed as a close contact.

Hagel, 22, has played in 35 games for the Blackhawks this season, scoring 14 points in his first taste of full-time action. Originally a sixth-round pick of the Buffalo Sabres, he never signed with them and instead inked his entry-level deal with the Blackhawks in 2018. Now just a few years later he has become an important depth piece for Chicago, one that the team will be without for now.

It is not clear how long Hagel will be out, but notably, he did play in yesterday’s game against the Carolina Hurricanes. The Blackhawks are back in action tomorrow afternoon.

Stan Bowman Named GM Of 2022 U.S. Olympic Team

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The 2022 U.S. Olympic men’s hockey team will be led by Chicago Blackhawks’ Stan Bowman, who was announced as the general manager today. He’ll be joined by Minnesota Wild GM Bill Guerin, who will serve as an assistant GM for the event. Pat Kelleher, executive director of USA Hockey, released a statement regarding the hire:

We could not be happier to have the combination of Stan and Bill, with the support of John Vanbiesbrouck, guiding our men’s Olympic team. We have a deep talent pool thanks to so many people, including volunteers at the grassroots level across the country, and it’s great to have the leadership and expertise that Stan and Bill bring in building our team.

Though it is not official yet that NHL players will be competing at the 2022 Olympics, Kelleher remains “hopeful and optimistic” according to Helene Elliott of the LA Times. The team will have an orientation camp this summer and the official roster will be named around New Year’s Day, 2022. If NHL players do go, the U.S. team could potentially be one of the tournament favorites, given the high-end talent that can lead the way. Names like Auston Matthews, Jack Eichel, and Quinn Hughes can join some of the more veteran players like Patrick Kane and John Carlson who were present at the 2014 Games, the last time NHL took part.

Bowman doesn’t have much international experience but will have Guerin to lean on, who actually competed at three different Olympics as a player. Guerin took home a silver medal in 2002 and has previously been an AGM with Team USA at the World Championships.

If the NHL decides not to go, Bowman and Guerin will actually not be managing the team, according to Michael Russo of The Athletic. USA Hockey has a backup plan if that is the case and will have to “adjust accordingly.”

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