The Blackhawks have been the topic of more than a few discussions regarding potential trades this summer, and every indication has been that at least one big deal will be made to speed up the rebuild. Last week, insider Pierre LeBrun even reported that GM Kyle Davidson “continues to make his calls around the league.” The report also mentioned that Davidson was looking specifically for a top-six forward.
This week, The Fourth Period finally released their summer trade watch list, which identifies the top 25 trade targets around the league and names a few teams that are reportedly linked to each player. With a number of huge star forwards reportedly on the block, the Blackhawks came up more than a few times throughout the list. Most notably, Chicago is listed next to four of the biggest names set for fresh starts and is “reportedly linked” to each of them.
Mitch Marner
The top overall trade target has a no-move clause in his $10.9 million contract, but Toronto was reportedly taking calls from teams to try to move him. The superstar winger logged 85 points in 69 games last season, appearing at the All-Star Game. While the Blackhawks were among four teams in contention for Marner, recent reports suggest that the Leafs are more likely to work on an extension for one of their biggest stars than ship him elsewhere.
Martin Necas
We’ve talked about a match between Necas and the Blackhawks plenty here, and the team is still very much in play. With the 25-year-old becoming a restricted free agent this summer, the Hurricanes don’t exactly have the cap space to give him a new contract. Carolina is shopping his rights as a blooming star and for good reason – it’s become the consensus that Necas is set to become a true top-line talent. The Blackhawks are among a multitude of interested teams, but they would also have the funds to scrape together an offer sheet for Necas, which the Hurricanes would have trouble matching. His new contract would come at a steep price, but Necas would be a true cornerstone of the Blackhawks for years to come.
Oliver Wahlstrom
The 24-year-old former first-round pick of the Islanders hasn’t gotten nearly as much attention as the other names on this list after a pretty underwhelming season. Now hitting restricted free agency, there’s a chance Chicago is able to pounce at a much cheaper cost than anyone on the market. He only played in 32 games last year, but the winger boasts tremendous upside and is worth at least a look for the Blackhawks.
Trevor Zegras
At 23 years old and with a cap hit of $5.75 million, Zegras would come at a steep cost if the Blackhawks were able to get their hands on him. After an injury-plagued season with the Ducks, the current rumor is that he could be open to a move to a “bigger market” like Chicago. With two years remaining on a more-than-reasonable contract, Zegras would be a huge acquisition for the Blackhawks. His strong scoring and skating ability would be a perfect fit and make Chicago’s forward lines even more fun to watch.
