In less than 26 hours which saw the suddenly active Chicago Blackhawks acquire three key players for their cup run that shook up their roster. The bold roster moves likely vault them to the top of the contenders list.
Two-time Stanley Cup champion Andrew Ladd was traded on Wednesday to the Chicago Blackhawks for his second tour of duty with the defending champions. Ladd was widely touted as the top forward available ahead of the NHL trade deadline on Monday.
Hawks get: Andrew Ladd, Matt Fraser & Jay Harrison.
Jets get: Marko Dano,’16 1st rd & ’18 cond. pick #TradeCentre pic.twitter.com/ZIYRlEMHPr— TSN (@TSN_Sports) February 26, 2016
Blackhawks Acquire Three Key Players
Chicago was active in many trade discussions, but not much chatter pointed to Ladd landing once again in the Windy City. Along with Ladd, the Blackhawks also acquired two AHL players in forward Matt Fraser and defenseman Jay Harrison. Adding Ladd did come at a steep price, sending promising prospect Marko Dano, Chicago’s 2016 first-round pick, and a conditional 2018 pick to the Jets. To facilitate the trade, the Winnipeg Jets will pick-up 36% of the Ladd’s contract for the remainder of the season. Ladd will be an unrestricted free agent on July 1.
Ladd will likely play alongside captain Johnathan Towes and right winger Marian Hossa on the Blackhawks top line. Ladd’s power forward style of play will be a welcome addition to the Blackhawks roster. Ladd is a known commodity for the Blackhawks and is reported to have kept in close contact with a number of players still on the roster from the 2010 Cup winning team. In adding Ladd, Chicago added a talented and needed top line left winger that was a previous fit in the locker room, minimizing any chance of disrupting team chemistry.
#NHLTrade: Canadiens trade Fleischmann and Weise to the Blackhawks for Danault & 2018 pick. https://t.co/d8kZdQ2PEC pic.twitter.com/eFd3dGZEOf
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) February 27, 2016
Chicago made a second trade the following day sending a 2018 second-round pick and forward Phillip Danault to the Montreal Canadiens for right wing Dale Weise and winger Tomas Fleischmann.
#Blackhawks acquire Tomas Fleischmann and Dale Weise from the Canadiens in exchange for Phillip Danault and CHI's 2018 2nd round pick.
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) February 27, 2016
Weise has contributed 26 points in 56 games for the Canadiens. A forward who plays an honest game and isn’t shy of the physical side of the game, Wesis has a good talent level for a bottom-six winger with solid production and a strong work ethic. Fleischmann has chipped in 20 points while averaging nearly 16 minutes of ice time in 57 contests this year. Fleischmann is a very smart hockey player with solid offensive instincts and can play up and down the line-up and is comfortable on either wing, the very definition of a versatile veteran forward.
For Marko Dano this is the second trade in less than eight months for 2013 first-round pick, which is less about the talented Slovak’s play and more about what a versatile and valuable asset he is to teams. Dano is a possession player, highly skilled and shifty skater and can play center and wing. Dano averaged over 13 minutes of ice time last year for the Columbus Blue Jackets, posting 21 points in 35 games. If he was 6’2, there would likely be more hype around him with his offensive skill set. His his play with the Blue Jackets are likely what the Winnipeg Jets are hoping the future holds as they add Dano to a growingly impressive stable of young players.
Phillip Danault was another young player that Chicago could not afford to bring along in the midst of a title run. A hard-working player that has skill, Danault projects as a middle-six type player. He has enough skill to be dangerous, plays a two-way game and possesses a work ethic that will likely make him a complementary NHL player. Danault was the 2011 first-round selection of the Blackhawks and posted respectable numbers in the AHL but was not able to do much in 30 games this year with the big club. Montreal will likely have a look at him and the change of scenery could kickstart a development curve that was flattening out.
Moving Ladd, Fleischmann and Weise on to an already stacked and rolling Blackhawks squad has squarely put Chicago near the top of the list for Stanley Cup contenders. All three newly acquired Blackhawks figure to slot immediately into the lineup. There is still time for Chicago General Manager Stan Bowman to tinker with the roster, but with the addition of Ladd, Weise, and Fleischmann the Blackhawks clearly are all-in on a 2016 Stanley Cup championship.
