The Chicago Blackhawks are keeping the door wide open as they work the phones, and that includes both players and premium draft capital. According to Pierre LeBrun, GM Kyle Davidson has been talking with teams and is willing to move just about anything outside of the obvious untouchables.
That flexibility matters because Chicago is sitting on a pile of assets. The Blackhawks own three first-round picks in the June draft and two high second-rounders, including Vancouver’s, and LeBrun said plenty of those selections are available as the club looks to give its roster a jolt. The target is a scoring winger, but the market has made them adaptable.
“They’re not too picky because it’s hard to make trades this time of year. They’re pretty open-minded in trying to shake up their roster.”
Detroit is working through its own trade possibilities, and the process sounds more complicated than simple buyer-seller chatter. TSN’s Darren Dreger reported that Red Wings assistant GM Kris Draper is in California this week watching the San Jose Sharks, Anaheim Ducks, and Los Angeles Kings.
Dreger also said Shawn Horcoff, the interim general manager, and the group representing Simon Edvinsson and Dylan Larkin, CAA, are trying to build creative options for Horcoff and the Red Wings. Even so, teams interested in those players are waiting for Detroit to make its position clearer before anything can move forward.
Meanwhile, Minnesota is taking a patient approach with pending UFA defenseman Quinn Hughes. Nicholas J.
Cotsonika of NHL.com reported that Wild GM Bill Guerin said the situation remains status quo, and that he wants Hughes focused on hockey for now. Guerin said Hughes understands what’s going on.
When asked if he’d be willing to hold onto Guerin beyond the trade deadline, he said.
“Sure. “Yeah.”
Guerin also made it clear he knows exactly what Hughes means to the lineup.
“Honestly, we’re a better team with Quinn Hughes, so I mean, I want to keep him as long as I possibly can,” Guerin said. “Whether it’s three months, three years, seven years, whatever, we’re a better team with Quinn Hughes.”
In Other News...
Bruins Could Be Setting Up A Bigger Move Than Fans Expected
With the trade market already starting to stir, Bill Guerin has made clear the Wild are not treating every deadline decision as a simple yes-or-no proposition. He said the focus remains on hockey and team success, even if that means holding onto Quinn Hughes longer than some around the league might expect. For a Minnesota team that has spent plenty of time weighing short-term help against long-term value, that kind of patience matters.
The Bruins, meanwhile, appear to be thinking bigger than a quick fix. Boston is exploring trade options and has two first-round picks available to help improve the roster, but there is no immediate rush to strike a deal. In a market where rival front offices are already pushing back on rumors and keeping their cards close, that kind of flexibility can change the shape of the deadline fast. [Read more 🡒]
Wild Face One Huge Trade Question In Dylan Larkin Talks
The Dylan Larkin chatter has opened a complicated lane for the Wild, with Minnesota suddenly tied into a speculative three-way framework that also runs through Philadelphia and Detroit. The basic outline is simple enough: the Red Wings would be looking to reshape the return for Larkin, while the Flyers could end up with draft capital and prospects if the pieces line up in the right order.
For the Wild, the intrigue is less about the headline and more about what it says about the market around a player like Larkin and how far Minnesota might be willing to go if it wants to stay in the conversation. Nothing has been finalized, and the whole scenario remains in the rumor stage, but the fact that the Wild are even part of the discussion underscores how much leverage and creativity would be required to make a deal like this work. [Read more 🡒]
Wild Still Face One Big Brock Faber Concern Amid Hot Start
Amid Minnesotas blistering start to the season, one of the quieter concerns has been the status of Kevin Faber, whose absence still looms over a club sitting atop the NHL standings at 13-3-4. The 24-year-old forward was coming off a strong year with 15 goals and 36 assists, and he has already built a sizable resume with 242 career NHL games, making his loss more than just a depth issue for a team trying to keep its early momentum rolling.
Faber was placed on injured reserve after suffering a fractured skull in a preseason game, and the Wild have not set a timetable for his return. For a team that has looked sharp enough to lead the league, the uncertainty around a player with that kind of production and experience remains one of the few real questions hanging over an otherwise fast start. [Read more 🡒]