We are one day away from the NHL Trade Deadline (March 7), and the Chicago Blackhawks are sellers. They have already traded Seth Jones and Taylor Hall, and there is the assumption that more is on the horizon (and there should be!)
As our Columbus Blue Jackets contributor, Mark Scheig, told us, “It’s a massive sellers market out there. CHI has to tap into that big time.”
With that, here are my final thoughts on the Blackhawks’ state and what the trade deadline could mean for them.
Last-Minute Blackhawks Deadline Breakdown
1.
The Blackhawks’ objective is to clear roster spots for potential incoming prospects like Oliver Moore and Ryan Greene, and it’s been known that the names flying around are Pat Maroon, Craig Smith, Lukas Reichel, Philipp Kurashev, Alec Martinez, Connor Murphy, Petr Mrazek, and most importantly, Ryan Donato. Note: Kurashev is on injured reserve with a hand injury, likely taking him off the market.
They must test the market for these players, as the Blackhawks are second-worst in the NHL. They need to build up the roster the best they can, as most of their players are there to fill the gaps until the prospects are ready.
It’s hard to gauge any trade market, and things change fast. But no doubt general manager Kyle Davidson signed most of these players to one- or two-year deals, knowing in the back of his mind that it would make them easier to move at the trade deadline.
2.
In a previous trade deadline post, I predicted that Pat Maroon, Craig Smith, Ryan Donato, and possibly Lukas Reichel would be moved.
Now, I am not as confident. I still think the best bet is Donato, but even that is starting to seem murky.
3.
Let’s start with Pat Maroon. He is always a strong trade deadline candidate because contending teams always look for hard, physical players to fill out their depth spots. He was moved to the Boston Bruins at last year’s deadline. Jeff Marek of Daily Faceoff mentioned the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Florida Panthers as possible destinations for him in February. But since Tampa Bay recently went all-in on re-acquiring Yanni Gourde (and Oliver Bjorkstrand) from the Seattle Kraken on March 5, another reunion with Maroon seems unlikely.
The Panthers have also been busy adding forward Nico Sturm and goaltender Kaapo Kähkönen with the additional cap space they got from putting Matthew Tkachuk on long-term injured reserve. So, not seeing it there, either.
Maroon recently said on the Morning Cuppa Hockey podcast, “Me and Kyle [Davidson] did talk, and we’ll sort that stuff out here soon. But like we talked all along, my wife is pregnant, we don’t know what’s going to happen. We’re up for it, but it’s got to be the right move for the both us. Also, I want to come back, so we’ll just keep that where it’s at right now. You know, I’m not putting too much pressure on to leave. I don’t just want to get out of here and leave. You know, we’re trying to build something.”
It seems like he is, to some extent, open to a trade. However, since he is not deliberately asking out and has been a fine addition to the team this season, I think he might stay.
4.
A Lukas Reichel trade is possible, considering he has been in and out of the lineup. With his young age (22 years old), speed, and skill, he will garner a lot of interest, but it’s also why I don’t want to see the Hawks trade him. I still think he can be a part of the team’s future.
Frank Seravalli says the team is asking for a player-for-player swap for Reichel. My mind went to Trevor Zegras. Journalist Felix Sicard of Crash the Pond recently said he wouldn’t be surprised if the Ducks are in the final stretch of Zegras’s Ducks’ tenure. The Blackhawks were mentioned as a possible trade destination for him last year, but his broken ankle hampered any trade from happening.
Zegras has 17 points in 36 games. Reichel has 19 points in 53 games. Zegras missed time this season due to a torn meniscus but is healthy now. Both players are former first-round picks and have upside.
I spoke with our Ducks contributor, Hayley Palljug, for clarification, and she said that she doesn’t see Zegras going anywhere at the deadline. I asked her what the Ducks are looking for, and she mentioned they need a high-powered offensive weapon, someone who could be a point-per-game or more player.
That doesn’t necessarily describe Reichel right now. Still, if the Ducks and the Blackhawks wanted to do a young players’ swap and are both under contract until the end of next season, I could see a trade like this happening.
Again, I don’t necessarily want to see the Blackhawks trade Reichel, but I could see a situation like this making sense, even if it’s not necessarily the Ducks.
5.
Now, onto Connor Murphy.
Murphy was listed 17th on Chris Johnston of The Athletic‘s trade board. (from ‘NHL trade board 8.0: The latest on all the top targets on deadline week’ – The Athletic – 03/04/2025).
This piqued my interest because I would be shocked if the Blackhawks traded Murphy. His contract runs through next season ($4.4M cap hit), but the difference between this year and all the other years he has been a trade candidate is that he is healthy and has been playing well lately. He also has a 10-team no-trade clause, which makes things more complicated.
The Ducks come into this equation because they traded defenseman Brian Dumoulin to the New Jersey Devils in exchange for a second-round pick and prospect Herman Traff.
Related: 2025 NHL Trade Deadline Tracker
Does this impact Murphy? Teams are always looking for right-handed defensemen at the deadline, and if 33-year-old Dumoulin could net that return, could a 31-year-old Murphy net something similar? Dumolin is on an expiring contract, and Murphy is not, but it is food for thought.
Elliotte Friedman stated on his 32 Thoughts podcast that he believes teams have been calling about Murphy but asked the same question we are all thinking: “What do they do here?” Because of Jones’s departure, Murphy and Louis Crevier are the only right-handed defensemen on the roster.
Moving Murphy might seem more probable if Jones was still on the roster. He is also a beloved leader on the team, and he told Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times he wants to stay. I think the Blackhawks will highly consider that.
Would the Blackhawks and Murphy receive any offer that would make them want to bite? This might be more of a summer discussion, but the Dumoulin trade does make things interesting.
6.
Going on to goaltender Petr Mrazek. His days in Chicago seem numbered after the Hawks acquired Spencer Knight in the Jones trade.
Head coach Anders Sorensen said, “Those are the two guys,” referring to Knight and Arvid Soderblom being the tandem.
Mrazek was one of the brightest spots for the Blackhawks last season, and this season, he has struggled a bit more, with a 3.46 GAA (Goals-against Average) and an .840 SV% (Save Percentage), but he could still be a depth option for a contender. For his sake, I hope that happens because he did help the Blackawks a lot.
Seravalli mentioned the Hawks would move Mrazek for free, but they used all their retention slots on Jones, Mikko Rantanen, and Jake McCabe, so moving his $4.25M cap hit that runs until the end of next season might be trickier. But two of the retention spots open July 1.
As one of my colleagues, Stefano Rubino said, “Wouldn’t be shocked if the Edmonton Oilers took a look on in. But with his AAV for another year, it might deter many.”
Unless the Blackhawks can work some magic, Mrazek will likely stay until the offseason. If he does, that will be an intriguing goalie carousel for the remaining 20 games.
7.
Because I’m starting to think Maroon will stay, maybe Craig Smith would be on his way out to clear roster spots.
Smith has been a good addition to the fourth line, and he was on a roll to start the season before a back injury caused him to miss time. He still is adequate, with three points in his last four games.
The Blackhawks have been looking for NHL-ready players in trades, hence their objective in the Jones deal, but would they settle for a draft pick for Smith? With this wacky deadline, maybe Smith could garner more.
Who knows?
8.
I keep thinking the Hawks’ trade deadline will be more forward-based. Nevertheless, defenseman Alec Martinez stands out because he is on a one-year deal, so it seems more probable than even moving Murphy. I’m not sure how the Blackhawks feel about it, considering the three-time Stanley Cup Champion has become a leader on the team in a short time.
But knowing he would likely walk in free agency, it would be wise to get something for him, if applicable. At 37 years old, he nets the fourth-most ice time on the team (19:55 minutes) and is third-best in blocked shots (75).
He’s still very serviceable, so we’ll see.
9.
Okay, Ryan Donato. He is the biggest “will they, won’t they?” candidate. He makes a lot of sense to keep around, and he makes a lot of sense to trade. But no one knows precisely what general manager Kyle Davidson is thinking.
With what the Kraken got in exchange for Gourde and Bjorkstrand (two first-round picks, a second-round pick, and forward Mikey Eyssimont), Donato could get a haul, as his 23 goals on the season are more than both of them.
However, I would love to see Donato stay. He plays with all heart and soul, which is something the Blackhawks need. Maybe he is having a fluky year with his career-high 46 points in 60 games. But as I said before, as an MLB Chicago White Sox fan, I always felt like a part of their problem was immediately trading anyone that was serviceable for them. If the Blackhawks get offered a haul like Seattle got, then I understand they have to consider it. On the contrary, we have seen a lot of talk about how Donato would make a great addition to any team at the deadline, like the Ottawa Senators, Dallas Stars, New Jersey Devils, etc.
Well, how about the Blackhawks?
His cap hit is $2 million, and I don’t think a contract extension for him would break the bank in any way. If Donato wants to stay, and the Blackhawks want to make it work, I think it would be great for all sides. We don’t know what Donato is thinking behind the scenes or if he would ultimately want to test free agency, which also factors into things.
Overall, the Hawks hold all the leverage. They don’t have to trade Donato, so if they decide to move him, it should be because they got an offer they couldn’t refuse. As for him staying, it seems like some of his teammates would love to see it. As Maroon said after the Ottawa game on March 5, “We should sign him, don’t you think?”
Donato would be tough to see go, but I’m hoping for the best outcome, whatever it may be.
10.
Even though it’s a seller’s market, I am surprised the Blackhawks haven’t been as busy (yet) as I thought they would be. I believe things will look different by 3 PM ET tomorrow when teams start getting desperate. But that could also be good if Davidson hasn’t received the offers he wants and is playing the long game.
A lot of eyes will be on Chicago. They could sell a lot of pieces, or maybe even a couple more, but all of those questions will be revealed soon.
