On March 18, 2022, the Chicago Blackhawks made a Trade-Deadline deal with the Tampa Bay Lightning that sent Brandon Hagel to the Lightning in exchange for forwards Taylor Raddysh and Boris Katchouk, in addition to 2023 and 2024 first-round picks. While the trade did raise a few eyebrows from the Blackhawk faithful, it is a trade that certainly benefited both teams. Hagel has played well in a Lightning sweater, and the Blackhawks picked up some young players and picks to help them rebuild. Now, in 2024, the two teams could find themselves making another deal at this year’s March 8 Deadline.
Whether in sports or anything else, a good trade usually happens when each side has something the other wants. In the case of the Blackhawks, the Lightning have good players with championship pedigrees that can help them with their lack of depth. The Lightning may want to trade one of these players as they are a team that has some salary cap issues, and the Blackhawks have some draft picks and/or some less expensive players that could be dealt.
The Lightning’s Cap Issues
Recent news out of Tampa has demonstrated that the Lightning will have to adjust their roster to stay under the expected $87 million cap imposed for next season. In his mid-season press conference, Lightning general manager Julien Brisebois made it clear that he would be looking to make deals but emphasized to the media the one player who would not be traded. “Steven Stamkos isn’t getting traded. You can all write that. Steven Stamkos is not getting traded, so we can put that one to bed. If anyone was speculating on that, that’s not going to change between now and the deadline under any circumstances.”
Another strong indication is that the Lightning may be active at the Trade Deadline is the number and the variety of call ups the team has been making from its AHL affiliate in Syracuse. To date, the Crunch has seven players who have made NHL debuts with the Lightning this season, which does not include players such as Phillipe Myers, Hayden Fleury, and Waltteri Merela, who had suited up for the Lightning earlier in the season.
These usually one-game call ups look like the Lightning are judging who can contribute to the team if one of their more expensive veterans is traded before the Deadline. The other scenario is that the Lightning is also giving other teams a look at their prospects in case a deal could be made to bring in another veteran to help them with a playoff run. Either way, the Blackhawks have options that could lead to a trade that benefits both clubs.
What the Lightning Can Offer the Blackhawks
Even before the injuries started piling up, one of the issues facing the Blackhawks is their lack of depth. The problem is that it may be a long time before some of their younger prospects develop enough skills to give the team that depth and give Connor Bedard and the rest of the roster a chance to develop and eventually win more games. The Lightning have some players who are still young and would be excellent additions to the team and would not make a huge dent in their deep pool of future draft picks.
Forward Anthony Cirelli and defenseman Erik Cernak are two possibilities as moving either would free up salary cap space for the Lightning. Cirelli, who scored two goals in Thursday’s (Jan. 18) win over the Minnesota Wild, now has twenty points on the season. The 26-year-old is more of a defensive-minded forward but can contribute to the scoresheet if given the opportunity. Cernak, who is also 26, would instantly give a significant upgrade to the Blackhawks’ blue line. It would not cost the Blackhawks a lot to get them — probably a third-round draft pick in 2024 or, at most, one of their second-round picks. That’s a small price to pay for an upgrade in talent that comes with some championship pedigree.
The Lightning may also want to look at some of the veterans on the Blackhawks roster and would likely offer some of their prospects to add to the Blackhawks’ pool of young talent. Suppose the Lightning continues to push for a playoff spot and looks like a team that could make a big run. In that case, they may want to look at players like Colin Blackwell or, for the right price, the recently-signed Nick Foligno. The Lightning front office has always valued veterans with extensive playoff experience, and both players would fit nicely on the roster while allowing the Blackhawks to add organizational depth.
Related: Blackhawks Roster Not Talented Enough for Connor Bedard’s Skills
The next month or more will be significant to determine which direction each team wants to take in the near and distant future. However, don’t be surprised if these two teams again both find a way to improve with a deal before the Deadline.
