Another day, another two steps closer to solidifying a Championship caliber team for the playoffs. Stan Bowman, pulled off a major trade in bringing back to the Chicago Blackhawks, Andrew Ladd, by sending talented forward, Marko Dano, and the 1st-round pick in the 2016 draft. Everyone was thrilled. The two weaknesses were top line forward, or depth at defense. Bowman went with top line foward. Thank you, Stan.
Making any move at a trade deadline is still amazing to this long-time Blackhawks fan when players, and teams would bolt the other way when the Blackhawks came a callin'.
Well, Stan wasn't done yet. He pulled off a trade mid-day, Friday, as he sent Rob Scuderi to the Los Angeles Kings for veteran defenseman, Christian Ehrhoff. Scuderi, 37, was acquired earlier in the year from the Pittsburgh Penguins, for Trevor Daley. Thigs, needless to say, did not work out well for Scuderi in Chicago, playing in 17 games, registering 0 points, and a -6 rating. He had been sent down to the Blackhawks AHL affiliate, Rockford IceHogs, to free cap space.
Ehrhoff, 33, comes to the Blackhawks as the first German-born player to ever where the Indianhead crest, in the team's history. Ehrhoff played 40 games for the Kings this year, tallying 10 points (2G 8A), and a -10 rating. Ehrhoff will be asked upon to eat up precious minutes come playoff time for the Blackhawks. He has averaged around 14+ minutes with the Kings this year.
Blackhawk fans are amazed that Bowman was able to get rid of Scuderi's contract $2.25mil, that extends to next year, in order to make room for anyone else, but with help from the Kings, they retain 15% of Ehrhoff's $1.5mil for remaining of this year. Both team's will split Scuderi's contract for the next two years ($1.125mil). Ehrhoff is an unrestricted free agent at the end of this year.
So Bowman did the unthinkable and addressed BOTH needs for the Blackhawks while ducking under the salary cap. Bring on the playoffs! Um...no. Stan wasn't done yet. Later that day, the Blackhawks sent Phillip Danault, and a 2018, 2nd-round pick, to the Montreal Canadiens, for forwards, Tomas Fleischmann, and Dale Weise. Both are unrestricted free agents at the end of the year.
Danault, 23, enjoyed his first NHL career this year by appearing in 30 games for the Hawks and having 5 points (1G 4A). Fleischmann, 31, joins his 6th team in his NHL career. This year with the Habs, he had 20 points (10G 10A) in 57 games played. Weise, 27, played in 56 games for Montreal with 26 points (14G 12A). Both of these players were acquired, according to Bowman, to compliment young, Blackhawks Center, Teuvo Teravainen on the 3rd line.
one would 'think' Bowman is complete. The firepower and depth that has been added to this Blackhawks squad has to be having the rest of the league shaking their heads right now. Yet, there are still rumors of Bryan Bickell still being shopped that would clear considerable cap space to bring in another defenseman. With Stan Bowman, who knows!? We will just wait and see what happens. Either way, the Bowman and the Blackhawks are all in to win Lord Stanley's Cup this year.
LET'S GO HAWKS!!!
Making any move at a trade deadline is still amazing to this long-time Blackhawks fan when players, and teams would bolt the other way when the Blackhawks came a callin'.
Well, Stan wasn't done yet. He pulled off a trade mid-day, Friday, as he sent Rob Scuderi to the Los Angeles Kings for veteran defenseman, Christian Ehrhoff. Scuderi, 37, was acquired earlier in the year from the Pittsburgh Penguins, for Trevor Daley. Thigs, needless to say, did not work out well for Scuderi in Chicago, playing in 17 games, registering 0 points, and a -6 rating. He had been sent down to the Blackhawks AHL affiliate, Rockford IceHogs, to free cap space.
Blackhawk fans are amazed that Bowman was able to get rid of Scuderi's contract $2.25mil, that extends to next year, in order to make room for anyone else, but with help from the Kings, they retain 15% of Ehrhoff's $1.5mil for remaining of this year. Both team's will split Scuderi's contract for the next two years ($1.125mil). Ehrhoff is an unrestricted free agent at the end of this year.
So Bowman did the unthinkable and addressed BOTH needs for the Blackhawks while ducking under the salary cap. Bring on the playoffs! Um...no. Stan wasn't done yet. Later that day, the Blackhawks sent Phillip Danault, and a 2018, 2nd-round pick, to the Montreal Canadiens, for forwards, Tomas Fleischmann, and Dale Weise. Both are unrestricted free agents at the end of the year.
Danault, 23, enjoyed his first NHL career this year by appearing in 30 games for the Hawks and having 5 points (1G 4A). Fleischmann, 31, joins his 6th team in his NHL career. This year with the Habs, he had 20 points (10G 10A) in 57 games played. Weise, 27, played in 56 games for Montreal with 26 points (14G 12A). Both of these players were acquired, according to Bowman, to compliment young, Blackhawks Center, Teuvo Teravainen on the 3rd line.one would 'think' Bowman is complete. The firepower and depth that has been added to this Blackhawks squad has to be having the rest of the league shaking their heads right now. Yet, there are still rumors of Bryan Bickell still being shopped that would clear considerable cap space to bring in another defenseman. With Stan Bowman, who knows!? We will just wait and see what happens. Either way, the Bowman and the Blackhawks are all in to win Lord Stanley's Cup this year.
LET'S GO HAWKS!!!
In it to win it!
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