Insider Claims Hawks Have Several Trades that are Probable in 2023

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Kevin Garcia
December 26, 2022 (4:44 PM)

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With the new year quickly approaching, it means that we are getting closer to the trade deadline.

As I am sure you know, the Hawks are expected to be major sellers at the deadline to load up on picks and young talents with them currently in year one of a full-blown rebuild.

The new year also means that the Hawks are going to check in with Kane and Toews soon. The entire month of January is important, because it is the time that we learn of the Hawks' future with Kane and Toews. If they decide to go, I am really hoping they consider returning in free agency. That would be the best case scenario for this prganization.

With the new year coming, insider, Frank Seravalli, is looking at what possible trades are going to be happening, so let's take a look at them the key points that Seravalli has made:

1) Andreas Athanasiou is likely to be moved. AA has been very solid this year in showing off his skillset. He isn't lighting up the score sheet like some would hope, but he has shown what he is capable of if he plays with other solid talent. He has yet to get anywhere near his potential, but this season has been extremely eye opening for any teams that are looking for a quick playmaking forward.

2) Max Domi should get plenty of interest from teams. The Blackhawks' newest gritty enforcer, Max Domi, has never played down to his size. At 5-foot-10 and 192 pounds, it is fun to watch him play like he is 6-foot-3 and 230 pounds. He is constantly playing a physical brand of hockey and loves to be a gritty presence on the ice. There have been plenty of times where he has backed his teammates following big hits or dirty plays. He doesn't just back up Kane or Toews, he truly doesn't want any of his guys getting blown up by a big hit. He is having a solid season and also has an affordable contract. I would be surprised if he is still a Blackhawk at the end of this season.

3) Sam Lafferty could also garner some interest. Sam Lafferty has had a weird season. He has been injured a little bit, but there are also some games where he plays and you just don't even notice him. Then, there are other times when Lafferty is constantly making plays, especially on the PK. So he has been extremely up and down this year, but he has done enough to put his name in the hat for potential trade candidates. He has 8 points in 26 games, but that scoring output will likely rise if traded to a better offensive team.

4) Blackhawks should be willing to take on contracts for other teams. With the Hawks clearing so much cap space via trades, especially if Kane and Toews decided to go, they will have plenty of room to take on contracts for other teams. If they take on contracts for other teams, then they will be rewarded with a better draft pick. So if the Hawks decide to go this route, they can get both a roster filler and a mid-round pick for something extremely cheap, like a last-round pick. It would make sense for the Hawks to take on contracts if they aren't tied to the players for too long.

Credit to Jim Parsons of The Hockey Writers for the original coverage of this story.