The Possibility of Alex DeBrincat Going to This Blackhawks Rival..
Ok, by now unless you have been sleeping under a rock, it is common knowledge that the Chicago Blackhawks will be making some moves this summer. Unless your name is Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, or Seth Jones you seem to be safe.
So, that means a name like the talented winger Alex DeBrincat is out there for teams to add to their 'wish' list. DeBrincat could really help a team who overachieved this season and made the playoffs unexpectedly.
That would be the Los Angeles Kings. The reason this team is being rumored as a perfect trading partner for the Blackhawks is their abundant prospect pool.
Now, not saying this is an official rumor yet, but if you follow NHL hockey you must admit it has its merits.
The rumored trade would be:
LA Kings receive:
Alex DeBrincat
Chicago Blackhawks receive:
LA Kings 2022 or 2023 first-round draft pick (Hawks choice)
Center Gabriel Vilardi
Center Alex Turcotte
Defenseman Sean Walker, defenseman Helge Grans, or rights to defenseman Brock Faber (Hawks choice of Faber or Grans)
LA Kings 2023 third-round draft pick
Analyzing this trade proposal, it seems the Hawks would get a good haul. That is why it may NOT happen from the Kings perspective.
Ok, the draft picks are fine, but including Walker, Grans, or Faber is a bit much.
Vilardi has been the target of trade rumors before. He is a former 11th overall draft pick of the Kings back in 2017. After recovering from a back injury, he has bounced back and forth between the AHL and NHL.
In 39 games with the Ontario Reign, he tallied 38 points making him a solid prospect the Hawks could use going forward.
Turcotte, who grew up in the Chicago area has had his share of health issues as well. He possesses a 200-foot game with speed and high hockey IQ. Definitely would be a great addition to the Hawks roster.
Again, this could be changed to either Vilardi OR Turcotte, not BOTH.
The Kings first-rounder next month will be pick #19. It may be more prudent if given the option to select in next year's draft in the first round, since it is pegged to be a much richer draft.
Including the other defensemen is just plain overkill. The Kings just won't clear out their prospect pantry for one really good forward... but who knows?
Theoretically, this move could also allow the Kings to clear some cap space if they really want to get ambitious and go after Johnny Gaudreau or Filip Forsberg to really ramp up their offensive firepower.
One thing seems almost certain... DeBrincat and his prospective salary bump should be getting prepared to move. And, that may or may not be a good thing for Chicago fans to stomach.
| POLL | ||
Do you agree with this trade senario for Alex DeBrincat? | ||
| Yes, it helps the rebuild | 31 | 20.5 % |
| No, we should keep 'Cat' | 71 | 47 % |
| He seems to be gone, just not sure where | 16 | 10.6 % |
| Who trades a 41-goal scorer? | 33 | 21.9 % |
| List of polls | ||
