NHL Trade Rumors: Blackhawks and Teams That Will Be Busy at Deadline

The NHL Trade deadline will be a time where the following teams' fanbases either are getting ready to acquire that missing piece to their Stanley Cup puzzle, or start a rebuilding mode.

A team like the Chicago Blackhawks has to make a move at the deadline for the sake of the current team, while not risking its future.

Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman recently spoke with the Chicago Sun-Times:

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"Whether it’s draft picks, players in Rockford or players that are unsigned, they are basically the three pools that you have to go get something that can just jump on your team, I don’t expect us to be raiding our current roster, to take this guy out to get this guy, because then you’re not much ahead of the game, unless by taking this guy out, you have a guy in the minors, which could happen. We’ve got a few options. But we’re not looking to weaken our team and get draft picks."

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Who Could Get Moved

They could trade Brandon Pirri since he is their top scorer in the minor leagues at Rockford. He only has four games on the Blackhawks roster this year recording two points. However, he is a young player, that has seen his point totals increase in his two years as a Blackhawk.

If not Pirri, then they would have to move a high draft pick for a missing piece. It would have to be a great player to get Bowman and the Blackhawks to move a No. 1 or No 2 draft pick. 

Chance of making a deadline move: 3 out of 5 

Carolina Hurricanes 

According to Slam Sports, Carolina Hurricanes general manager Jim Rutherford is ready to “clean house.”

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The season is pretty much over in Carolina and the belief is GM Jim Rutherford is getting ready to clean house. League sources say Rutherford will hold a fire sale before the NHL trade deadline. Not only are the Hurricanes going to try and move potential UFAs Tuomo Ruutu, Bryan Allen, Jaroslav Spacek and Tim Gleason, they would also like to get rid of contracts that have term. Don’t be surprised if you hear the D Joni Pitkanen’s in trade talk. He has two years left with a cap hit of $4.5 million.

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Who Could Get Moved

From what you just saw coming from Rutherford, it looks like almost everyone is on the table. 

If you’re a Hurricanes fan, you should be prepared to see your team look very different before the year is over. The only players that looks like they are off of the table are goalie Cam Ward and center Eric Staal. 

Chances of making a deadline move: 5 out of 5

Edmonton Oilers

Jim Matherson from the Edmonton Journal takes a look at the Oilers' situation at moving winger Ales Hemsky at the deadline. 

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Here’s what we know about Edmonton Oilers winger Ales Hemsky. Teams have started asking questions.

“How are his shoulders?” an NHL executive asked.

“Where are the points? Is it just because he’s not on the first power play anymore? I saw him on TV the other night and he didn’t look good,” said another NHL team official.

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Who Could Get Moved

This Oilers team is going to be one of those high-flying teams that scores a lot of goals in the near future. Hemsky would help bring their young players along, if he were happy in Edmonton. 

He is not, however, and unless a team wants a player from Edmonton’s AHL team, only Hemsky will be traded at the deadline. 

Chances of making a deadline move: 4 out of 5

These three teams will see their lineups look very different during the stretch run of the NHL season.

For the Blackhawks and Oilers, it will be for the best. However for the Hurricanes, it will be a slow rebuilding process. 

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