Grading Chicago Blackhawks' Deals at the 2015 Trade Deadline

The Chicago Blackhawks were put in a very tough situation only days before the NHL trade deadline. Superstar forward Patrick Kane fell awkwardly into the boards and the ended up breaking his clavicle.

He will miss the next three months, and the Blackhawks addressed that at the deadline. General manager Stan Bowman made a number of moves, and there were some he didn't make that made sense for his club. 

Without further delay, here are grades for Chicago's deals at the deadline.

Blackhawks Acquire Kimmo Timonen

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To Chicago Blackhawks: Kimmo Timonen

To Philadelphia Flyers: 2015 second-round pick, 2016 conditional fourth-round pick

The Blackhawks added a legitimate top-four defender at the cost of a few meaningless draft picks. The Blackhawks have a solid prospect pool and roster spots that are spoken for, so bolstering the defensive corps was a no-brainer at that price.

Kimmo Timonen has missed the season to date because of blood clots, but he didn't look out of place when he suited up for the Blackhawks. He is a former top-pairing defender who will play sheltered minutes, and he will make up for the loss of Kane on the power play.

Grade: A-

Blackhawks Acquire Antoine Vermette

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To Chicago Blackhawks: Antoine Vermette

To Arizona Coyotes: Klas Dahlbeck and 2015 first-round pick

The Blackhawks paid a premium for Antoine Vermette, a 32-year-old secondary scorer who is slated to become a free agent this summer. However, it was a move that made sense given the state of affairs in Chicago. With Patrick Kane sidelined and the playoffs approaching, the Blackhawks needed to add another top-six forward.

The addition of Vermette has pushed Brad Richards down to the third line, and that is a move that only adds to Chicago's overall depth. Vermette is a 50-point guy at best. But he can play all three forward positions, and he's a faceoff ace.

The Blackhawks are trying to win another Stanley Cup this season because this summer they will have to break up the roster to re-sign key players like Brandon Saad. 

Losing a first-rounder in a very deep draft is hard, but if it ends up being the No. 30 pick, it will be worth it. Klas Dahlbeck is a solid 23-year-old defender with an NHL future, but having fellow prospect David Rundblad made it easier to include him in this trade

Grade: B-

Blackhawks Acquire Andrew Desjardins

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To Chicago Blackhawks: Andrew Desjardins

To San Jose Sharks: Ben Smith and a conditional 2017 seventh-round pick

Andrew Desjardins is a rugged forward who will add some grit to the lineup, and he loves dropping the gloves. He is also an expiring contract that will vanish after this season, as Ben Smith carried a $1.5 million cap charge.

The Blackhawks needed to shed some salary because of the impending cap crunch, and adding a player of Desjardins' stature will add some physicality to the lineup on the fourth line.

Randy Holt of SB Nation's Second City Hockey outlined the necessity for the trade here, and it is easy to see why Chicago made this move when you look at the big picture.

Grade: B

Blackhawks Keep Patrick Sharp

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There were rumblings before the trade deadline that the Chicago Blackhawks were considering a trade of Patrick Sharp. These rumblings were deemed to be just rumors, and Sharp addressed them with the media.

Via Chris Kuc of The Chicago Tribune:

"

As a hockey player, as a professional, you’re out there and you’re up for grabs for on-ice play. I’m OK with that. Trade rumors, talk about my play on the ice — I’m fine with that, I can handle that. But when people delve into your personal life and make up rumors and things that are completely false and untrue, it takes a toll on you. And it takes a toll on your family, your friends, and it’s completely unnecessary. It’s been tough, but I know I’ve got a strong group of teammates here, we’re going to stick together.

"

Rumors aside, it would have been utterly stupid to deal Sharp because he's a talented goal-scoring winger who can still play a prominent role for Chicago. He may become a cap casualty this summer, but it was wise to keep a player with 38 goals and 66 points in 106 playoff games.

Grade: A

Trade details via NHL.com's trade tracker.