Trade Ideas for the Chicago Blackhawks Amid NHL Rumors

The Chicago Blackhawks look like they are in the middle of another lost season in a rebuild that seems to be going nowhere. They enter play on Sunday with one of the NHL's worst records at 5-13-2 following Saturday's 5-4 shootout loss against the Winnipeg Jets (where they blew a 4-0 lead), and are ahead of only the Vancouver Canucks in the league standings.

While expectations were low coming into the season, there was at least some hope from management that some progress would start being made. So far, it is not. That has not only put head coach Jeff Blashill on the hot seat, it should be doing the same for general manager Kyle Davidson (even if he did just get a contract extension after the 2025-26 season).

That, combined with the record, has put some pressure on management to start making deals, and the Blackhawks are widely reported to be interested in adding NHL help sooner rather than later.

It is a dangerous game because desperation is never really the best starting point for a roster move, but it seems to be where we are.

The Blackhawks are reportedly looking for scoring wingers and defensive help, so let's try to look around at what they have to offer and some players that could be available and try to come up with some trade ideas for them.

What the Blackhawks Have to Offer Teams

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The Blackhawks have no shortage of trade assets, ranging from young players in the organization (Oliver Moore, Frank Nazar, Kevin Korchinski) to potentially three first-round draft picks in the 2027 NHL Draft class.

The Blackhawks' first-round pick that they own should be off-limits, given that it could be extremely high in the draft. If, by some chance, it is traded, it needs to come with significant protections and conditions.

They also have the first-round picks that previously belonged to the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers, as well as two second-round picks and two third-round picks this year.

All of that should put them in the market for a lot of players who could be available.

There are just two big potential problems when it comes to any deals that might be trying to be made right now.

The first is the fact that they have to avoid the temptation to do something overly desperate and potentially damaging long-term. This is not a team that should be trading for players on the wrong side of 30, players who are past their prime, or players who are just being brought in to try and salvage a season that might already be lost.

Don't do anything dumb, basically.

The other potential issue: No-trade clauses. A significant portion of the NHL has no-trade clauses in their contracts, and any player who has the ability to block a move might use it if Chicago is the potential team. That's what a decade of losing and a rebuild that is stuck in neutral will do. They might have to focus on players that do not have any such protections and/or are still on entry-level contracts.

So, with all of that said, let's get into some potential options and trade ideas here.

Trading for Capitals Ivan Miroshnichenko

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The idea: Blackhawks trade a second-and third-round pick to the Capitals for Ivan Miroshnichenko.

This is a pretty obvious potential target, given that Miroschnichenko wants a fresh start, is absolutely on the market, and is a young player who could be a potential long-term piece if everything clicks for him.

The question is whether or not it would be a good fit.

The Blackhawks have struggled bringing along some of their own young players, and it remains to be seen whether or not they can do even that, let alone somebody else's prospect that has yet to pan out.

Miroschnichenko has big talent and untapped potential, but has struggled to crack a deep Capitals lineup and has a very limited NHL track record. The Capitals were reportedly seeking a first-round pick for him, but that seems like a steep price for such an unproven player.

But he's still somebody worth being interested in.

Trading for Simon Edvinsson

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The idea: Chicago trades center Frank Nazar, a first-round pick, and a mid-level prospect to Detroit for Simon Edvinsson

The Red Wings still have a lot of unsettled business they need to address, including the hiring of a new full-time general manager, trading Dylan Larkin, and figuring out what to do with unsigned restricted free agent defenseman Simon Edvinsson.

Edvinsson still seems to want a trade, and he would, in theory, fit the mold of a player who should interest the Blackhawks, especially as they look to strengthen their defense.

He's still really young; he's shown that he is an NHL player; his best days are still likely ahead of him; and he would be a big addition to a defense that has a lot of young, unproven talent that is struggling to adapt to the NHL game.

The Blackhawks also have some players and assets that could interest the Red Wings, including center Frank Nazar. Detroit is almost certainly going to be in the market for a young center as it deals with the inevitable trade of Larkin and the hole that already exists with his absence, and Nazar could be a centerpiece of a trade like this.

Assuming Chicago could put together an offer that intrigues the Red Wings, the issue would then become Edvinsson's willingness to sign a long-term deal with Chicago. But let's pretend he would, just for the purposes of this exercise.

Trading for Dmitri Voronkov

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The idea: Chicago trades defenseman Kevin Korchinski to Columbus for forward Dmitri Voronkov.

Voronkov's name has appeared in trade rumors, and he seems like the type of player who desperately needs a change of scenery and a fresh start.

He also checks a lot of the boxes the Blackhawks are looking for in terms of a talented winger with size.

Voronkov's career got off to a strong start in Columbus with 18, 23, and 17 goals in his three full seasons, making him seem like a big part of their long-term plan. But he seems to have fallen out of favor with head coach Rick Bowness and has quickly played his way into the doghouse.

Columbus had a similar situation play out with Egor Chinakhov during the 2025-26 season, and getting a fresh start with the Pittsburgh Penguins helped him find his game and start to play up to his potential.

Could Voronkov follow that path? It would be a worthwhile pursuit for a lot of teams, including Chicago.

The price would probably be draft pick capital, or perhaps a similar young player who is struggling and could use a fresh start and a change of scenery.

Chicago has a couple of players just like that, including defenseman Kevin Korchinski, whose name has also been floating in trade rumors.

Trading for Owen Tippett

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The idea: Chicago trades forward Oliver Moore and a first-round pick to the Flyers for Owen Tippett.

Teams should be calling the Philadelphia Flyers, and if they are not yet doing so, they need to start.

Whether it is trying to see if there is any chance that Matvei Michkov could actually be available, or if it's trying to get a veteran forward like Travis Konecny or Owen Tippett, the Flyers could be open for business. Especially in the middle of a brutal start to the season that has seen them sink toward the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings and deal with some very obvious frustration.

While Michkov might not be attainable at this point, a player like Konecny or Tippett might be.

Tippett might also be the more attainable player for a team like Chicago since he has fewer trade protections, is two years younger, and makes $2 million less against the salary cap.

He also brings plenty of speed and size, while also having scored at least 20 goals in each of the past four seasons. Like most of the Flyers players, he is off to a rough start this season offensively, but has enough of a track record that there should be plenty of confidence that he bounces back. Especially when that 5.7 percent shooting percentage starts to inch its way back up.

The Blackhawks also have some assets that could be attractive to the Flyers, including the speedy and energetic Oliver Moore and plenty of draft pick capital.