Hawks place new trade bait on the market amidst current streak

The Chicago Blackhawks might have struggled for the greater part of the season, they are also just four points out of a playoff spot. While general manager Stan Bowman could have pushed his luck to buy at the deadline, it seems like he wants to sell and has placed a new trade bait on the market. 

According to TSN’s Bob McKenzie, the Blackhawks might be looking for a new home for forward Artem Anisimov, seeing that Dylan Strome has impressed many as the centre of the second line. 

Pierre LeBrun added in his latest column on The Athletic that Anisimov could be moved at the deadline despite the fact that he isn’t a rental: he has two years left on his deal after the 2018-19 season. His annual cap hit is $4.55 million.

There could be a few hurdles in the way for Bowman as it’s worth noting Anisimov also has a 10-team no-trade clause, which lets him select 10 teams he can be traded to without his permission.

While his numbers have declined during the past few seasons, he could be the guy that truly benefits from a change of scenery. He it’s worth noting he also has a 10-team no-trade clause, which lets him select 10 teams he can be traded to without his permission. He has 24 points in 53 games despite seeing a cut in his ice time from 16:47 per game last season to 15:59 this season. 

While he has been demoted in a third line role, he can still be very useful on the penalty kill. 

It remains to be seen what would be the asking price for the 30-year-old forward, however, the Hawks are ready to listen to offers as the trade deadline fast approaches.