Blackhawks Trade Chatter: Now Martin Necas In A Hockey Trade?

First it was Patrik Laine. Now Martin Necas could be had in a good old fashioned hockey trade?

As the Hurricanes carry out trade talks with teams about Martin Necas, the word is Carolina is looking to complete a 'hockey trade' not a deal strictly for future assets. Teams like Nashville, Seattle, Montreal among those still believed to be in the mix.

— David Pagnotta (@TheFourthPeriod) June 22, 2024

The question is if indeed the Blackhawk want Necas as some have been led to believe, who are they sending over in a trade? Furthermore, if future assets are not necessary, it may be trickier for them to facilitate a trade if it’s just for a player.

But what about getting other teams involved? That could be a route.

Regardless, the Blackhawks have no choice but to exhaust every option as they try to move past a taxing 53-loss season. While I’ve advocated for calculated risks, there also needs to be a sense of urgency. Trade windows open and close sometimes without warning. With Neacas being openly on the market, there’s an opportunity here for the Blackhawks to find something to do.

Martin Necas, Patrik Laine Certainly Upgrades for A Team Need Goal Scoring

Necas is just 25 and won’t turn 26 until mid-way through the season. Of the players prominently mentioned in trade rumors, he fits the timeline of this team growing together along with Laine, who just turned 26 in April. The difference between the two? Laine is owed another $8.7M  over two years which the Blackhawks can easily absorb. Necas is likely to get anywhere between $5-6M after making $3M last season. If indeed both can be had for hockey trades, both are still young enough and on the right side of 30 for several more years.

In the horizon is still Jake Guentzel, who can be had for a mid-round pick but is on that other side of 30–barely. But skill is skill, and general manager Kyle Davidson has made it clear he’ll find who he has to in order to get this team into motion. Necas is the guy who can do that–and in the postseason, too.

That’s the ultimate goal for the Blackhawks–the playoffs. And then a Stanley Cup.

Chicago’s roster is bare of those assets and I wouldn’t rest with Necas or Laine. The end goal being that a strong top six forward group is evident by the time Hawks fans are viewing in Wrigley Field. Those pieces are there with Connor Bedard, and Philipp Kurashev. Frank Nazar might be knocking on that door. Jason Dickinson should be in that conversation too–especially with a stronger team–he’s likely a Selke candidate.

There’s over half of the top six.

While the Blackhawks go through their research and work on building out the draft board–especially with the second overall pick. But if they end up taking Ivan Demidov, he’s not in uniform until a year from now. Chicago may have Artyom Levshunov spend another year at Michigan State. That’s a decision to make once things are seen.

So for now, it’s the trade market as the NHL trade rumors continue to buzz. Necas keeps popping up and checks so many of the boxes from age to skill to what he could one day be for a growing Blackhawks team.

He’ll get the ice time he seeks in Chicago–and the Blackhawks would be more than happy to oblige. So if it’s just a hockey trade that needs to be made, Martin Necas is definitely worth a look.

So is Patrik Laine.

So many options–so much time between now and the dawn of free agency to see how and what the Blackhawks decide to do.