The Chicago Blackhawks really do not have a lot of players a contender would want.

Daniel Bartel-Imagn Images

When it comes to what the Chicago Blackhawks have to offer up to contenders, there is not much.

It still does not mean the Hawks do not have any assets at the trade deadline. It just means there might not be a ton of value to get significant draft picks back.

The Blackhawks could try to trade veterans Pat Maroon, Alec Martinez. and Craig Smith whose deals expire after the season. However, it sounds like the Hawks want to do right by them and only trade these veterans if the request one.

Sometimes it is better to have a reputation of treating players well because that can go a long way in recruiting free agents rather than try to get a late-round draft pick.

That leaves the Blackhawks with four assets at the trade deadline.

Ryan Donato

He is having a career season with 19 goals and 18 assists. Donato is also set for free agency after the season. It is a good time to be having a career season with the salary cap set to go up.

The Blackhawks could extend him.

However, the front office would love to unload some veterans to free up late-season ice time for prospects such as Oliver Moore and Ryan Greene once their sign their entry-level contract after their NCAA season is over.

Also, Donato is 28, so this is a player likely just having a career season instead of being an emerging star. The problem with trying to move Donato is what his market will be.

The Athletic’s Scott Powers has heard Donato could net a third-round pick depending on which contender trades for him.

Seth Jones

The Hawks would have to retain salary in this deal and also Jones would have to approve any trade. Considering he seems to loathe being on a rebuilding team, maybe he would entertain moving on.

The Athletic ranks Jones as the seventh-best player potentially available on the trade market (a subscription is required to access content linked).

He still provides a contender value as a major-minutes defenseman who might be more useful being part of a team’s second pairing. However, the Hawks might not want to have a retention spot taken up through the rest of the decade.

Connor Murphy

It feels like every trade deadline his name is floated as a player the Hawks could move. The Athletic has him as the 17th-best player potentially available on the trade market since he can be a contender’s big defenseman.

The problem with Murphy is his AAV is $4 million, and he is usually hurt.

One available spot left to retain salary

The Blackhawks were able to get their third-round pick back from the Carolina Hurricanes by taking on some of Mikko Rantanen’s salary in a three-team deal that also had the Blackhawks send Taylor Hall.

There was a feeling the Blackhawks got fleeced in the deal.

However, the Hawks made out all right. They got their third-round choice back after dealing it to Carolina in a draft-day trade. Especially, since that third-round pick is going to be in the draft’s top 70.
Plus, they got Hall off the roster which achieved the goal of getting a veteran removed from the team who was taking away precious development ice time from a younger player.

The Blackhawks have one more available retention spot to use to possibly get another premium back if a cap-strapped contender needs help getting a deal done.