The Chicago Blackhawks were linked as a possible trade destination for New York Rangers forward Kaapo Kakko.

Kakko is now a member of the Seattle Kraken.

Andrei Kuzmenko was linked to possibly getting traded to the Blackhawks last season. He was dealt to the Calgary Flames instead. Then there are whispers of the Blackhawks being a landing spot for Dylan Cozens in case the Buffalo Sabres decide to sell off assets.

Tying the Blackhawks to all these young players needing a change of scenery must stop.

Sure, the Blackhawks are always going to be an ideal trade partner for any team looking to flip a young player. The problem is a lot of these teams are still contending.

Those teams are likely not looking to take back the prospects the Blackhawks have to offer from their top-rated farm system. If a contending teams wants a draft pick, they will likely make that move before the draft.

The Canucks wanted Elias Lindholm to help them with a playoff run. If they wanted prospects and picks, Kuzmenko would likely ended up with the Hawks.

So this throwing out the Blackhawks as the ideal trade spot for any player under 27 who does not have a massive cap hit has to stop.

The Blackhawks might match better with a fellow rebuilding team, but if a rebuilding team is dangling a player needing a second chance, usually the Blackhawks are sending back another player who desires the same.

Also, if Kyle Davidson valued Kakko, he would be on the Blackhawks already since this is not the first time Kakko has been tied to the Blackhawks. Kaapo was rumored to be on the trade block last season, and the Hawks were a team that was linked to dealing for the young forward.

It seems more and more like Davidson is still collecting draft picks with the trades he has made. The only other kind of trade Davidson has made during the rebuild is taking back a veteran contract attached with a draft pick.

Davidson seems more interested in drafting and developing the talent that will be part of the next great Hawks team. He is not like the previous general manager, who was interested in reclamation projects. Being interested in failed top prospects is one of the reasons the Hawks are in this extensive rebuild in the first place.

What makes the Blackhawks the ideal place for a player to realize his potential after failing with his first team to begin with?

This franchise is still dealing with the headaches of players regressing like Philipp Kurashev or the growing pains of developing into, at the minimum, a solid NHL player, such as Lukas Reichel.

So please, let’s stop tying the Blackhawks to every young player available on the market. The Hawks either do not have the veteran players to put a contender over the top or Davidson is likely more inclined to stick with the prospects he already has.