The Wing is Dead, Long Live the Wing
How the Blackhawks ransacked the league for quality players, and gave up nothing.
On June 23rd, Chicago Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman traded 2016 Calder Trophy winner Artemi Panarin to Jarmo Kekäläinen and the Columbus Blue Jackets for returning hero and two-time Stanley Cup Champion Brandon Saad. Saad will most likely take Panarin’s place on Chicago’s top line.
The Trade
From CHI: F Artemi Panarin, F Tyler Motte, 2017 6th round pick (F Jonathan Davidsson)
From CBJ: F Brandon Saad, G Anton Forsberg, 2018 5th round pick
This is how the Blackhawks ransacked the league for quality players, and gave up nothing.
September 5th, 2009
Toronto Maple Leafs acquire 2010 2nd round pick (Jared Knight) in exchange for Chicago’s 2011 2nd round pick (Brandon Saad) as well as a 2011 3rd rounder (Michael Paliotta).
June 30th, 2015
Columbus Blue Jackets gain F Brandon Saad, F Alex Broadhurst, and D Michael Paliotta. Blackhawks receive F Artem Anisimov, F Marko Dano, F Jeremy Morin, F Corey Tropp, and a 2016 4th round pick (D Blake Hillman).
January 3rd, 2016
Toronto picks up F Jeremy Morin, Chicago receives F Richard Panik.
February 25, 2016
Winnipeg Jets take possession of F Marko Dano, 2016 1st round pick (F Logan Stanley), 2018 conditional 3rd round (condition was Blackhawks cup win in 2016, unfulfilled) in exchange for returning Hawks fan favourite F Andrew Ladd, as well as D Jay Harrison, and D Matt Fraser.
February 29, 2016
On the Leap Year’s extra day, Anaheim took on F Corey Tropp , giving Chicago F Tim Jackman and a 2017 7th round pick (D Joshua Ess).
June 23rd, 2017
The Blue Jackets return F Brandon Saad, giving up G Anton Forsberg and a 2018 5th round pick for Chicago’s all-star and 2016 Calder Trophy Winner Artemi Panarin, F Tyler Motte, and a 2017 6th round pick (F Jonathan Davidsson).
What Chicago gave up:
2010 2nd round pick (Jared Knight) — TOR
F Alex Broadhurst (2011, 7th round) — CBJ
2016 1st round pick (F Logan Stanley) — WPG
F Artemi Panarin (159 points in 173 GP)(Free Agent signing) — CBJ
F Tyler Motte (7 points in 33GP)(2013 4th round) — CBJ
What they got back:
F Artem Anisimov (91 points in 152 GP)
F Brandon Saad (160 in 275 games with Blackhawks, 106 points in 160GP with Blue Jackets)
F Richard Panik (58 points in 122 GP)
F Andrew Ladd (14 points in 26GP following return to Chicago, left as FA)
F Tim Jackman
D Jay Harrison
D Matt Fraser
D Blake Hillman
D Joshua Ess
G Anton Forsberg
2018 5th round pick
What makes this trade tree incredible is that Chicago gave up only one each of the following: a 1st round pick, a 2nd round pick, a 4th round pick, a 7th round pick, and Panarin, who they gave up nothing to get in the first place. Out of that, they’ve found a second line centre (Anisimov) who plays with franchise winger Patrick Kane, a young favourite with big potential in Brandon Saad, a rejuvenated Richard Panik, the return story of Andrew Ladd, a potential NHL backup as of 2017–18 in Anton Forsberg and six other assets.
I’m of the mind that Stan Bowman is playing the National Hockey League with a video game controller, not just his pen.
Quentin Young is a hockey writer for theocho.ca. He gets mad when his articles underperform, so please share this piece. Follow Quentin on Twitter at @young_quentin.
