Ryan Hartman On His Way Out?
With the trade deadline just three days away, there are going to be some crazy trade rumors out there. Some will end up happening, others will never even be mentioned again. Most rumors, even if they are said to have come from a “source”, should be taken lightly.
For the Blackhawks this season, many of the rumors we are hearing likely won’t actually happen. Branden Saad, Artem Anisimov, Connor Murphy, and Ryan Hartman have all been mentioned by a number of hockey experts, yet Stan Bowman has publicaly said he does not expect many, if any, trades to actually happen.
John Jaeckel of TheRink recently said a source has told him that Hartman is “as good as gone”. This should definitely be taken lightly, but with the Hawks not having many actually trade pieces, Stan Bowman may feel he can sell high on Hartman.
On Hartman:
A source told me he’s “as good as gone.” Might be extreme and premature. But I do hear the Hawks are listening on offers for him and along with Connor Murphy, he is a high possibility to move.
Hartman broke out last season for the Blackhawks, scoring 19 goals in his rookie season. This year, Hartman has seen a decline in his goal scoring production, with only 8 in 56 games so far this season. Despite this, he has looked like one of the Hawks best forwards so far, and is on pace to match his point total from last season.
Trading Hartman could make sense for the Blackhawks. As said earlier, the team only has a handful of players they can move, and with Anisimov having a full no trade clause (until July 1st), and Saad having a down year, Hartman may be the only real option to bring back value.
While Alex Debrincat and Nick Schmaltz have solidified their spots in the top 9 of the Blackhawks forwards, there are numerous players still looking for their spot. Vinnie Hinostroza, John Hayden, Anthony Duclair, and David Kampf have all shown promise for the Blackhawks this season. College prospect Dylan Sikura could join that group if he decides to sign with the team following the end of his NCAA sesaon.
With Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Brandon Saad, Artem Anisimov, Alex Debrincat, and Nick Schmaltz are all locks for 7 of the top 9 spots, (Obviously unless Saad and Anisimov are moved) that leaves only two openings for those 5 players listed above, as well as Hartman.
The argument can be made that Hartman has been the best forward out of that group fighting for playing time, but he also has the most trade value, and is due for a raise with his RFA status this offseason.
The biggest issue with trading Hartman is the potential return. After being a first round pick in the 2013 draft, plus 5 years of development from the Blackhawks, trading him for a second round pick that likely wouldn’t play for at least 3 seasons seems like a step in the wrong direction.
However, if they can aquirce another young, NHL ready defenseman, a deal may make sense. While the Blackhawks already have guys like Jordan Oesterle, Erik Gustafsson, Carl Dahlstrom, and Gustav Forlsing, as well as Luc Snuggard and Henri Jokiharju likely on the way, none have shown consistently that they can be a long term asset, but many have shown that potential. Adding another would add to the Blackhawks defensive depth, something not many teams posses.
As said earlier, this rumor should be taken very lightly, and personally I do not see him being moved unless the return is too good to pass up, but at this time of year nothing should be ruled out.
Should Hartman be traded? What do you think is a fair return? Let us know in the comment section!
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