Blackhawks Capitalize on Trade Deadline

(Photo: Chicago Blackhawks Facebooks)

With the clock ticking on trade deadline, Chicago Blackhawks Wizard General Manager Stan Bowman made serious roster moves and the team that had lost five of its previous seven games beat the league-leading Washington Capitals 3-2 Sunday.

It started Thursday, when Bowman snapped up former Hawk and Winnipeg Jets Captain Andrew Ladd (forward) as well as defenseman Jay Harrison and winger Matt Fraser in a deal that sent forward Marko Dano to Winnipeg and gave the Jets a first round draft pick this summer as well as a conditional (if Chicago repeats the championship) pick. The Jets retained 36 percent of Ladd’s remaining salary/salary cap hit. Harrison and Fraser were sent to the Blackhawks’ AHL affiliate Rockford IceHogs.

“I knew that it was a probability that I was going to end up being traded and I think Chicago was on the top of my list for places I wanted to be,” Ladd said on a media conference call. “I”m familiar with the organization and guys already on the team and that would ease the transition for me.”

Ladd, who was a part of the Hawks’ 2010 Stanley Cup-winning team (and the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006), was a welcome (re)addition to the Blackhawks locker room. Marcus Kruger, out on long-term injured reserve, even gave Ladd his number, 16, back. When Kruger returns, it will be as 22.

Jonathan Toews asked Ladd about Kruger’s number.

“You want the Captain ‘C,’ too?” he joked.

Ladd had 34 points in 59 games this season with the Jets. He had an assist in his first game back in Chicago, where he found a spot with on Toews’ line.

A Friday deal with the Montreal Canadiens further solidified Bowman’s commitment to this year’s run. He picked up forwards Tomas Fleischmann (20 points in 57 games) and Dale Weise (26 points in 56 games) in exchange for forward Phillip Danault and the Hawks’ 2018 second-round draft pick.

“They’re both decent-sized wingers. [Weise] gives you some energy, gives you up-and-down, scores goals, goes to the net and is a good fore-checker. Fleisch gives you experience in playing a lot of different situations as well,” coach Joel Quenneville told CSN Chicago. “I think you look at the lines and potential lines we can have down the road, we’re looking forward to getting them together to see how that works.”

They already have the Patrick Kane–Artemi Panarin–Artem Anisimov line, which has the league’s points leader in Kane (85 points–36 goals, 49 assists) and the hottest rookie in Panarin (57 points–22 goals, 35 assists).

But the new additions, including Habs pickup Fleischmann, helped put the “turbo” back in Teuvo Teravainen.

Bowman blamed lineup fluctuation on his varying performance recently.

“I think sometimes people overlook the fact that more than anybody on our group of forwards, he’s bounced around and had to be the most versatile guy. That’s not easy to do for a young guy who’s trying to get established in the league. He’s a very important player for us and will continue to be,” he told CSN Chicago. “But I think in fairness to him, if we can give him more stability it might enhance his profile a bit.”

That showed in Sunday’s game against the Capitals where Teravainen proved himself a strong two-way player, tallied an assist, and earned the “first star of the game” recognition.

Teravainen was quick to recognize Fleischmann after the game.

“We made really nice plays out there and he plays with his head up and he has really nice offensive skills,” Teravainen said. “That’s nice. I think we can really create a lot of things this season.”

The Blackhawks are still waiting for Weise as he deals with work visa issues, but fans should be confident.

Dale Weise’s scouting report on Dale Weise: #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/gfIygqmdKO

— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) February 27, 2016

In other dealings, the Hawks traded 37-year-old defenseman Rob Scuderi to the Los Angeles Kings for 33-year-old Christian Ehrhoff. Ehrhoff reported to Rockford while Scuderi hit the ice in LA. The Hawks picked up Tim Jackman from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for Corey Tropp and a 2017 seventh-round draft pick.

Kruger isn’t expected to return in the regular season as he recovers from his wrist injury. Forward Marian Hossa is still recovering, but is returning to practice this week.

The new-ish Blackhawks now hit the road. They’re first in the Western Division now by one point and they’re heading east to face the:

• Detroit Red Wings at 7:00 p.m. CT Wednesday on NBCSN, TVAS, and SN1
• Boston Bruins at 6:00 p.m. CT Thursday on CSN-CH, TVAS, SNE, SNO