The Chicago Blackhawks front office shook things up in a big way when they swung a massive trade with the Florida Panthers over the weekend. Seth Jones was shipped out along with a draft pick in exchange for highly touted young goaltender Spencer Knight and a future first-round draft pick.
Chicago should be extremely active this week leading into the March 7 trade deadline. The biggest name left on the roster that is expected to be moved is veteran forward Ryan Donato. The hope is that general manager Kyle Davidson can land a second-round pick or better for Donato depending on his market.
The Jones trade could lead to another veteran being sent away based on Chicago’s return for the defenseman. The team is currently dealing with a goaltender log jam, which is never a bad issue to have by any means. However, based on how their current goalie tandem has played out this season, the primary netminder from a year ago should be traded this week.
The Chicago Blackhawks need to trade Petr Mrazek
Mrazek was a mainstay in the cage for the Blackhawks a season ago when they badly needed a veteran to shoulder the load. He appeared in 56 games while starting in 53 of them in his second season in the Windy City. Mrazek posted a 3.05 GAA and .908 save percentage, his best mark since the 2020-21 campaign.
The 33-year-old earned himself a two-year contract extension during last season that will pay him $4.25 million per season until the end of next year. The deal made sense for both parties at the time, but Mrazek has not necessarily held up his end of the bargain this year. His GAA shot up to a 3.46 ad his save percentage is back under .900 at .890.
With three goalies on the active roster at the moment and having veteran Laurant Brossoit under contract through next year makes it seem like Mrazek will be the odd man out when it’s all said and done. Knight was situated in the starters crease at practice on Monday and Arvid Soderblom was on the opposite side of the ice meaning that Mrazek will not dress for the home tilt against the Kings.
Spencer Knight is in the starter’s crease so good chance he starts tonight vs Kings.
Soderblom is in the other crease and Mrazek is the odd man out. https://t.co/ls8SS5QtwA
— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) March 3, 2025
The Blackhawks just need Mrazek out for whatever they can get at this point. There isn’t a spot for him on the team anymore and they could really use the money off their books for the big free agency class to come this summer. If a team looking to make the playoffs sees value in having veteran goaltending depth at a cheap price in the trade market, Chicago could get some calls on Mrazek.
The goaltending future is bright for the Chicago Blackhawks
This situation that Chicago currently has is mainly difficult because of how well Arvid Soderblom has played this season. He was originally supposed to be a placeholder until Brossoit came back from injury, but he has instead carved out a nice role for himself to the point that sending him back to Rockford would be a mistake.
The Blackhawks could have something brewing here with a young goaltending tandem of Soderblom and Knight. What happens with Brossoit is up in the air, but the youth movement for Chicago has extended to the crease and that offers plenty of optimism for the future.
Chicago Blackhawks 2025 trade deadline target: Quinton Byfield
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