Chicago and Seattle made a one-for-one swap on Saturday, with the Blackhawks receiving Andre Burakovsky and the Kraken receiving Joe Veleno. Burakovsky is the extra established NHLer of the 2, having scored 20 objectives twice in his profession. Nevertheless, his five-year contract with a cap hit of $5.5 million hasn’t paid off for the Kraken, so this commerce is for all intents and functions a cap dump with Veleno incomes $2.275 million subsequent season and the Blackhawks barely above the cap flooring. Though Burakovsky performed 79 video games final season (incomes 37 factors), he was held to only 49 video games in every of his first two seasons in Seattle resulting from accidents.
With two seasons left on Burakovsky’s contract, the Blackhawks purchase a veteran who can fill a spot within the lineup till a prospect is NHL-ready. Burakovsky may have an opportunity to play within the prime 6, which could improve his fantasy worth barely, as he completed the season on the Kraken’s fourth line. That being stated, he does not have a ton of sleeper potential whereas the Hawks are nonetheless of their lengthy rebuild.
In the meantime, former first-round decide Veleno will try to show round his profession in Seattle, though he may very well be purchased out at a one-third fee as a result of he’s solely 25 years of age. The Kraken have one million middle-6 forwards, so Veleno will not have a straightforward time making an affect.
–
The commerce wasn’t the one transaction from the Blackhawks on Saturday, as they positioned TJ Brodie on unconditional waivers for the aim of a contract buyout. Brodie performed in 54 video games in 2024-25, registering 10 factors with a minus-18. He was additionally a wholesome scratch for the ultimate 22 video games of the season, so he did not determine into the Blackhawks’ plans. At age 35, Brodie could try and proceed his profession elsewhere.
–
I advised you final weekend that I might proceed to indicate Calder Cup Remaining highlights and I’ll ship on that. Jesse Puljujarvi (keep in mind him?) was credited with the extra time winner in Recreation 5 to maintain the Charlotte Checkers alive with a 4-3 win over the Abbotsford Canucks. The sequence returns to Charlotte for Recreation 6 on Monday and if vital, Recreation 7 on Wednesday. I say “credited” due to the way in which the shot from behind the web went in. It was an unpleasant objective in opposition to the Canucks, however all of them depend.
I will take this chance to make clear that Calder Cup playoff efficiency is not a sign of how sturdy a group’s prospect base is. For starters, not all of a group’s prime prospects will probably be enjoying on its AHL affiliate. Additional to that, many top-tier prospects are fast-tracked from the CHL or NCAA or Europe on to the NHL, bypassing the AHL. The AHL can also be crammed with veteran gamers who’ve strong AHL careers however whose NHL careers quantity to a cup of espresso or nothing in any respect.
The mum or dad groups of Abbotsford and Charlotte (Vancouver and Florida) aren’t recognized for having sturdy prospect bases. The Panthers have been quantity 23 and the Canucks have been quantity 28 in The Athletic’s NHL Pipeline Rankings from Corey Pronman written August 2024. On prime of that, each groups’ prime non-NHL prospects at the moment (Matvei Shuravin and Tom Willander) nonetheless have by no means performed within the AHL. I’ll point out, nonetheless, that many AHL prospects from each groups are listed within the Fantasy Prospects Report (now obtainable!)
So as to add to that, I would not pencil in a single participant on the Abbotsford roster to be a full-time NHL participant subsequent season. Nevertheless, the infant Canucks have loads of gamers that ought to play some NHL video games subsequent season, together with Jonathan Lekkerimaki, Aatu Raty, Linus Karlsson, Arshdeep Bains, Max Sasson, Victor Mancini, and Arturs Silovs.
Additionally, Manny Malhotra deserves credit score for his teaching job with Abbotsford. By way of future NHL coaches, Malhotra is a reputation to look at.
–
Listed here are the highest Frozen Instruments searches for the previous week:
I will decide two explicit gamers who’ve been within the information not too long ago due to relevance to latest trades or future trades.
Lafreniere needs to be positively affected by the Rangers buying and selling Chris Kreider to Anaheim, as talked about within the official Fantasy Take of the commerce. That’s, if he isn’t the subsequent to be traded if the Rangers are eyeing bigger adjustments. For now, we’ve got to imagine he’ll keep.
Any ensuing improve in Lafreniere’s scoring might come largely from the ability play. Throughout his five-season profession, Lafreniere has averaged not less than 30 % of his group’s obtainable power-play minutes solely as soon as (in 2024-25). For that purpose, his power-play level whole has at all times been comparatively low, with a profession excessive of 6 PPP in 2023-24. Though Lafreniere’s 45 factors in 2024-25 was tied for fifth on the Rangers, his 41 even-strength factors was tied for third on the membership, forward of Mika Zibanejad. Do not assume Lafreniere will probably be on the highest energy play, although, as Zibanejad, Artemi Panarin, J.T. Miller, and Vincent Trocheck ought to nonetheless all obtain precedence as forwards (the Rangers not often used 5 forwards on PP1).
It is easy to imagine what we have seen from Lafreniere to date is what he’s, as he has already performed 5 seasons and 380 profession video games. Nevertheless, Lafreniere remains to be solely 23 years of age, so there may be nonetheless room for progress. Kreider’s departure ought to create a spot for him within the prime 6, however he may need to attend a bit longer for a spot on the highest energy play.
Talking of gamers you could be hoping are in a greater state of affairs subsequent season, Byram is believed to be on the commerce block. Including to the state of affairs is that Byram is an RFA this offseason, however his UFA season remains to be two seasons away. On prime of that, Byram is rumored to have requested a commerce, maybe unhappy with the present state of affairs in Buffalo or fairly merely his function on the group.
Like Lafreniere, Byram has been fairly restricted in power-play alternatives. In his five-year profession (derailed early on by accidents), Byram has by no means obtained 30 % of his group’s obtainable power-play minutes. On prime of that, he has 10 profession power-play factors – extraordinarily low for a participant who scored at over some extent per recreation over his ultimate two WHL seasons. Younger gamers usually have to bide their time after they arrive within the NHL, however Byram has had the misfortune of enjoying behind each Cale Makar and Rasmus Dahlin.
Byram was rumored to be excited about a commerce to the Canucks, however he’d have an identical drawback enjoying behind Quinn Hughes. Nevertheless, if one other rumor of Hughes becoming a member of his brothers in New Jersey involves fruition, then this might signify a first-rate alternative for Byram. Philadelphia, Calgary, and even Carolina might signify a greater state of affairs for Byram in that sense, together with a couple of different groups which have extra unsettled power-play conditions. If Byram can discover such a group, then he needs to be a lock for his first 40-point season. Byram’s 35 even-strength factors was tied for 15th amongst defensemen final season, so he has loads of room to develop.
–
Comply with me on X @Ian_Gooding and Threads @goodsfantasyhockey and Bluesky @goodsfantasyhockey.bsky.social
