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Sportsnet: Frank Seravalli on Sportsnet on the Chicago Blackhawks, Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Ken Read: “The Chicago Blackhawks are struggling of late. Front runners in the Connor Bedard sweepstakes. So if you’re maybe going to try to nudge ahead in those sweepstakes, who is more likely to move, (Patrick) Kane or (Jonathan) Toews?
Seravalli: “My answer would be both. I believe both of those conversations will pick up with earnest in the new year as the Blackhawks begin the feeling out process of taking the temperature of Toews and Kane, their franchise pillars and stalwarts for three Stanley Cups, that really hold all the keys in this situation going forward with their full no-move, no-trade clauses.
They determine their fates. They determine how many teams will ultimately be in the mix if they’re interested in moving at all.
I think what is pretty clear to this point in the season, although Jonathan Toews got off to a strong start this year, is that whatever happens, there’s going to be a bigger package on the table for Patrick Kane.
But I have to tell you that the teams that I’ve talked to around the league, Ken, there’s plenty that are frothing at the mouth at the idea of landing like Toews to help bolster their team down the middle. Whether he’s a pure rental or not. I would imagine a team like the Colorado Avalanche with what they’ve been dealing with. Trying to find a second-line center. The Edmonton Oilers could use a little bit of edge and nastiness. Someone that could take faceoffs, penalty kill if need be.
There’s a number of teams that have their sights set on those guys. And I think the Chicago Blackhawks, Ken, are the number one team to watch in the NHL as we get closer to the March 3rd trade deadline. It’s not just number 19 and 88, it’s also so of the other pieces in their lineup – Max Dome, Andreas Athanasiou, maybe a Sam Lafferty.
Hey, what about the Chicago Blackhawks operating as the number one team in the year of the third-party broker? There’s going to be with this flat cap environment, so much money that needs to change hands, the Chicago Blackhawks are going to be in the middle of it all.