An interesting development has emerged out of Chicago — One of the team’s more reputable beat writers, Mark Lazerus, is reporting that the Chicago Blackhawks are showing interest in Tomas Tatar and Gustav Nyquist:
Take every name you hear this time of year with a grain of salt, but I’m told #Blackhawks have at least sniffed around Nyquist and Tatar.
— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) January 21, 2017
Lazerus continues:
Tatar makes more sense financially (and he’s a pending UFA), but Nyquist might be more expendable to Detroit. Wings maybe looking for D-man.
Again a LOT of calls get made this time of year. Most talks never progress very far. But two sources have told me those calls have been made
As it stands right now, we don’t know what Ken Holland’s plans are. He’s stated that he wants to wait until closer to the deadline to see where the team is at, and then assess what should be done. The hot names for trade pieces on the Red Wings front have been led by Thomas Vanek, who is scoring at an incredible pace this season.
Tatar and Nyquist are both players that could be considered to be moved, but the price tag would be high. Lazerus is right on the money with the Wings looking for a defenseman, but I think the starting point has to include a 1st round pick, which the Blackhawks’ brass has reported the chances of a 2017 1st rounder is “highly unlikely.”
Makes sense, as the Hawks are hosting the 2017 NHL Draft in their barn.
It’s not surprising the Hawks have inquired on Tatar and Nyquist, because they are both very good and young players. But honestly, I feel the chances of this happening are extremely low. However, I am a bit nervous at the thought of Ken Holland being enticed into a guy like Brent Seabrook, who has an absolutely atrocious contract term — something the Red Wings cannot afford to add at this point.
