The Chicago Blackhawks offseason rumor mill keeps moving, and today we have updates on two big names fans have been watching: Dylan Larkin and Jason Robertson.
First, the Larkin dream appears to be over before it ever really started.
After reports that the Detroit Red Wings captain had requested a trade, we now have a better idea of where he would actually be willing to go. Larkin reportedly submitted a short list of teams he would accept a trade to, and the Blackhawks are not on it.
That should not be shocking.
Larkin is tired of losing. Detroit has extended its playoff drought to 10 seasons, and Larkin has played only a handful of postseason games in his NHL career. If he is going to leave the Red Wings, he is clearly looking for a team that can compete right now.
Chicago is not there yet.
The Blackhawks are building something exciting with Connor Bedard, Anton Frondell, Sacha Boisvert, Roman Kantserov, and a deep prospect pipeline, but they are still in the middle of the climb. Larkin wanting a true contender makes sense, even if it stings a little for fans who were daydreaming about him in a Hawks sweater.
So for now, you can probably cross Dylan Larkin off the Blackhawks wish list.
The bigger and more realistic rumor is still Jason Robertson.
Robertson is the type of player who could completely change Chicago’s offseason. He is 26 years old, produces like a true star winger, and would be an incredible fit next to Bedard. He has already proven he can score at an elite level, drive offense, and produce consistently over multiple seasons.
That is exactly the kind of player the Blackhawks should be interested in if they are ready to accelerate the rebuild.
But this situation is complicated.
Robertson is a restricted free agent, which gives Dallas more control than Detroit has with Larkin. He cannot simply pick where he wants to go. At the same time, his next contract could be extremely expensive, and the Stars may have a hard time making everything fit.
That is where the Blackhawks become interesting.
Chicago has cap space, draft capital, prospects, and a clear need for a high-end winger. If Dallas ever seriously considers moving Robertson, the Blackhawks are one of the few teams that could build a real offer.
But there is one major problem.
Dallas may not want to trade a player like Robertson inside the Central Division. The Stars probably do not want to spend the next decade watching Robertson play with Bedard in Chicago. That divisional factor could make a deal much harder, even if the Blackhawks have the assets.
So where does that leave us?
The Larkin idea is probably dead.
The Robertson rumor is still alive, but expensive, complicated, and far from guaranteed.
That is what makes this offseason so fascinating. Kyle Davidson has the cap space and the assets to swing big if the right player becomes available. The question is whether one of those players actually shakes loose.
Would you still go all-in for Jason Robertson?
Or is the price too high for the Blackhawks right now?
Drop your thoughts in the comments and stay tuned for more Blackhawks offseason rumors, NHL Draft coverage, and trade updates.
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Do you think the Blackhawks still have a chance to trade for Jason Robertson??
Boy the Hawks need Stenberg to fall to 4, adding a good veteran seems unattainable.
Larkin? He’s a good player but not great. His age does not fit the Hawks time line. Glad he doesn’t want to come here. He should never have been a target. Robertson is a fine target. I heard he wants $14m, not $12M.
I would not pursue any player in trade with term and high AAV unless they are a top 3 type forward or top pair d-man. Why tie up a roster spot, trade away assets or use up our cap space for players we already have in house and in abundance. Unless it’s Robertson type forward, or Hughes type d-man Blackhawks should continue to develop and evaluate the inexpensive talent we already have. Pursue vets with good value and short term AAV if needed to plug holes. We are starting to see what we have in our prospects more clearly now than in 2023. But we still don’t know ceiling of players like Lev/ Lardis/ Nazar/ Reid,,,, Blackhawks will become a better team and will attract top FAs. Current contenting teams will start to decline and will start trading players and dump salary to teams like Blackhawks soon. Blackhawks will not be a Stanley Cup team this upcoming season so no need to make a panic trade. I think a better timeframe to look at a potential blockbuster deal is 2026/27 trade deadline where Blackhawks could potentially be a team that ADDS instead of trade away players for future assets.
This team will not be good for 2-3 seasons. So why trade for anybody?