The Chicago Blackhawks catch a small glimpse of light at the end of the tunnel as they rebuild their roster, though they continue to endure a rocky journey through the NHL in the meantime. Amid a disastrous campaign, the blows keep stacking up for Connor Bedard and the organization, as a star player has now been in conversations for a trade out of Windy City.
The Blackhawks are stuck in the league’s basement, and though it stings to admit, the team knows they won’t be leaving it before the final stretch of the season. It’s a tough pill to swallow for Bedard and other talented players on the roster, who feel they may be wasting their potential with the bottom-feeding Blackhawks.
While Bedard doesn’t plan on going anywhere else—on the contrary, he hopes to lead Chicago back to where it belongs—others are feeling the pressure of the ticking clock on their careers and may be looking for an opportunity with a contender.
Bedard’s teammate, defenseman Seth Jones may be one of the key players on the roster looking for new horizons in hopes of chasing Lord Stanley. The 30-year-old made a strong admission, though he hasn’t formally requested a trade, his agent has been in “back and forth” talks with the team.
“I would like to give myself a chance to win in my career,” Seth Jones confessed, during an interview with Chicago Sun-Times. “I know that the money is not an easy thing to move, and that’s what we’re figuring out. If it happens, it happens. Obviously, while I’m here with the Blackhawks, they have my full effort [and] full attention to this team to try to get this team better.”
Tough business
Jones arrived in Chicago ahead of the 2021-22 NHL season, after remarkable years with the Columbus Blue Jackets, signing an eight-year, $9.5million annual extension upon arrival.
However, his time with the Hawks has been far from what the Original Six franchise envisioned, and as Jones looks for a new destination, his salary cap hit remains a significant anchor that not many teams would be willing to take a chance on.