After years of negotiations, the Chicago Blackhawks finally waved the white flag on one potential teammate of Connor Bedard. The Vancouver Canucks will now try their luck with an unsigned talent, hoping to give Elias Pettersson and company another weapon on offense for the upcoming NHL seasons.
It simply wasn’t meant to be. The Blackhawks have now accepted that, officially moving on. While the prospect of playing alongside Bedard is one not many players would miss out on, Russian prospect Ilya Safonov is seemingly uninterested in joining the NHL anytime soon.
The former sixth-round pick in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft has now been let go by the Blackhawks, who traded the rights to the 24-year-old winger to the Canucks. Perhaps Pettersson‘s side can flip the right switch and convince the Russian talent to put pen to paper—but that may prove to be a tall order.
“Blackhawks have traded KHL forward Ilya Safonov’s rights to the Canucks for future considerations. Safonov had a big year in Russia in 2022-23 but had fallen out of the Hawks’ favor since then,” Chicago Sun-Times’ Ben Pope stated on X.
Elias Pettersson #40 of the Vancouver Canucks looks on during the third period of their NHL game against the Calgary Flames at Rogers Arena on October 9, 2024 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Protecting the jewel of the crown
The Blackhawks watched Bedard’s production take a considerable hit last season and vowed never to let that happen again. Now, as Chicago gears up for the upcoming campaign, it knows exactly what needs to be done—a fact made clear by the franchise’s strategy in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft.
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“We felt the need to get a little bit harder, tougher, to protect some of our skilled guys,” Blackhawks scouting director Mike Doneghey said, per Ben Pope.
Getting bigger to get better
Aside from third overall pick Anton Frondell, the Blackhawks didn’t select a single player standing below 6’1”. Moreover, the organization spent most of its late selections in enforcers and prospects known for their grittiness. The results won’t be seen overnight, but it could be a step in the right direction for Bedard and company.
