The Chicago Blackhawks told Brendan Perlini that they would try to find him a new home after he asked for a trade and they’ve made good on their promise. Perlini has been traded to the Detroit Red Wings. The Blackhawks will receive Alec Regula in return, and do not have to retain any of Perlini’s salary.
The 23-year old forward had played just one game for the Blackhawks this season after failing to earn a job in training camp, and has now been traded twice in his brief career. That’s a disappointing outcome for a player who had such high expectations back in 2014 when he was selected 12th overall by the Arizona Coyotes.
Perlini actually did get off to a solid start to his career, scoring 14 and 17 goals, respectively, in his first two seasons in the NHL. Even last season after he was traded to the Blackhawks as part of the return for Nick Schmaltz, he found success, potting 12 goals in just 46 games. His lack of assists were troubling, however, and too often Perlini disappeared almost entirely from games, failing to contribute in any meaningful way.
Still, there’s no reason to believe Perlini still can’t make enough improvements to become an impact player at the NHL level. The Red Wings can take that chance since they aren’t expected to compete for the Stanley Cup right away, providing ample opportunity for him to find his game. The Blackhawks obviously weren’t willing to do that and found an acceptable return.
Regula, 19, was selected 67th overall in 2018 but has already started to show why he may be an NHL option down the road. The 6-4 defenseman put up 39 points for the London Knights of the OHL last season and is off to an even better start this year. The fact that he played last season with Blackhawks prospect Adam Boqvist should make them very familiar with him. The Blackhawks still need to sign Regula, although that is not usually a problem for CHL players. His exclusive draft rights would expire in June of 2020.
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