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The Blackhawks made their first trade of the offseason–but it wasn’t the earthshaking one everyone thought it would be. It also took a lot longer than expected but once Ilya Mikheyev waived his no-trade clause, the deal was consummated.
Ilya Mikheyev has waived his no-trade clause for the trade to Chicago.
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) June 27, 2024
The deal also includes Sam Lafferty and Vancouver’s second-round pick for Chicago’s fourth-round pick, which would either be a 2025 or 2026 pick.
Ilya Mikheyev hasn’t formally agreed to waive his no-trade clause yet to go to #Blackhawks, but provided he does, teams have agreement in place on a trade:
To #Blackhawks: Ilya Mikheyev, 2nd Rd Pick, pending UFA Sam Lafferty
To #Canucks: 4th Rd Pick@DailyFaceoff
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) June 27, 2024
The deal is a salary dump for the Canucks so the Blackhawks are getting what would be a top-nine forward on the current roster–and likely more as they build out this offseason. The deal also included Sam Lafferty, the former Hawk dealt to Toronto in the Jake McCabe deal back in 2o23. Lafferty is an unrestricted free agent and could be added for depth if necessary, especially since he buried 13 last season.
Deal for Ilya Mikheyev Not What Was Expected Off the Bat
The Blackhawks need more depth after an injury plagued season that saw a very shorthanded team unable to score goals. Mikheyev potted 11 last season to go along with his 31 points but he still has two years on a deal worth $4.75M against the cap. The production and the price don’t exactly match up, which is why Lafferty and the second-round pick were thrown in.
Lafferty had 24 points, with 13 finding the back of the net. Putting that into perspective, Lafferty would have been fourth on the team in goals and seventh in points. Mikheyev would have been tied for fifth in points on the 2023-24 Hawks.
While the Blackhawks added more depth, this is just scratching the surface of what the Blackhawks are constructing as they look to have a big jump from last year’s 53-loss season. For Chicago fans concerned about this deal not being enough, fear not. Without question, there’s plenty of complaints about Mikheyev’s ability to not bury his chances. 11 goals on his contract is evidence of that.
Now we wait to see what the Blackhawks do next as the Draft inches closer and the offseason trades likely ramp up across the league.
This story is still developing and will be updated
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Chicago Blackhawks reportedly set to trade 25-year-old goaltender to Stars rival, Edmonton Oilers
Calder Trophy winner faces another unprecedented season with Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson cemented himself in hockey history with his Calder Trophy-winning rookie season last year. His 60 assists tied Larry Murphy for the most ever recorded by a rookie defender, while his 66 total points ranked fifth in history. Hutson’s company on the leaderboards is full of Hall of Fame talent, including Chris Chelios (50 A, 56 TP as a rookie), Nicklas Lidstrom (49 A, 60 TP) and Ray Bourque (48 A, 65 TP). But despite the warm company, Hutson still faces a task unlike any of his highly-touted peers. He has to show he can follow it up. Many former high-scoring, rookie defenders have earned their keep on both ends of the ice. Hutson breaks that mold. He is the first to ever cross the 60-point — or, even the 50-point — mark while recording a negative plus-minus. The only players to manage similar feats were Phil Housley, Quinn Hughes and Moritz Seider — who each finished their rookie campaigns short of both the 50-point mark and positive plus-minus. That certainly speaks to the high-event ice time Hutson experienced, but it shouldn’t come as a direct attack on his defensive acumen. Instead, it’s a testament to Hutson’s deeply unique style. He’s a hyper-mobile defender, who uses crafty stickhandling and skillful skating to sneak into the tightest spaces between opponents. Many defenders have excelled with those talents, but few are rarely look as gifted as Hutson. That degree of finesse helps Hutson make up for an otherwise scrawny frame — though one not lacking any physical gumption — in a way that seems reminiscent of former greats like Housley. But where Housley went on to net 1,232 career points, the next highest-scoring defenseman under the height of 5-foot-11 was Randy Carlyle, who finished his career with 647 points. That’s an extreme gap, not helped by the fact that Caryle weighed in at over 200 pounds. The NHL is not built to support nimble and skillful offensive-defensemen. It’s too heavy and physical of a league. And yet, Hutson showed no signs of struggling as he stomped his way to Montreal’s top defender role last season. He blazed that path with the same agility, instinct and cool-headedness that’s made him successful as far back as youth hockey. Then again, NHL game planning is better than ever as teams begin to lean on video tracking and analytics to support their pre-game prep. Many of Hutson’s break-ins came on the outskirts of the offensive zone, and his scoring chances from creative passes after working into space on the boards or behind the net. As teams adjust for that, Hutson will face the imposing question of if he can adjust his game too. Putting on more weight and continuing to improve at getting back on defense could go a long way towards building the full, all-three-zones ability that could push Hutson’s game to a truly special level. But if teams catch on to how to stop him before he has time to take the next step, he could quickly struggle to make the same plays he always has. That will be the task that faces Hutson next season — and its result could define Montreal’s blue-line for years to come. Hutson is up for a new contract next summer, and could sign an extension at any point now that July 1 has passed. Of the nine other defensemen to score at least 60 points in their rookie year, seven have gone on to play in over 1,000 NHL games. The other two still managed hundreds of games of their own (Reed Larson, 904; Barry Beck, 615). And yet, it’s hard to think any have deviated from the view of average NHL defender quite like Hutson. He’s among tremendous company, and seems headed for many years of incredible hockey after such a strong start. But it seems that the true, special aspects of Hutson’s career will be defined by how his sophomore season goes. In proving he can continue to perform at All-Star levels, Hutson will not only earn what’s sure to be a lofty contract next summer, but could cement his spot in Montreal’s top role for the next seven or eight seasons. He’s now joined by fellow, flashy company in Noah Dobson — and could get the support from more defensively-focused peers like Kaiden Guhle, Alexandre Carrier and Mike Matheson. The extent to which that supporting cast can boost Hutson to an encore performance will make his 2025-26 campaign much-watch hockey, even after he’s earned the Rookie of the Year title in a special Calder Trophy race.
NHL Analyst Links Edmonton Oilers Defenseman to Winnipeg Jets for Salary Cap Relief
NHL analyst Jake Tye of The Hockey News believes the Oilers could be in a position to trade Jake Walman for salary-cap relief, and the Jets are a team of interest. The 2026 NHL free-agent class appears to be shaping up to be one of the best ever, with Connor McDavid, Jack Eichel and Artemi Panarin heading up the list. The Winnipeg Jets might have a more grounded and smarter target in Oilers defenseman Jake Walman. At 29, the native from Toronto has become a consistent-scoring offensive defenseman with 50-point upside over a full season. A year ago, he posted 0.61 points per game in the regular season and held a 0.45 average over Edmonton's Stanley Cup Final run, with his play being especially beneficial in crucial moments. Picked in the third round of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft by the St. Louis Blues, Jake Walman was initially viewed as an upper-end, Adam Fox-caliber defenseman. He was traded to Detroit, where he was part of a deal that had him, Oskar Sundqvist, and a second-round pick go to Detroit for Nick Leddy and Luke Witkowski. There, he compiled 43 points in 145 games, showing glimpses of attacking flair. A cap-clearing deal then shipped him off to San Jose, where a larger role saw him tally 32 points in 50 games and make him an important asset in no time. Edmonton knocked on his door, acquiring him before his Cup journey, with him contributing 10 points in 22 games. Walman has just one year remaining on his contract Now with a year remaining on his $3.4 million contract and cap concerns for the Oilers, Walman could be on the open market sooner than later. 'With just one year left on his contract at $3.4 million and the Oilers facing cap constraints, Walman could be on the move again. He's drawn comparisons to Ryan McDonagh as another defenceman who thrived in a bottom-pairing role on a championship team. Like McDonagh with the Lightning, Walman combines solid two-way play with enough offensive upside to make a real impact. If he hits the open market or the Oilers are looking to move him, Walman could be a smart pickup for a team like Winnipeg as an option alongside Luke Schenn on the bottom pair and would work as cost-effective help on the backend with playoff aspirations in mind.' - Jake Tye His blend of solid two-way play and potential on offense makes him a cost-efficient depth signing for a contender like Winnipeg seeking blue-line help, per NHL analyst Jake Tye.
LA Lakers receive immediate response from Timberwolves after enquiry over Donte DiVincenzo
The Los Angeles Lakers aren’t slowing down in their bid to build a contender, making another move to strengthen the squad for a championship run next season. Marcus Smart, the 2022 Defensive Player of the Year, is set to join a roster that now stands at 14 players. Smart links up with DeAndre Ayton, who is expected to take on the main role at centre. Both signings signal a shift towards adding experienced players who can fill key gaps in the lineup. Guard depth was clearly high on the agenda during free agency. Before landing Marcus Smart, the Lakers explored several backcourt options, some of whom ended up signing elsewhere or staying put. The team reportedly showed interest in Bradley Beal before he signed with the Clippers and also considered Malcolm Brogdon as they looked for guards who could impact both ends of the floor. Timberwolves quickly shut down Donte DiVincenzo approach NBA insider Brett Siegel shared that the Lakers reached out to the Minnesota Timberwolves about Donte DiVincenzo, but Minnesota quickly shut down any possibility of a deal. “Los Angeles also reached out to the Minnesota Timberwolves about Donte DiVincenzo’s availability, but the Wolves were not interested at all,” Siegel reported, underlining how firmly Minnesota values the guard. DiVincenzo offers what Los Angeles was looking for during their search. The defensive-minded guard provided secondary scoring while shooting efficiently from beyond the arc. His 2024 numbers included 11.7 points, 3.6 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game on 39.7% shooting from deep. Questions remain around Marcus Smart’s shooting but defence remains elite Smart isn’t known for his offensive output, but he did post a 39.2% three-point rate in Washington last season. The Lakers are hoping he can keep that up, especially when Luka Doncic is off the floor. Defence has always been Smart’s strong suit, and that hasn’t changed. His perimeter play is still a real strength, and it’s what the Lakers will lean on most. The Celtics connection gives him a veteran presence this group could use. The Lakers were short on dependable playoff options last year, and Smart should help steady things. Salary cap leaves Lakers short on additional moves The Lakers are just over $1 million from the first-apron tax threshold, limiting their ability to add another high-profile player. Smart’s arrival is likely the last major move unless the team makes additional changes to free up cap space. The 14-man roster, anchored by LeBron James and Luka Doncic, offer plenty of depth and flexibility. Still, whether that translates into a championship run will depend on how well the group stays healthy and builds chemistry. Both Smart and Ayton come with questions attached. The team’s success may ultimately hinge on how those gambles pay off.
Tua Tagovailoa addresses relationship with Tyreek Hill after controversial comments
Shortly after Miami Dolphins players reported for training camp on Tuesday, Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill suggested he wants to be "better as a leader" after he controversially subbed himself out of Miami's regular-season finale this past January and then told reporters he was "out." While speaking with reporters on Wednesday, Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa addressed the Hill-sized elephant in the room. "I think there’s a lot more vulnerability with Tyreek," Tagovailoa explained, as shared by Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk. "He’s conversating a lot more with the guys, not just about football, but about things off the field, being vulnerable about some of the things people know about his personal life and things of that nature. I think that’s the first step toward him building true relationships and a real connection with a lot of the guys in there." Following Hill's "out" comment, Dolphins general manager Chris Grier revealed that the 31-year-old speedster never requested a trade. While publicly apologizing to his teammates during a Super Bowl week interview, Hill directly said that Tagovailoa is his "guy." Hill also insisted at the time that he loves Tagovailoa. "Everybody makes mistakes," Tagovailoa added about Hill. "It’s just, some people, they’re in the spotlight, and their deals get pushed out more than some others. So you’ve just got to cut him some grace. That’s our teammate. We love him, but as a person, I think if you get to know him, you’ll love him too." Hill and Tagovailoa likely will need to be on the same page if they want to prevent the Dolphins from going through a franchise reset next offseason. At least head coach Mike McDaniel is reportedly on the hot seat this summer, while Tagovailoa's status beyond the upcoming campaign is up in the air after he suffered a third reported concussion since the fall of 2022 last season. "You guys aren’t the only people that heard that," Tagovailoa said about Hill's "out" statement. "...So when you say something like that, you don’t just come back from that with, 'Hey, my bad.' You’ve got to work that relationship up. You’ve got to build everything up again. It’s still a work in progress, not just for me but for everybody. But like I said, he’s working on himself, he’s working on the things he says he wants to get better with and do better on. So that’s the first step to me, so I commend him for doing that." As of Wednesday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook had the 2024 Dolphins at -275 betting odds to miss the playoffs. Those who believe the relationship between Tagovailoa and Hill is on shaky ground following Wednesday's developments may want to take a flier on such a wager before the odds change later this year.
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