The Chicago Blackhawks are in a prime position to fleece desperate teams looking to clear cap space. The Hawks have plenty of space and no real urgency to contend at this point. That situation could facilitate the club taking on a bad contract while acquiring highly desirable assets.
One team the Blackhawks could prey upon is the New Jersey Devils. The Devils are desperately looking to clear cap space in order to acquire pieces to help them get back into contention. In particular, one contract the Devils have been looking to shed is that of veteran winger Ondrej Palat.
Palat has this year and next remaining on his current contract, which carries a $6 million cap hit. Palat’s contract has become so burdensome, that it was one of the deals standing in the way of the Devils landing Quinn Hughes.
As such, the Devils could find a willing trade partner in the Blackhawks. Chicago will need to take on some salary just to make the salary cap floor next season. Palat does that for the Blackhawks, while potentially adding a solid veteran presence to the still young Chicago squad.
Here’s what the suggested trade idea could look like:
Blackhawks get:
Ondrej Palat, F
2026 first-round pick
2026 fourth-round pick
Devils get:
2026 seventh-round pick
The Blackhawks would land a 2026 first-rounder for the service of taking Palat’s contract off the Devils hands. The fourth-round pick would be a nice boost in the overall package. The Devils, meanwhile, would get a seventh-round pick just to close the loop on the trade.
Palat’s No-Trade Clause Could Get in Way of Deal with Blackhawks
The elephant in the room in this discussion is Palat’s 10-team no-trade list. Said list was the reported impediment in moving Palat earlier this season. The Devils attempted to clear cap space, but reports suggested that Palat nixed at least one trade proposal.
That’s a situation the Blackhawks would have to contend with. But then again, Palat may accept a trade to Chicago, considering the team is young and on the rise. That situation could be enticing to a veteran player like Palat who could play a more stable role in Chicago than in New Jersey.
However, there’s always the risk that Palat declines the trade, assuming the Blackhawks are on his list. Otherwise, the Devils could have a clear path to move Palat to Chicago.
How Palat Fits into Chicago’s Lineup
Palat is a middle-six forward at best. The 34-year-old is no longer in the form that made him a valuable piece in the Tampa Bay Lightning’s Stanley Cup runs. Still, he could fill a void much the same way Sam Lafferty or Ilya Mikheyev have played.
Yes, both Lafferty and Mikheyev have lower cap hits. But the Blackhawks can spare the cap space for a season and a half.
The prospect of landing a solid draft pick in the 2026 NHL Draft could be too much to pass up. This year’s draft is supposed to be one of the deepest in a long time. That’s why the prospect of getting another first-rounder could be an offer the Blackhawks might not refuse.
Blackhawks Fleece This Cap-Strapped Team in Suggested Trade