Report: Blackhawks Considered Bringing Back Brandon Saad?
Each week, Elliotte Friedman posts his “30 Thoughts” column (a must read if it isn’t on your list already).
This week’s notes had one comment that is… intriguing.
“7. Speaking of forwards, very curious to see where things go with Columbus and Brandon Saad. He’s fifth on the Blue Jackets in scoring, fifth in time-on-ice among forwards. But he was almost a healthy scratch last week and, somewhere, the team wants to ease its cap crunch. Chicago investigated it last season, but couldn’t make things work. He’s 24 years old and has a lot to give.”
Chicago investigated bringing back Brandon Saad?
Saad, of course, started his career in Chicago but was traded after winning the Stanley Cup in 2015. He quickly signed a big money deal with Columbus, and has a $6M cap hit through the 2020-21 season.
Saad set a career high with 31 goals for the Jackets last season. In 14 games this year he has four goals and eight assists.
On July 27, 2015, Chicago traded Saad to Columbus with Mike Paliotta and Alex Broadhurst for forwards Artem Anisimov, Marko Dano, Corey Tropp and a fourth round pick in the 2016 NHL draft (#95 – Anatoly Golyshev).
Stan Bowman subsequently traded the pick to the Islanders for another fourth round pick in the 2016 draft (#110 – Lucas Carlsson) and a sixth round pick in the 2017 draft. Bowman also traded away Dano in the deal that brought Andrew Ladd to Chicago at the trade deadline. And he traded Tropp to Anaheim for Tim Jackman and a seventh round pick in 2017.
Either him or breadman i d say i m happy with pinarin but finding room for both would be quite a dream
*Panarin
Tab-how could Stan make that work, dollar wise, while also keeping 72 long term? What would the Hawks have to move?
I wouldn’t consider Saad until 72 has a long term contract with the Hawks. Panarin is far more offensively talented. Better shot, better passer and better possession guy.
Speed, and more speed, and no fear of going to the net. I miss Saad.
We would all flip out.
Kruger, Schmaltz, Pokka, 1st rounder? They retain 2m…
Dream on, I know..
Thewalrus colmbus wants to shed cap that doesn t do much for them and then the bkackhawks next year still would have to find room for the rest of saads 6m cap hit. Pinarin doable but anymore big contracts isn t there next year wuthout a major m9ve which i doubt will happen.
Dream on yes… would love to have Saad back as I’m pretty sure Toews would too.
He always seems wistful when talking of the Blackhawks. Think he’s had a rough go of it with Torts.
But he left. And we need to sign Panarin first.
Just wanted to briefly circle the wagons back and point out that everything about this rumor is past tense – last year. Important piece. No way the Hawks make the cap space AND unload the prospects to get Saad and then lose one of him/Panarin in the expansion draft.
Glad you mentioned expansion draft tab was wondering who the 2 forwards could be the hawks can use to meet minimum requirement rules for the draft.says 2 under contract for 2017 18 season and played 40 games in the last year or 70 games over last 2 seasons.
I heard this last year on Sirius NHL radio. I believe it was Glenn Healy that said he wouldn’t be shocked if the Hawks brought Saad back last year.
While Saad would be nice, I really don’t think the team needs him. But for shits and gigs here is how it could theoretically work.
Lets assume the Hawks keep 13 forwards and 7 d.
Send Tootoo down
Include Kruger, and TVR in trade. With their cap plus what they already have banked they’d need to come up with 1.3 million. Campbell would work. Columbus could use D…but hes not moving. They wouldnt retain salary…unless David Clarkson is thrown into the pot. He like the man he was traded for (Nathan Horton) have chronic back injuries and probably won’t play again. However, Horton’s deal was not insured where Clarkson’s was. So I’m not sure if that would work or not.
If you really want a Columbus forward I might look more at Scott Hartnell. A little cheaper and just slightly less productive.
I highly doubt anything happens…even at the deadline
Id be all for it, however with Ansimnov and Panarin salary im not sure how that would work outside of moving Seabrook or Crow and i cant see that happening, and even then im not sure that be possble.
Like I said when we traded him Sad Saad will NEVER be a superstar. AA is a great return for a forced deal. Usually those don’t work out so well but somehow Stan pulled it off about as well as we could expect.
We try to keep Panarin ……Sadd is ok but i prefer Panarin ..big time …
We have no money for Sadd…
SSHM- You know where I stand… If Crow was gone and Hawks keep 72 and add Saad… I think Hawks are better team… 2 Dominant top lines with Scoring and tons of Puck possession…. equates to less pressure/zone time from the other teams!!!
I would take that all day.
Crow let up 4 g’s the other nite… were they his fault??? or Did Hawks play shitty in front of him??? I say- they played poorly in front of him… and a Hawk team w/ Saad/72 at 1st/2nd LW… is a lot less likely to play like that- nite in and nite out.
Shaw needs to be brought back into the fold. There’s no agitation or grit on this team, yet the penalties keep coming. Looks like the supposed pile of “dumb penalties” had nothing to do with holding this team back after all. He made good things happen down low and would open things up for our shooters – not to mention draw bodies out of position by being one of the best pests in hockey.
Oh wait, Saad, yes, bring him back, too.
Sharps a ufa too get him to sign a cap freindly deal with bonuses as he s 35
Saad is in the rearview mirror.
Panarin has better offensive upside and the improved d has the hawks looking better. Crow is one of the best goalies in the league this year. There is nothing I would trade of the above mentioned (Panarin, Crow, improved D) for Saad.
I was shocked when I heard he was traded. Now I not only don’t miss him but I have no desire to see him back.
Enjoy Columbus and the extra mil that your agent needed to push for.