The Chicago Blackhawks are set to get Ilya Mikheyev, Sam Lafferty’s rights, and a 2025 second-round pick from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for a 2027 fourth-round pick. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman confirmed Mikheyev waived his no-trade clause to make this happen.
This trade helps the Canucks clear $4.75 million in salary, giving them around $19 million in cap space for the offseason. They need this space to keep some free agents. The Blackhawks are using their cap room smartly again, just like they did with Jason Dickinson two years ago.
Mikheyev had some trouble with the Maple Leafs before signing a four-year deal worth $19 million with Vancouver in 2022. Sadly, he hurt his knee during his first preseason game but came back quickly on October 18th. He scored 13 goals and had 28 points in 43 games before being shut down for the season in January due to surgery .
Blackhawks’ New Opportunities
If Chicago can extend Lafferty’s contract before July 1st, it will be his second time with them. He played 97 games over two seasons and scored 15 goals and got 32 points there before being traded to Toronto. In Vancouver last season, he was reliable with 13 goals and 24 points in 73 games.
Fans might think this trade is exciting because it opens up new possibilities for both teams.
The Canucks now have more financial flexibility after shedding almost $5 million from their payroll right after Detroit did something similar by clearing $3.4 million with a second-round pick attached. This aggressive move shows how serious they are about building on their strong performance last season.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman first mentioned that a trade involving Mikheyev was happening between these teams, while Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff detailed the full package later on.
What do you think about these trades?
