The Chicago Blackhawks pulled off their third trade in two days Friday night, sending forward Phillip Danault and a second-round draft pick to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for wingers Dale Weise and Tomas Fleischmann.
The deal came after the Blackhawks landed winger Andrew Ladd from the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday and defenseman Christian Ehrhoff from the Los Angeles Kings earlier in the day Friday.
With Ladd expected to slot in on Chicago’s top line, Weise and/or Fleishmann likely will join 21-year-old center Teuvo Teravainen on the third line. Chris Kuc of the Chicago Tribune reported Friday that the team was seeking a “gritty” winger to pair with Teravainen, who has 10 goals and 15 assists in 59 games this season.
Weise recorded 14 goals and 12 assists in 56 game for the flailing Canadiens before the trade. Fleischmann tallied 10 and 10 in 57 contests.
With the Blackhawks clearly all-in in their pursuit of a second consecutive Stanley Cup, it will be very interesting to see what deals, if any, some their top Western Conference competitors — the Kings, Anaheim Ducks and St. Louis Blues, in particular — make ahead of Monday’s NHL trade deadline.
Thumbnail photo via Jean-Yves Ahern/USA TODAY Sports Images
