We are just about 52 hours away from the NHL Trade Deadline and the Chicago Blackhawks don’t look to be done making moves just yet. After trading Brad Morrison for Vinnie Hinostroza, and then moving Lucas Wallmark and Lucas Carlsson for Brett Connolly, Riley Stillman, and Henrik Borgström, it appears that Chicago has at least one more move on the horizon.
Prior to Saturday night’s contest between the Blackhawks and Columbus Blue Jackets, head coach Jeremy Colliton announced that Mattias Janmark would be a healthy-scratch for the game. The reasoning for the scratch was called an “organizational decision.”
The trade deadline comes up Monday and the Blackhawks have held out Mattias Janmark as part of an “organizational decision,” Jeremy Colliton says.
— Phillip Thompson (@_phil_thompson) April 10, 2021
This is a common practice in the NHL this time of year. Recently, Kyle Palmieri was held out by the New Jersey Devils before being moved to the New York Islanders. The same is being done with Taylor Hall in Buffalo as the Sabres look to move him.
For Janmark, ultimately this was the plan all along for him with the Blackhawks this season. After playing four seasons with the Dallas Stars and reaching the Stanley Cup Final last year, Janmark signed a one-year deal with Chicago and did exactly what he was supposed to do: play well, garner value, and be open to being moved at the trade deadline.
Janmark has 10 goals and 19 points this season in 41 games. His 10 goals are his highest marker since the 2017-18 season, and he is scoring on the same pace as that season as well (19 goals in 81 games). He’s also averaging the most ice-time this season (16:49 minutes per game) as he did in 2017-18 with Dallas.
Janmark is currently on an expiring deal.