NEWSLETTER
The Chicago Blackhawks and Minnesota just wrapped up their season series finale a couple of hours ago, but they might yet have some unfinished business. Elliotte Friedman is reporting this evening that the two Central Division rivals have had conversations regarding a potential trade for Marc-André Fleury.
https://twitter.com/FriedgeHNIC/status/1505307606860308481?s=20&t=BfRMaxSN83rhfuJmSELv2g
In recent days the trade market for Fleury has seemingly dwindled to zero, with just about every team initially thought to have needed help between the pipes not willing to pay the steep asking price of a first-rounder for the former Vezina winning goaltender.
As recently as last Sunday, Fleury’s agent Allan Walsh told TSN’s Pierre LeBrun that there had been great communication between Fleury and Kyle Davidson. Still, as of Sunday, there were no updates to report on the future of Fleury in Chicago.
LeBrun also reported last Sunday tweeted that he thinks that the asking price for Fleury would be a first-round draft pick or a first-round level prospect and maybe a mid-round pick. LeBrun believes that the mid-round pick’s inclusion would be a sweetener for the Blackhawks retaining salary in a deal. The Blackhawks could retain up to 50 percent of Fleury’s $7 million cap hit, making it just a $3.5 million cap hit for a team acquiring his services.
Friedman is not alone in his reporting on this tonight as The Athletic’s Wild beat reporter Michael Russo is reporting the same:
“According to multiple sources, general manager Bill Guerin has once again investigated the prices of goaltenders around the NHL and has zeroed in on potentially acquiring the Blackhawks future Hall of Fame goaltender in advance of Monday’s 2 p.m. trade deadline. Remember, prior to signing Cam Talbot to a three-year contract in 2020, the Wild attempted to acquire Fleury from the Golden Knights.”
Russo believes that Minnesota is one of the teams that Marc-André Fleury would be willing to be traded to, so this is an interesting development definitely worth monitoring with the NHL trade deadline now less than 48 hours away.
