The Chicago Blackhawks wanted to give veteran goaltender Laurent Brossoit a greater opportunity elsewhere. They likely wanted to do the same for young defenseman Nolan Allan, who had fallen down the depth chart this season and seemed unlikely to be a long-term piece of the rebuild. But there was another purpose behind Wednesday’s trade with the San Jose Sharks.
When the Blackhawks sent Brossoit, Allan, and a 2028 seventh-round pick to San Jose, they received defenseman Ryan Ellis as part of the package in return. Defenseman Jake Furlong and a 2028 fourth-round selection were also shipped to Chicago.
While Ellis hasn’t played in an NHL game since 2021 due to a severe and complex pelvic injury, he’s the prized piece of the exchange for the Blackhawks, believe it or not. Ellis isn’t officially retired, and his current contract is still active. The deal runs through the 2026-27 season with a $6.25 million cap hit.
The Blackhawks are expected to be among the youngest teams in the NHL again next season, meaning they will have a roster full of entry-level contracts. Artyom Levshunov, Oliver Moore, Sam Rinzel, Ryan Greene, and Nick Lardis will still be on their ELCs, and there could be two more coming in Anton Frondell and Roman Kantserov.
With veterans like Nick Foligno, Jason Dickinson, Connor Murphy, Ilya Mikheyev, and Matt Grzelcyk all in the final year of their current deals, there’s going to be some money coming off the books this summer. Even if general manager Kyle Davidson elects to keep one of two of them.
Adding Ellis’ $6.25 million will help the Blackhawks reach the salary cap floor with such a young squad next year. Especially with Shea Weber, who’s in a similar situation to Ellis, and his $7.86 million cap hit expiring at the end of 2025-26. The reason Chicago acquired Ellis’ contract is precisely why they took on Weber’s at the 2025 trade deadline.
Davidson has now successfully added to the salary cap while effectively not taking up a roster spot for a prospect or young player in 2026-27. While some fans may be upset seeing Allan, a former first-round pick, traded for such a minimal return, this was a savvy piece of business by the Blackhawks.
Also acquired along with Ellis’ contract is Furlong, a 21-year-old left-handed defenseman. The 6-foot-1 blue-liner was a fifth-round pick by the Sharks in 2022 and has played in 78 AHL games for the San Jose Barracuda over the last two years, tallying 10 points (1G, 9A).
Yes, Furlong is yet another lefty added to the system, but Davidson likely only wanted him as a replacement for Allan in Rockford’s lineup. There won’t be any expectations for Furlong to be part of the rebuild, but he’s a fine depth piece for the IceHogs.
For more Blackhawks news, visit Chicago Hockey Now and like our Facebook Page.
Follow us on X: