{"id":686952,"date":"2026-06-06T00:12:14","date_gmt":"2026-06-06T00:12:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/686952\/"},"modified":"2026-06-06T00:12:14","modified_gmt":"2026-06-06T00:12:14","slug":"as-blackhawks-gm-kyle-davidson-scours-nhl-trade-market-veteran-defenseman-is-one-target","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/686952\/","title":{"rendered":"As Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson scours NHL trade market, veteran defenseman is one target"},"content":{"rendered":"

BUFFALO, N.Y. \u2014 Blackhawks<\/a> general manager Kyle Davidson used to attend all 60 or so of the team\u2019s mind-numbing prospect interviews during NHL combine week.<\/p>\n

This year, he attended only 25 or 30 with the most intriguing prospects, letting scouting director Mike Doneghey run things otherwise. Davidson used his newfound free time to meet with other GMs around the league.<\/p>\n

Such is one reflection of Davidson\u2019s growing interest in making trades<\/a> to inject established talent into his extremely young NHL roster.<\/p>\n

\u2018\u2018I\u2019ve talked to every team, so [I] have a pretty good understanding of what\u2019s going on around the league and what\u2019s out there \u2014 and also what\u2019s not out there,\u2019\u2019 Davidson said Friday.<\/p>\n

\u2018\u2018We\u2019re certainly engaged in trying to be aggressive and seeing what we can do to help the group because we believe in the group as currently constructed. We think it would be a good thing to add, if at all possible.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n

In December<\/a>, Davidson said he wanted to give the youth movement time to mature before
assessing and filling its holes. Six months later, he\u2019s starting to see where those holes are.<\/p>\n

\u2018\u2018We have more information at this point,\u2019\u2019 he said, \u2018\u2018which allows us to be much more specific and targeted in what we might want.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n

One target is a veteran defenseman. That\u2019s because the Hawks\u2019 all-24-or-younger defensive corps struggled down the stretch this season after Davidson traded veteran Connor Murphy.<\/p>\n

\u2018\u2018We wanted to see how it went,\u2019\u2019 Davidson said. \u2018\u2018It didn\u2019t go quite the way we were hoping to give us that full shot in the arm, that \u2018set it and forget it\u2019 [feeling]. So it\u2019s probably something we want to at least explore.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n

A left-handed defenseman would make more sense, joining Alex Vlasic and Wyatt Kaiser on that side of the depth chart. The Hawks still have immense belief in righties Artyom Levshunov and Sam Rinzel, and Louis Crevier has established himself.<\/p>\n

Davidson\u2019s overarching challenge is that, for a second consecutive summer, the NHL is overflowing with prospective buyers and devoid of sellers. The Canucks are the only team actively rebuilding, even though several others logically should.<\/p>\n

\u2018\u2018There\u2019s a lot of teams looking to add,\u2019\u2019 Davidson said. \u2018\u2018So if you\u2019re looking to find a player, they probably want a player [or players] back. . . . It feels like there\u2019s much more of a desire for \u2018hockey trades\u2019 rather than a player for futures or prospects.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n

The Hawks don\u2019t have any prime-aged players to dangle in negotiations. They now can offer up young players with some NHL experience, which they couldn\u2019t previously. Nevertheless, caution is required.<\/p>\n

\u2018\u2018I do believe that, given the youth throughout our lineup, we have to be careful about not moving too many pieces for one,\u2019\u2019 Davidson said. \u2018\u2018It\u2019s delicate right now . . . to not go too far blowing holes in the roster for one thing that may or may not be improvement.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n

The fourth overall pick<\/a> is one valuable asset that Davidson is open to moving and that other teams have shown interest in.<\/p>\n

\u2018\u2018There\u2019s been a lot of calls to move up,\u2019\u2019 he said. \u2018\u2018It\u2019s been a lot busier \u2014 way busier \u2014 in terms of trying to inquire about our pick at No. 4 for teams behind us than any year I\u2019ve been doing this.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n

Centers locked down<\/p>\n

A veteran center is likely not on the Hawks\u2019 wish list. Davidson said he thinks they\u2019re already set down the middle with youngsters Connor Bedard, Frank Nazar and Anton Frondell.<\/p>\n

That means Frondell\u2019s trial run<\/a> at center during the final month of the season \u2014 even though he typically played wing in Sweden \u2014 convinced Davidson he should stick there.<\/p>\n

\u2018\u2018I really like [Frondell\u2019s] hockey sense and two-way game and strength down the middle with a little bit of size,\u2019\u2019 Davidson said. \u2018\u2018We\u2019re working toward making his primary position center.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n

That means Oliver Moore, who played better at center than at wing this season, likely will get pushed back to wing to start next season. He and Ryan Greene being able to play center if needed, however, helps with roster flexibility.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Anton<\/p>\n

The Blackhawks see Anton Frondell as a center moving forward.<\/p>\n

Michael Reaves\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

Analyzing draft class<\/p>\n

If the Hawks end up keeping the No. 4 pick, it won\u2019t be because they know for sure which prospects will be available and which one they\u2019ll take. Davidson claimed he has \u2018\u2018no clue\u2019\u2019 what the Maple Leafs, Sharks and Canucks plan to do ahead of them.<\/p>\n

\u2018\u2018You read stuff, you hear stuff,\u2019\u2019 he said. \u2018\u2018But until the names are called and they\u2019re not available on the draft board anymore, I don\u2019t really take too much stock in it. You\u2019re planning for a bunch of different scenarios there at [No. 4].\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n

One particularly complicated scenario entails the top three forwards \u2014 Gavin McKenna, Ivar Stenberg and Caleb Malhotra \u2014 going 1-2-3, forcing the Hawks to choose among a large group of defensemen.<\/p>\n

Interestingly, they got to contrast Chase Reid, Carson Carels and Keaton Verhoeff directly when their interviews with those three defensemen Thursday lined up back-to-back-to-back.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Davidson also senses more passion from his scouts about possible second- and third-round prospects than in years past. They weren\u2019t excited about many second-round options last season, which influenced the decision to package picks to trade up for Mason West at No. 29.<\/p>\n

Russian factors<\/p>\n

During the process of signing<\/a> Russian prospect Roman Kantserov, Davidson said he was impressed by how much Kantserov\u2019s English has improved in the past few years.<\/p>\n

\u2018\u2018On our meetings, there was no interpreter necessary,\u2019\u2019 Davidson said. \u2018\u2018He would [take] questions, listen, respond and ask his own questions.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n

Kantserov\u2019s Russian team, Magnitogorsk, features two former Rockford IceHogs players in Robin Press and Luke Johnson, and Kantserov intentionally spent time with them this season to improve his English.<\/p>\n

That reduces the Hawks\u2019 perceived need to employ a Russian veteran to help Kantserov, although, independently from that, Davidson said re-signing pending free agent Ilya Mikheyev is still a possibility.<\/p>\n

The Hawks reportedly had given Mikheyev permission to discuss his value with other teams before July 1 and to compare their contract offer to hypothetical others. But Sportsnet\u2019s Elliotte Friedman recently reported the NHL stomped out that effort, considering it illegal tampering.<\/p>\n

Notes<\/p>\n

Wing Teuvo Teravainen recently had surgery after the world championships, but he should be fully recovered by July, Davidson said. It shouldn\u2019t affect his availability for next season.<\/p>\n

\u2022 The Hawks could keep embattled veteran forward Andre Burakovsky for next season. Davidson said he isn\u2019t planning on executing any contract buyouts this summer, although that might change based on whom the Hawks are able to acquire.<\/p>\n

\u2022 The Hawks and Bedard are being private about their contract negotiations. Davidson had no update to share. It doesn\u2019t sound as though a deal will get done soon.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Jack<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

The Hawks will likely continue to struggle to convince lower-tier prospects to sign into their crowded system after losing Pridham and Dominic James to the Lightning over the past year for that reason.<\/p>\n

[month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone]
\n \u00a0\n <\/p>\n

read<\/p>\n

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\"The<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

The Hawks\u2019 100-year history is filled with stories of success, failure and downright anger.<\/p>\n

[month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone]
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read<\/p>\n

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\"Bobby<\/p>\n

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Hull had 640 points over 13 seasons with the Hawks from 1964 to 1977.<\/p>\n

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\n \u00a0\n <\/p>\n

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