Chicago Blackhawks: Three trade packages for Erik Gustafsson

Trade 2

It is hard to imagine the Chicago Blackhawks and the Nashville Predators making trade because they are rivals in the same division. The thing is, they are in two completely different spots so they might be inclined to do so because of the state of each franchise. It is also becoming a norm around the league if one team is bad and the other is good to make a trade with our rival.

In the last few seasons, the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames, New Jersey Devils and New York Rangers, and Los Angeles Kings and Vegas Golden Knights have all made trades with each other. The notion that you can’t make a trade with your rival is dead now. You make trades that help your franchise no matter what.

The Nashville Predators might consider trading Steven Santini and a 2020 third-round pick for Gustaffson as they try to make one final attempt to get into the playoffs. Santini is a young defenseman that the Predators got back in the P.K. Subban trade with the New Jersey Devils. He would be a project for the Hawks to try and get back to the NHL as a defensive defenseman. The third-round pick is what would make this trade worth it along with the prospect.

Nashville’s power play has a lot of great players but still manages to be bad. At 16.4 percent, they are tied for 23rd in the league with three other teams. That means they are one missed opportunity from being 26th in the league and that could be what keeps them out of the playoffs. Adding an offensive defenseman like Gustaffson could be exactly what they need. They are only a few points out of the playoffs with multiple games in hand on a lot of the teams ahead of them.