The Chicago Blackhawks traded Joe Veleno to the Seattle Kraken in exchange for Andre Burakovsky last week. It’s a bottom-six trade but an upgrade at forward, nonetheless. Chicago needs more offense, and Burakovsky is more likely to provide that than Veleno.
On Wednesday, Burakovsky met with the media for the first time since the trade, and he had some very nice things to say about the organization and how he is "super excited" to play for the Blackhawks.
"I told my wife right away, and she was very excited," Burakovsky said on finding out he was being sent to Chicago. "She actually told me last season that she really wanted to go to Chicago to visit the city."
The Blackhawks are not a team looking to win the Stanley Cup just yet, but they do play in a world-class city that will be attractive to anybody who plays for the Blackhawks. The Burakovsky family seems excited about their new adventure.
Burakovsky also admitted that the Blackhawks were his favorite NHL team growing up. That adds to the excitement of being traded to Chicago.
On a hockey note, this is a player who dealt with injuries during his time with the Seattle Kraken. That followed exceptional stints as a depth scorer with the Colorado Avalanche and Washington Capitals, where he won a Stanley Cup with each.
Those injuries kept him from producing at the pace that he's been accustomed to throughout his career, although he did have a strong finish to last season.
Burakovsky noted that this summer is all about keeping the good vibes going and preparing to bring that with the Blackhawks in 2025-26. He believes that the team has put together a strong crop of young talent that he can help. Making plays for them and scoring goals is something that he wants to do in a Chicago sweater.
This isn't a move made by Kyle Davidson that will move the needle enough to make this a playoff team all of a sudden, but it is a move that adds to the forward depth, which will help everybody as the season moves along.
At 30 years old, with a ton of high-end playoff experience, Burakovsky will provide some valuable leadership and skill to what promises to be a youth-filled lineup.
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