The Chicago Blackhawks finally stepped up to the plate on trade deadline day and sent a couple of players to the Detroit Red Wings while getting back another younger piece.

The Blackhawks have traded both goaltender Petr Mrazek and forward Craig Smith to the Red Wings and received Joe Veleno in return. While there's lots of cap space for the Blackhawks to work with, they didn't retain anything as all three retention spots are already being used this season.

Mrazek is signed through next season and Smith is a UFA at the end of the season. As for Veleno, he is signed until the end of next season at $2.275 million AAV and Chicago will have one more RFA year from him.

While the Blackhawks were reportedly willing to trade Mrazek for no return, they managed to swing a win out of this deal in getting back a 25-year-old big center in his fourth season.

Veleno has regressed this season, but he really needed a change in scenery from the packed Detroit lineup. He scored 12 goals and 28 points in 80 games last season, but is down to just five goals and 10 points in 56 games this season.

Veleno's ice time is the lowest it has been in his career, but there is opportunity for him to play more and get a bigger role on a young team that has now traded away some pieces up front. The Blackhawks do need center options and I can see him settling in as a third or fourth line center.

This trade should push Lukas Reichel up in the lineup to the third line where he belongs. That is if there's no last minute trade. Kyle Davidson and the Blackhawks have to be happy about this deal. At the very least, it gives an opportunity to a former first round pick and Chicago moves on from two players who were not going to be on the team next season anyways.

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