The Chicago Blackhawks made a trade with the San Jose Sharks on Thursday involving Nolan Allan and Laurent Brossoit.
BREAKING NEWS: The Chicago Blackhawks and San Jose Sharks have made a trade. The Blackhawks have sent goaltender Laurent Brossoit, defenseman Nolan Allan, and a 2028 7th-round pick to the Sharks in exchange for Ryan Ellis, Jake Furlong, and a 2028 4th-round pick.
Like Brossoit with Chicago, Ryan Ellis hasn't played a game in the NHL with San Jose. His last appearance came in 2021-22, when he played four games with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Before that, he was a very productive defenseman with the Nashville Predators.
At this point in time, Allan for Furlong is a swap of minor league defensemen. In the case of Furlong, he has yet to make his NHL debut, while Allan has 43 games under his belt.
The 2028 picks being swapped give the Blackhawks a little bit of an upgrade. That is likely because Brossoit and Allan will play for the Sharks at some point or another, while Furlong and Ellis may never play in the NHL with Chicago.
This trade is mostly Kyle Davidson giving Brossoit a chance to resume his NHL career following a hard injury. The original idea was for Brossoit to come in and stabilize the Blackhawks' goaltending alongside Petr Mrazek, but the injury and following moves turned the Blackhawks in a different direction.
There are also the financial implications of the deal. Adding the heavy contract of Ellis, who is not likely to play in the NHL ever again, will help the Blackhawks reach the salary cap floor in the coming years. He also won't take ice away from any of the younger players.
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