Could this Blackhawks forward end up being on the move?
Chicago Blackhawks forward Ilya Mikheyev is one of multiple pending unrestricted free agents (UFAs) on the Original Six club's roster. With this and the Blackhawks not being a playoff team, he has naturally been creating some chatter as a trade candidate.
With Mikheyev being a solid top-nine forward who provides secondary offensive production and is a very effective penalty-killer, there is no question that there could be some clubs interested in him near the deadline. However, one specific top club is being viewed as a clear fit for the Blackhawks winger.
In a recent article for The Athletic, Scott Powers, Mark Lazerus, and Chris Johnston named the Carolina Hurricanes and Montreal Canadiens as two teams that could express interest in Mikheyev if he is made available.
"The Montreal Canadiens are absolutely in the market for a penalty-killing depth forward, but might have to part with a roster player to make the math work. That would largely defeat the purpose for the Blackhawks. The Carolina Hurricanes could be a nice fit for Mikheyev’s style, as well," The Athletic wrote.
If the Canadiens could find a way to acquire Mikheyev without sending a player the other way to Chicago, he could slot nicely in their bottom six and on their penalty kill. The same can be said about the Hurricanes, as he could be a nice pickup for their third line if acquired.
Yet, with Mikheyev being a solid all-around forward, it's very likely that multiple other playoff clubs could kick tires on him. However, with Mikheyev being a key part of the Blackhawks' roster, the possibility of them signing him to a contract extension should not be ruled out, either.
Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see what ends up happening between the Blackhawks and Mikheyev from here.