Kukla's Korner Hockey

Kukla's Korner Hockey

Saad to Blue Jackets in shock NHL trade of the summer

07/02/2015 at 6:50am EDT

Well, who saw that coming? The Blackhawks had spent the past few months insisting that Brandon Saad would still be a Chicago player by the time the new season started, but that all stopped when the reigning Stanley Cup champions decided to trade the 22-year-old to the Columbus Blue Jackets as part of a seven-player deal. Joining Saad in moving to the Blue Jackets will be forward Alex Broadhurst and defenceman Michael Paliotta, with Columbus sending Artem Anisimov, Corey Tropp, Jeremy Morin and Marko Dano to Chicago, as well as a fourth-round selection in the 2016 Draft.

Chicago had their reasons for trading a player who set career highs of 23 goals and 29 assists in 82 appearances last season, scoring eight goals and three assists in the postseason to help the Blackhawks to their third Stanley Cup title in six seasons, but their fans are still in a state of shock that the youngster has been allowed to leave. For Columbus supporters, though, their summer just got a lot brighter, although it remains to be seen whether betting fans will agree, with the Blue Jackets still priced at around 22/1 with betfair and other bookmakers to win the NHL title next season.

While Saad is eligible for the restricted free agency, the Blue Jackets have made it clear they will match any offer made by another team, if they couldn't agree a deal before that. Playing Saad alongside Ryan Johansen in the centre will give Columbus one of the most dangerous top lines in the league, and one which could have a huge role to play in the franchise's hopes of making the postseason. He may only be 22, but Saad's experience of lifting the Stanley Cup on two occasions with the Blackhawks will be crucial in giving Columbus more of a winning mentality, and the Blue Jackets look to have come off very well in this trade.

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Paul Kukla founded Kukla’s Korner in 2005 and the site has since become the must-read site on the ‘net for all the latest happenings around the NHL.

From breaking news to in-depth stories around the league, KK Hockey is updated with fresh stories all day long and will bring you the latest news as quickly as possible.

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