The Chicago Blackhawks could have a valuable trade piece in a veteran goalie poised to return to the ice. According to insider Elliotte Friedman, netminder Laurent Brossoit could be ready to head to the AHL on a conditioning stint.
Friedman, in the November 29 edition of Saturday Headlines, pointed out how Brossoit is ready to make an NHL comeback. However, there’s a catch in Chicago. The Blackhawks don’t really have room for him on the team.
Friedman stated:
“Laurent Brossoit is coming back. He’s going to play next week in the American Hockey League on a conditioning stint. He’s a member of the Chicago Blackhawks. He hasn’t played in a year and a half. He got hurt in the 2024 playoffs and hasn’t played since.”
Brossoit was hurt during the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs as a member of the Winnipeg Jets. He signed a two-year, $6.6 million contract that offseason, but missed the entire year last season recovering from surgery.
With Brossoit ready to come back, the Blackhawks are now looking to trade the veteran goalie. Friedman added:
“The Blackhawks have given teams permission to talk to him, so you can understand what his situation is, what the exact surgery was, what the process is back. And the Blackhawks don’t really have room for him. Now, he’s carrying a 3.3 million cap hit. Not everybody can take that. So, there might be some work that needs to be done here, but he will be watched very closely, and the Blackhawks have allowed people to talk to him.”
Friedman has a point in that Brossoit’s cap hit could be a little rich for some teams. But then again, the goalie market is so starved that someone out there could be desperate enough to make a deal happen regardless.
Blackhawks Can Pull Off Smart Trade with Brossoit
Let’s be realistic for a moment. Brossoit is hardly the sort of goalie that will turn a franchise around. But there are teams out there who might look at Brossoit as insurance. For instance, the Montreal Canadiens, Detroit Red Wings, and Edmonton Oilers could be teams willing to part with something to get goaltending insurance.
The Oilers are an interesting example. While Friedman pointed out that the Oilers would not make a “lateral move,” Edmonton could feel compelled to make a move if the pressure mounts.
The same goes for the Red Wings. Detroit is struggling with its goaltending tandem. So, if Brossoit is fully healthy, he could be an upgrade over John Gibson at this point. As to what the Red Wings could be willing to give up for Brossoit remains unclear.
But the Red Wings and Oilers are examples of two teams who might blink and make a deal happen sooner rather than later with the Blackhawks.
Chicago Could Just Keep Brossoit as Insurance
The Blackhawks have Spencer Knight as their starting goaltender. There’s no question about that. But the backup role could be up for grabs. Arvid Soderblom hasn’t exactly lit the world on fire.
So, why not keep Brossoit? If the Blackhawks remain within striking distance of a playoff spot, Brossoit could be a piece the team might need down the road. Unless someone wows the Blackhawks with an offer, the club may be better off holding on to Brossoit till the end of the season.
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