After a stunning 6-2 loss to the Boston Bruins, the Chicago Blackhawks made some interesting transactions on Sunday. The question is: are the Blackhawks opening up space for bigger moves to come?
Here’s what we know for sure: Scott Darling and Joakim Nordstrom are back in the NHL while Antti Raanta and Ryan Hartman were demoted to the AHL.
Looking at the move in a vacuum, it’s reasonable enough, especially after Chicago’s goalies had a rough afternoon against the Bruins. Darling (pictured) showed some nice flashes of brilliance in his time at the top level, after all.
Again, with the trade deadline approaching and the Blackhawks sagging as of late - GM Stan Bowman visited the locker room after Sunday’s loss - some speculate that this could be the calm before the storm.
Take the Chicago Sun-Times’ Mark Lazerus, for example:
Worth noting that Darling is cheaper than Raanta, and Nordstrom is cheaper than Hartman. If a move is coming, that could play a role.
— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) February 23, 2015
What kind of move should Bowman make if there’s something in the works?