The Blackhawks are trying to trade center Artem Anisimov, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet said on the 31 Thoughts: The Podcast.
“I’ll tell you like… they’re trying to trade Anisimov. I’m not wading into to the (Brent) Seabrook thing again,” Friedman said around the 45-minute mark. “I got enough out of that one this year. I just think they’re in a position where they’re going to go for it because there’s a lot of pressure there to go for it.”
Friedman previously reported the Blackhawks asked veteran defenseman Brent Seabrook at some time this season whether he would waive his no-movement clause. Scott Powers of The Athletic reported Tuesday that Anisimov, Seabrook, Duncan Keith, Marcus Kruger and Chris Kunitz “don’t have any interest in being traded from the Blackhawks at the deadline.”
Anisimov has a $4.55 million salary cap hit with a modified no-trade clause that includes 10 teams he can be traded to. After this season, the final two years of his contract that also is worth $4.55 million does not any trade restrictions.
Keith, Kunitz and Seabrook both have no-movement clauses, while Kruger has a modified NTC that includes seven teams he cannot be traded to.
Anisimov scored his 10th goal of the season in Chicago’s 5-4 overtime win Wednesday in Detroit. He has 28 points in 57 games while playing a third-line center role. The 30-year-old center has scored at least 20 goals in each of his three seasons with Chicago since being acquired in June 2015.
Prior to Thursday’s games, the Blackhawks have 61 points and are one spot out of the second-wild card spot in the Western Conference which is held by Colorado, who visits Chicago on Friday.