Avalanche Cup champion may already be on the move despite recent contract deal
Photo credit: Bruce Bennett / The Star
Former Colorado Avalanche Stanley Cup champion Andre Burakovsky may already be on the move, with rumours swirling about his future despite having recently signed a new contract with the Chicago Blackhawks.
Burakovsky was a part of Colorado's 2022 Stanley Cup championship team.
Andre Burakovsky could already be on the move despite recent signing with the Blackhawks.
Nestor Quixtan from Heavy.com writes that the Blackhawks pulled off a shrewd offseason move to strengthen their top-six forward group, shipping out the often-criticized Joe Veleno to the Seattle Kraken in exchange for Burakovsky.
"The move looked even better after the Kraken immediately bought Veleno out. As such, the Blackhawks dumped Veleno's $2.275 million cap hit for a former 20-goal scorer." -Quixtan
Unfortunately for Burakovsky, his time in Seattle has been far from what many expected. Since signing with the Kraken as a free agent after his days in Colorado, he endured three disappointing seasons that have fallen well short of previous standard.
"Burakovsky is now in the fourth year of a five-year deal, carrying a cap hit of $5.5 million. That may seem steep for a player who scored 10 goals in 79 games last season. But a fresh start in Chicago could be enough to spur Burakovsky's career.
The 30-year-old is slated to play in the Blackhawks' top line with Connor Bedard and Ryan Donato. That situation could open the door for a resurgent season. If that's the case, Burakovsky could be on the move come trade deadline time." -Quixtan
The 30-year-old is slated to play in the Blackhawks' top line with Connor Bedard and Ryan Donato. That situation could open the door for a resurgent season. If that's the case, Burakovsky could be on the move come trade deadline time." -Quixtan
The reasoning behind a potential move wouldn't necessarily be tied to poor play. Instead, a contending club in search of forward depth could view a rejuvenated Burakovsky as a valuable addition, especially given his championship experience and proven ability to contribute in the top six.
"Meanwhile, the Blackhawks could recoup even more assets to support their rebuild. Chicago has gotten to a point where it can afford to move draft picks and prospects to attract high-end talent to support rising stars like Bedard, Frank Nazar, and Alex Vlasic, among others.
A typical move by rebuilding clubs is to flip valuable veterans to contending clubs in need. That's what the Burakovsky acquisition could turn out to be for the Blackhawks. The team has plenty of young, up-and-coming players in the pipeline." -Quixtan
A typical move by rebuilding clubs is to flip valuable veterans to contending clubs in need. That's what the Burakovsky acquisition could turn out to be for the Blackhawks. The team has plenty of young, up-and-coming players in the pipeline." -Quixtan
That's why it makes sense for the Blackhawks to view veterans like Burakovsky as short-term solutions, valuable pieces who can both help in the present and potentially bring in future assets down the line.
| POLL | ||
SEPTEMBRE 16 | 24 ANSWERS Avalanche Cup champion may already be on the move despite recent contract deal Should the Avalanche consider trading for Burakovsky? | ||
| yes | 9 | 37.5 % |
| no | 15 | 62.5 % |
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