Blackhawks trade Lucas Carlsson, Lucas Wallmark to Panthers for Brett Connolly, Riley Stillman and a prospect
CHICAGO — The Chicago Blackhawks traded forward Lucas Wallmark and defenseman Lucas Carlsson to the Florida Panthers for forwards Brett Connolly and Henrik Borgstrom, defenseman Riley Stillman and a seventh-round pick.
It’s the Hawks’ second trade in a week with the Panthers. They acquired Vinnie Hinostroza for prospect Brad Morrison Friday.
With the latest move, the Hawks part with two young players who at least had the potential to be part of the team’s nucleus for the future, but struggled to gain traction.
In exchange, the Hawks take on the contract with a $3.5 million cap hit (through 2022-23) of 28-year-old forward Connolly, the sixth overall draft pick in 2010.
The Hawks absorb a net $2.4 million in the deal, according to CapFriendly.com, after entering the trade market with about $22 million in long-term injured reserve salary relief.
Borgstrom and Stillman are two prospects that may better suit Stan Bowman’s designs for the current rebuild.
“We are receiving a very exciting, young player with a bright future in Henrik Borgstrom,” the president of hockey operations and general manager said in a statement Thursday. “He is a high-end talent and we think he has the ability to be a big time player for us.
“We also add to our forward depth with an experienced veteran in Brett Connolly and a physical defenseman in Riley Stillman. Connolly is a proven goal scorer and adds some versatility to our front line while Stillman is a young, physical defenseman whose aggressive style brings a different element to our defense.”
Borgstrom, the 23rd overall draft pick in 2016, has 11 goals and eight assists in 27 games for HIFK in the Finnish Elite League. He played parts of three seasons for the Panthers, including 50 games in 2018-19, when he posted eight goals and 10 assists.
Stillman has appeared in eight games for the Panthers this season. His only points came in the form of five assists in 34 games last season.
Meanwhile, Carlsson played the last of his 12 games for the Hawks on March 9 in Dallas, where he recorded his only point, an assist. Otherwise, he bounced between the taxi squad and the minor-league Rockford IceHogs team.
Wallmark will return to the team that traded him in February 2020 as part of a package that sent Vincent Trocheck to the Carolina Hurricanes.
Wallmark last played for Hawks March 18 in Tampa Bay and had three assists in 16 games.
Coach Jeremy Colliton declined to talk about the trade, but suggested the remaining Hawks put the upcoming trade deadline on Monday out of their minds.
“Focus on what you can control … No point worrying about things you can’t affect,” he said. “Not a new idea, but nevertheless it’s very important.”
