Blackhawks trade Brandon Saad and Dennis Gilbert to Colorado Avalanche

Patrick Sharp #10 of the Chicago Blackhawks celebrates with teammate Brandon Saad #20 after scoring a goal against the Los Angeles Kings during Game 7 of the Western Conference Final in the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs. (Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

The Chicago Blackhawks traded forward Brandon Saad and defenseman Dennis Gilbert to the Avalanche in exchange for Nikita Zadorov and Anton Lindholm on Saturday.

The team said in a press release that they will retain $1,000,000 of Saad's $6,000,000 salary in 2020-21.

Zadorov signed his qualifying offer of $3,200,000 that runs through the 2020-21 season prior to the trade.

Lindholm's two-way contract has a salary cap hit of $742,500 and he is signed through the 2020-21 season.

Zadorov skated in 64 games with the Avalanche last season, tallying four goals and nine assists. He also appeared in 15 postseason contests, tallying three goals and two assists. Over seven National Hockey League seasons with the Buffalo Sabres and Avalanche, the 6-foot-6, 235-pound defenseman has totaled 75 points (22G, 53A) in 356 games. He's also skated in 33 playoff contests, notching four goals and four assists, all with Colorado.

Saad had 21 goals and 12 assists in 58 games last season in the third year of his second stint with Chicago.

The Blackhawks had recently made headlines Thursday when they announced they would not resign goaltender Corey Craword.