Chicago Blackhawks acquire Andre Burakovsky: What they're getting in the trade

Blackhawks new head coach Jeff Blashill explains why Chicago's the right fit for him

FOX 32's Tina Nguyen sat down with the Chicago Blackhawks new head coach Jeff Blashill to discuss a range of topics, including why the Windy City is the right fit for him.

The Chicago Blackhawks made an addition on Saturday, trading for Andre Burakovsky.

The Blackhawks sent Joe Veleno to the Seattle Kraken for Burakovsky in a one-for-one trade. 

The 30-year-old Burakovsky recorded 37 points on 10 goals and 27 assists in 79 games with Seattle last season. 

Here's what the trade means for the Blackhawks.

What we know:

The Blackhawks are taking on Burakovsky's contract. That's the biggest part of this deal for Seattle, which is on its third head coach in three years.

The Kraken signed Burakovsky to a massive five-year, $27.5 million contract after he won the Stanley Cup in Colorado in 2022. 

Burakovsky never lived up to that big contract. He had a groin injury that limited him during the 2023-2024 season. 

However, the forward finished fourth on the Kraken with 27 assists last season. His 10 goals would've ranked eighth on the Blackhawks last season. Adding Burakovsky adds another veteran presence to the locker room and to the lineup.

Burakovsky fell to the fourth line in Seattle. Having him on the third or fourth line in Chicago would be an instant lift to a team that finished with the second-to-worst record in the NHL last season.

Big picture view:

Veleno was a buyout candidate for the Blackhawks heading into this offseason. He had one year remaining on his contract heading into next season, and might still be a cap-saving move for Seattle with the draft next week and free agency looming shortly after. 

For the Blackhawks, it's another swing at adding a veteran forward, much like they did last offseason with Teuvo Teravainen and the offseason before that with Taylor Hall.

Teravainen scored 58 points for the Blackhawks last year. Hall scored 24 before getting traded to Carolina. Chicago general manager Kyle Davidson is hoping the Burakovsky trade is more of the former than the latter, especially with one of the league's weakest offenses.

The Blackhawks have the cap room to take on Burakovsky's contract and still make moves this offseason. Offering a chance of scenery for Burakovsky could help.

It also helps with the optics of the trade in how the Blackhawks didn't send any draft capital to Seattle.

With two more years of Burakovsky for the Blackhawks, it's a low-risk trade that could bring experience to the middle six parts of the team's offensive lineup to bring veteran offense to pair with players like Oliver Moore or Landon Slaggert.