After an impressive start to the 2022-23 season, the Chicago Blackhawks have struggled of late, losing five of their last six games. That, of course, isn’t a major surprise, as their management group made it clear this offseason that they were entering a full-fledged rebuild, trading players like Alex DeBrincat and Kirby Dach for future assets.
General manager (GM) Kyle Davidson also signed a few notable free agents to one-year deals, presumably in hopes of trading them at or before the trade deadline for more future assets. One of those players is Andreas Athanasiou who, by all accounts, boasts a ton of skill but has yet to find a permanent home because of his inconsistent play. That said, he has been solid in the early going of his Blackhawks tenure, scoring three goals and six points through 12 outings.
At 28 years old, the Blackhawks likely didn’t expect Athanasiou to stick around long-term, as they are doing everything they can to bring in young, up-and-coming talent. Because of that, he is a very likely candidate to be moved at some point during this season, and with his speed and offensive touch, you can bet several teams will be interested in acquiring him. Here are three that seem to be logical fits.
New Jersey Devils
Entering the 2022-23 season, there weren’t a ton of expectations for the New Jersey Devils, a club that has struggled for the better part of a decade. In fact, many were pegging them to be a lottery team once again. However, through 12 games, that hasn’t been the case.
The Devils have a stellar 9-3-0 record, which has them sitting in first place in the Metropolitan Division. While some believe they are due to regress, they might not, considering Jack Hughes has been just okay for his standards with 12 points through 12 games. Based on what he showed last season, he can be better, which bodes well for the Devils moving forward.
The Devils have been so dangerous early on because of their speed. They come at the opposition in waves and simply tire them out. Athanasiou would add to that and give them another offensive winger, which they could use. In order to get this conversation started, the Blackhawks would have to retain some salary while maybe getting a young defenseman like Kevin Bahl in return and a 2023 draft pick.