Throughout most of this season, Dylan Strome’s name was mentioned in trade rumors. The Chicago Blackhawks’ forward was a player the team might send elsewhere in an effort to recoup an asset while giving a player who had struggled with consistency a shot somewhere else. But, Strome’s late-season surge offensively had the organization seeing him differently and there are questions now about whether or not he’ll be moved or the club feels he’s part of the long-term solution.
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Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times notes that the jury is still out on Strome and whether he’ll be a part of the team rebuild is unclear. He’s got a ton of skill, but Pope believes there’s also a concern that Strome is best suited for a top-six role and best when he plays center. If the Blackhawks go that route, what does it mean for a player Kirby Dach or Lukas Reichel? This is something the Blackhawks have to keep in mind as they decide whether or not to commit to Strome.
And, that commitment has a financial consequence. If the Blackhawks want to keep Strome, they’ll either need to sign him to a different term deal or qualify him at $3.6 million. For a player the team was willing to trade just a few weeks ago, signing him to that kind of deal is not a given.
Should neither of those things happen, Strome will become an unrestricted free agent and leave the team as a pending UFA. The Blackhawks don’t want to lose the player with no return, so they might, once again, look at a trade.
What Does Strome Think Of All This?
Strome wasn’t worried about being traded at this year’s deadline and he’s taking the possibility of being moved during the offseason in stride. He’s simply going to wait and see what happens and knows that the qualifying offer gives him a sense of security he’s never really had before.
He knows that there’s a deadline in which things will need to get done and it’s a lot different than his past experiences. He noted, “I think it’s a little easier in that sense. . . . It’s nicer when you have a date and you know I’ve got to get something done by a certain time.’’
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