The Chicago Blackhawks have acquired Tomas Fleischmann and Dale Weise in a trade with the Montreal Canadiens, according to the Chicago Tribune.
The Blackhawks sent forward Phillip Danault and a 2018 second-round pick in the deal to Montreal. The Blackhawks have been active at the trade deadline and now they have added more front line depth for the playoffs. Montreal will keep 30 percent of Weise's salary in the deal, according to Bob McKenzie at TSN.
The Blackhawks appear to be loading up for another Stanley Cup run with the moves they have been making at the deadline. The team has pulled off multiple significant trades after adding Andrew Ladd and Christian Ehrhoff in separate deals. Ladd was acquired from the Jets in a deal on Thursday, while the team acquired Ehrhoff from the Los Angeles Kings for Rob Scuderi on Friday.
General manager Stan Bowman had been spotted scouting both the Jets and Canadiens last week, and now the team has pulled off deals with both teams. Weise and Fleischmann give the team more depth up front, while Ladd is expected to play on the top line for the Blackhawks. Ladd previously was with the Blackhawks when they won the Stanley Cup in 2010.
Weise and Fleischmann have scored 24 combined goals this season, giving the Blackhawks some productive depth options off the bench. Bowman said that the Blackhawks are "most likely" done making deals after acquiring Ladd, Ehrhoff, Weise and Fleischmann, according to the Chicago Tribune. The Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup title last season, and the deals could make them favorites for this year.
The Canadiens opted to deal Fleischmann and Weise since they were heading towards unrestricted free agency and unlikely to be signed back by Montreal. The players are considered "rentals" for the Blackhawks, but the team was willing to give up some valuable pieces to try and make another title run.
The Blackhawks are currently in second place in the Central Division in the Western Conference with 81 points. The team is 38-20-5 on the season, two points ahead of the St. Louis Blues in the division standings.
