Andrew Ladd traded to Blackhawks, as Chicago makes bold move

Whenever a player on the trade block is a surprise healthy scratch, as Andrew Ladd was for the Winnipeg Jets before their game with the Dallas Stars on Thursday night, all signs point to a pending deal.

About 20 minutes after that scratch was announced, the deal was announced: Ladd was acquired by the Chicago Blackhawks, his former team, in exchange for young forward Marko Dano, a 2016 first-round pick and a conditional pick. The Jets also tossed in defenseman Jay Harrison and winger Matt Fraser.

The reason this trade could work? The Jets are retaining 36 percent of Ladd’s salary: $1.584 million, according to General Fanager.

Ladd was a member of the 2010 Stanley Cup champion Blackhawks, playing 19 games in that postseason run. Overall, he spent three seasons and 184 games with the Hawks, before being shipped to the Atlanta Thrashers (RIP) in that post-Cup purge.

It was with the Thrashers and the Winnipeg Jets where Ladd blossomed into a top-line offensive player. He had 139 goals in six seasons with that franchise, including 17 in 59 games this season. The 30-year-old was the Jets’ captain, and a valuable one at that.

But the Jets decided to re-sign their other big-name pending unrestricted free agent, Dustin Byfuglien, rather than ink Ladd. So he was on the trade block ahead of Monday’s deadline.

Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman watched Ladd play earlier this week. If Chicago had a glaring need it was on the left side. Ladd fits that need rather perfectly, and brings a familiar face back into the dressing room.

Give Bowman credit: He’s able to add significant pieces at the deadline despite being cap-strapped. And that’s the difference between a guy with three Stanley Cup rings and your GM.

But give Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff credit, too.

The “ask” for Ladd was a first-round pick and a high-end prospect. That was too rich for the New York Islanders and too rich for the Florida Panthers (despite Ladd’s connection with GM Dale Tallon). But he got one from the Blackhawks – albeit a very, very low first-rounder – as well as Dano, who arrived in Chicago in the Brandon Saad trade and has a world of potential. (Plus he has another year before RFA status.)

This is the kind of move that fortifies a dynasty. And this is the kind of move we look back on for a team finding its footing and say, ‘Yeah, a first and a young stud for a rental was a pretty sweet deal.”

So with that, we go to the MILBURY SCALE and find:

Two Milburys. There’s always the chance that Ladd doesn’t click in Chicago while Dano and [2016 Draft Pick Here] become standouts for the Jets. But you can’t fault Bowman for dealing from a stacked deck.

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Greg Wyshynski is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Contact him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or find him on Twitter. His book, TAKE YOUR EYE OFF THE PUCK, is available on Amazon and wherever books are sold.

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