Latest On Jake McCabe
The Chicago Blackhawks acquired over the one defenseman today Nikita Zaitsev Trade, and it seems they may close that deal soon by sending out a blueliner. David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reports that trade talks around Blackhawks blueliner Jake McCabe “heated up” and that it’s an “if not, when he’s moved” scenario. We recently reported on how several competitors have expressed interest in the 29-year-old and how the asking price is said to be as much as a first-round pick.
The likelihood of the Blackhawks getting a first-round pick for McCabe is helped by his contract as well as their apparent willingness to sacrifice near-term cap space to add draft picks. McCabe is signed through 2024-25 with a $4 million cap hit, but the Blackhawks could halve that hit and offer McCabe to teams for $2 million if they choose to, the maximum portion of his salary to keep.
Adding McCabe for $2 million against this season’s cap and two more is an extremely attractive prospect for many teams in need of defense.
He would be able to play reliable top 4 minutes at a bargain price and in today’s environment where cap pitch is an absolute must, that type of added value is likely to be highly sought after.
One of the main reasons why the Tampa Bay Lightning first-round picks for players such as Barclay Goodrow And Blake Coleman was because these players were under cheap, fixed-term contracts. Using the additional value assigned to these players based on their contracts to guide the assessment of McCabe’s trade value, it seems clear that a first-round pick would be at least a reasonable request for the player with some retention.
David Savard And Ben Chiarot both earn their club a first-round pick (and more) via a trade. So, considering how well McCabe has played despite difficult circumstances, and the value he would provide on a $2 million cap hit for another two years, paying a first-rounder should be a no-brainer for some interested teams.
While McCabe’s offensive production doesn’t jump off the page, he has improved his numbers compared to last season. He works an average of nearly 20 minutes a night and contributes to the Blackhawks’ penalty shootouts. He’ll be able to fill a similar role on a competing team and he should be a name to keep in mind for both Blackhawks fans and fans of teams rumored to be interested in to win a defender.
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