Blackhawks Ship Panarin to Columbus for Saad

			2017 Season			July 1st Status
To Columbus	Pos	Age	GP	Goals	Points	Years	Cap
Artemi Panarin	F	25	82	31	74	2	$6m
Tyler Motte	F	22	33	4	7	2	$925k
-----
To Chicago	Pos	Age	GP	G/W	Points	Years	Cap
Brandon Saad	F	24	80	24	53	4	$6m
Anton Forsberg	G	24	1	0	0	0	RFA

The Chicago Blackhawks continue to roll on this entry draft day, as they are apparently wanting to change their culture back to how they may have had it during their Stanley Cup runs, reacquiring Brandon Saad and sending a fellow $6 million man, scoring forward Artemi Panarin the other way.

In both deals that Chicago had made today, the reports are suggesting that the Blackhawks wanted more long-term stability in the deals that they have acquired, while still managing to get a little bit younger.  The familiarity of Saad was a big selling point, especially to the core of the team already and they do get to add a little bit more goaltending depth in Anton Forsberg, who has plenty of AHL experience already.

The Blue Jackets add some significant scoring, not only in Panarin, who is a top 10 forward in the pool rankings, but they get a very good quality prospect in Tyler Motte, who was likely penciled in to make the Blackhawks' lineup in 2018, as a full-time skater.  This sort of scoring depth doesn't just land in your lap everyday and it is no surprise that the Blue Jackets may have jumped on this deal, since Saad didn't feel like the right fit in their playoff run.

This is a bit of a game changing deal, one could say. as the Metropolitan Division adds another top end scorer to the mix, the Central Division may get a little harder to play in, as the Blackhawks added some serious grit to their side.  I don't think anyone saw this deal coming on draft day, but it certainly makes the hockey world a little more intriguing this summer, as we speculate what this could do to both teams going forward.