CHICAGO — The wheeling and dealing is starting to gain full speed after the trade freeze was lifted following Wednesday’s Expansion Draft.
The Blackhawks annual summer cap space clearing continued on Friday as the draft hosts sent Niklas Hjalmarsson to Arizona and 2016 Calder Trophy winner Artemi Panarin to Columbus while reacquiring Brandon Saad. That came one day after former Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli sent Jordan Eberle from Edmonton to the Islanders in exchange for Ryan Strome.
Chiarelli’s successor, Don Sweeney, is hoping to make a splash of his own as the clock ticks on Friday’s Entry Draft at the United Center.