Blackhawks are a prime trade partner for Cal Petersen

It’s no secret the LA Kings are looking to make upgrades to their lineup after a frustrating exit in the first round of the playoffs. But in order to improve, cap space must be made available for general manager Rob Blake.

Perhaps the biggest problem for the Kings heading into the summer is the underwhelming play of goaltender Cal Petersen and the contract tied to him. Petersen has two years left on a deal with a cap hit of $5 million. A hefty sum for a goalie that finished in the AHL this past season.

“We have to get Cal to become an NHL goalie. That’s what we signed him to do.” Those were Rob Blake’s words when asked about his thoughts on Petersen heading into the offseason. That statement was met with eye-rolls by fans, who believe a duo of Petersen and Copley going into next season probably isn’t good enough. And they’re right, it isn’t.

So where do you look to find a team that would be willing to absorb Petersen’s deal? Well, a prime destination could be the Chicago Blackhawks.

The Blackhawks are at the beginning stages of a rebuild. Even though they hit the jackpot winning the Connor Bedard sweepstakes, they’re still quite a few years away from playoff contention.

With the Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews contracts coming off the books, Chicago could be looking for deals to get them to the cap floor next season. Enter Cal Petersen. Someone who played his college hockey not far from Chicago at the University of Notre Dame.

Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson did a move much like this last July with Toronto when he acquired goaltender Petr Mrazek and the two years left on his deal at a $3.8 million cap hit along with a first-round pick for a second-round pick going back the other way. The deal helped the Maple Leafs shed some much-needed cap space for themselves.

Now the Kings don’t have their 2023 first-rounder to attach to Cal and I don’t see them trading their 2024 first. So you’re probably at a blue chip prospect along with Cal heading to Chi-town. A tough pill to swallow if you’re LA, but necessary when looking at the bigger picture.

One move I could see being made is Cal Petersen, a high-end prospect, and a 2nd round pick heading to Chicago for goaltender Petr Mrazek and forward Collin Blackwell. Mrazek and Blackwell each have one year left on their deals at $3.8 million and $1.2 million respectively, making it a wash in terms of money next season while offloading the final year of Petersen’s deal offering the Kings more flexibility in the future.