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Canucks, Blackhawks Linked in Mikheyev Trade Scheme
3 Mar
Summary
- Ilya Mikheyev may be traded before the deadline.
- Salary retention by Chicago could facilitate a deal.
- Canucks retain 15% of Mikheyev's salary currently.

Ilya Mikheyev is reportedly on the NHL trade block as the deadline approaches, with a potential deal involving both the Vancouver Canucks and Chicago Blackhawks. Chicago might retain a significant portion of Mikheyev's salary, lowering the cost for a prospective acquiring team. This is possible because the Canucks are already retaining 15% of his current contract from a prior trade.
Mikheyev's status as a pending unrestricted free agent makes a trade logical for Chicago to recoup some value. His skill set includes playing on any line, strong penalty-killing capabilities, and a threat to score short-handed goals. The looming altered playoff salary cap heightens the importance of salary retention for teams looking to make moves.
Given these factors, it appears unlikely that Mikheyev will remain with his current team. The NHL trade deadline is expected to bring a flurry of activity, and the Canucks' prior salary retention may indeed play a facilitative role in any deal involving Mikheyev.




