The writing was on the wall for Winnipeg Jets forward Andrew Ladd, it was just a question of where he would end up with the NHL’s trade deadline looming.
The Chicago Blackhawks acquired Ladd today, a player who helped the team win a Stanley Cup championship in 2010. While Winnipeg retains approximately one-third of his $4.4 million salary cap hit, the acquisition came at a high price. According to the Chicago Tribune, the Hawks parted with highly touted prospect Marko Dano, as well as a first-round pick in the 2016 and a conditional pick in the 2018 draft to bring in Ladd and AHL players Matt Fraser and defenseman Jay Harrison.
“He brings so much to the table,” Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman said of Ladd. “Just his competitiveness. He’s a very versatile player. He’s played a big role in Winnipeg the last few years there. On their team, he does it all.”
Ladd has 17 goals and 17 assists in 59 games with Winnipeg this season. It’s likely that he will slot in on a line with Jonathan Toews and Marian Hossa initially.