PUBLICATION
Sam Walker
February 1, 2026 (4:35 PM)
Photo credit: Screenshot
Ilya Safonov turning into a real option makes the Vancouver Canucks trade look brutal for the Chicago Blackhawks.
That is basically code for “we got something for nothing,” and it is aging worse for the Hawks by the week.
Safonov is 24, a 2021 sixth-round pick, and Chicago originally took him 172nd overall.
In his most recent KHL season before the trade, he put up 7-15-22 in 51 games, and his career KHL line sits at 49-46-95 across 263 games.
The Hawks didn’t just move a long-shot prospect here; they moved a 6-foot-4 center who is hitting his prime and still costs NHL pennies.
Chicago can argue it cleared a contract slot, but they still sold the rights for a shrug instead of a pick.
A true loss for general manager Kyle Davidson.
That is the part that stings, because “future considerations” never helps you at the deadline or on draft weekend.
Ilya Safonov gives the Vancouver Canucks real depth
Canucks fans have been begging for low-cost forwards who play hard inside, and this feels like the kind of bet that usually happens to Vancouver, not for them.
Safonov’s value is simple, he lives around the crease, he can kill penalties, and he doesn’t need top-six minutes to matter.
If he signs an entry-level deal, Vancouver can slot him in the bottom six and still have room to spend on bigger needs.
That kind of cap hit flexibility is gold when you are trying to keep your man advantage humming and your third line from bleeding chances.
For Chicago, it is a straight loss of an asset they controlled, with no return that shows up on the board.
The Canucks get a realistic shot at an NHL-ready body, and the Hawks get to watch from a distance.
Now the real pressure shifts to Vancouver’s camp, because if Safonov arrives and sticks, this “small” trade becomes a loud one fast.
Previously on Chicago Hockey Insider
POLL
6 HOURS AGO|89 ANSWERS
Trade completed between the Chicago Blackhawks and Vancouver Canucks: There’s now a clear winner
Did the Chicago Blackhawks lose the Ilya Safonov trade with the Vancouver Canucks?