Photo credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
The Chicago Blackhawks are making goaltender Laurent Brossoit available in a trade which is perfect timing for the Maple Leafs who need some goaltending help.
During the Saturday Headlines segment on Sportsnet’s Hockey Night in Canada broadcast, Elliotte Friedman discussed a variety of news around the NHL when the topic of Chicago’s Laurent Brossoit came up.
Friedman revealed that the Blackhawks were interested in making the goaltender available in a trade, and mentioned that the team lacks the space to keep him.
The Blackhawks don’t really have room for him. He’s carrying a $3.3 million cap hit, not everybody can take that, so there might be some work that needs to be done here, but he will be watched very closely, and the Blackhawks have allowed people to talk to him.
Brossoit, 32, has not played for the Blackhawks since signing a two-year deal in free agency. He holds a career 64-46-13 record with a 2.64 GAA and .911 SV% playing with Winnipeg, Edmonton, and Vegas.
With him being made available, the Toronto Maple Leafs are the type of team that could look at him as an option. Anthony Stolarz is still a ways away from returning, Joseph Woll is at risk of getting overworked, and Dennis Hildeby is solid but not yet an everyday NHL player.
He also won a Cup with Vegas in 2023 while posting a 8-5-2 record with a 3.18 GAA and .894 SV%.
It’s not a flashy move, but if the Maple Leafs are unsure about Stolarz’s status then it would be a logical idea to bring Brossoit aboard given his career numbers.
What it would realistically cost the Maple Leafs to trade for Brossoit
Well the team is very unlikely to deal a top asset like Easton Cowan or Ben Danford in a deal for Brossoit, but his reputation as a solid backup could raise his price given several teams are looking for goalie help.
Toronto has been reported to want to make ‘roster for roster’ moves, and they will need to clear some cap space if they wish to bring Brossoit aboard. If Chicago isn’t willing to retain salary that means a contract has to go the other way.
Matias Maccelli is a name who could theoretically be in play, as he has been a healthy scratch recently and his tenure in Toronto hasn’t been as expected. His contract is roughly the same as Brossoit’s and his age fits in with Chicago’s direction.
If the Leafs wanted to keep their youth and still believe in Maccelli, one theoretical option would be to part with defenseman Brandon Carlo. He hasn’t been the top-four defender Toronto needs, and with the quiet emergence of Troy Stecher and Dakota Mermis, he may be expendable.
He would give Chicago control over him for this season and the next, while making less than $4-million. Still fairly young at 28, he could be seen as a younger replacement for Connor Murphy — who has been discussed in trade rumors.
Toronto has to make sure they don’t overwork Joseph Woll, who has injury concerns as well. Plus with Anthony Stolarz’s undetermined status, they can’t afford to have an unproven Dennis Hildeby holding it down.
So adding Laurent Brossoit could be a smart move, and it likely wouldn’t cost the Maple Leafs a top asset, making it the kind of depth trade that might steady their season in goal.
Previously on Hockey Patrol