NHL Rumors: Insider reveals Blackhawks' winter trade market plans

Having weathered various disruptions this season, the Chicago Blackhawks are gearing up for a steadier second half. Reflecting on the turbulence, general manager Kyle Davidson expressed optimism that the worst might be behind them. He emphasized the need to focus on improving on the hockey side.

“There have been some bumps," Davidson said, according to Ben Pope of Chicago Sun "but every season has them. Hopefully, we’re over ours and can focus on improving every little bit on the hockey side.”

Unlike the past two years, Davidson foresees a quieter winter trade market, acknowledging the challenges of replicating past blockbuster deals. Despite having pending unrestricted free agents like Nick Foligno and Jason Dickinson, Davidson stressed the team's assets.

“We have a wealth of assets," Davidson said. "That puts us in a position that we don’t need to go and trade guys just to build up our base (of draft picks & prospects)."

“You don’t want to be closed off to anything, but you also want to be mindful of the team this year and players you might want to keep around next year. That likely means keeping some guys that, maybe in years past, we would have considered to move along.”

The Blackhawks are cautious not to deplete their roster, especially surrounding promising rookies, for the remainder of the season. Davidson aims for a competent lineup through the April 18 finale, considering the importance of the hockey team's performance in the final 19 games after the trade deadline.

“For some players that teams might have interest in, (we’ll decide if) we want to hold them back," Davidson said. "We’ll see how that goes. I don’t really have a sense for (this year’s approach)iright now the way I did the last two years.”

The Blackhawks GM is open to opportunities

While open to opportunities for low-cost talent additions, Blackhawks GM Davidson won't be aggressive on the buying front.

Davidson said,

“You have to be mindful of numbers, and as much as it’s tough to have that many people out ... you know it’s not going to last forever. For example, if we were to go out and acquire two defensemen in the last couple of weeks, then all of a sudden (it’s), ‘What do we do with these guys?’ But we’re certainly open to anything that comes our way.”

With numerous expiring NHL contracts, including unrestricted and restricted free agents, the Blackhawks face decisions on re-signings.