The Chicago Blackhawks have had an interesting offseason thus far. The team has signaled the beginning of a long rebuild in their trades of Alex DeBrincat and Kirby Dach.
Their moves made many scratch their heads. Both DeBrincat and Dach are young players. Young enough that any rebuilding team would look at them as potential building blocks.
These trades signal the Blackhawks don't believe either DeBrincat or Dach fit their timeline. If this is the case, then this rebuild could last several years.
Rumors swirl that the team may be forced to move longtime franchise icons, Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews. While those situations are still playing out, the team made another eye-brow-raising move and is allowing restricted free agent Dylan Strome to hit unrestricted free agency.
Strome is just 25 years old. The Blackhawks have allowed players of Strome's age go in the past. Just last year, the team allowed Pius Suter to hit unrestricted free agency.
Strome is not the only member of his family to be an unrestricted free agent in the NHL. His brother Matthew did not receive a qualifying offer from the Philadelphia Flyers. And brother Ryan is an outright unrestricted free agent, formerly of the New York Rangers.
Let's look at three teams that are in a position to take a flyer on the former Blackhawk. Where does he fit, and why would these teams be interested in a player like Strome.
Dylan Strome: 3 best destinations in 2022 NHL Free Agency
1) Columbus Blue Jackets
The Blue Jackets are in the middle of a bit of a rebuild in their own right. However, their future looks a lot brighter. And adding an established NHL talent like Strome could pay dividends.
Strome would fit in nicely in the middle six. He could play down the middle but probably fits better along the wings. Strome would be an effective player for Boone Jenner or Cole Sillinger to feed in the offensive zone.
The 25-year-old has shown an ability to produce at a high level. He had 51 points in 2018-19 and performed well against high-level competition in the past.
However, Strome fell out of favor in Chicago. A change of scenery is needed, and Columbus can provide just that.
The 25-year-old doesn't need to carry the load offensively. He just needs to be a support player for Jenner, Sillinger, and Oliver Bjorkstrand. He can also help support Kent Johnson as he comes into his own.
If Strome were to play down the middle, he might be an upgrade in the faceoff circle. Only two of the Blue Jackets' centers have a higher career faceoff percentage than Strome.
It's unfair to lump Sillinger in that, as he is only entering his sophomore season. The Jackets have also used Alexandre Texier and Gustav Nyquist at center. Both of them have a worse faceoff percentage than Strome.
The 25-year-old offers solid NHL production both on the wing and down the middle. And he still has room to grow as a player. The Blue Jackets would be wise to take a flier here.
2) Anaheim Ducks
The Ducks are also in the midst of a rebuild. They have promising pieces in Trevor Zegras, Troy Terry, and Mason McTavish to build around.
And the Ducks have had an interest in Strome because of these names. They believe the 25-year-old can be a playmaker to support those three and help them do their thing.
While he likely doesn't fit in as a center, he might find a place down the left-wing. He very well could slot in as the team's third-line left winger next to Adam Henrique and Sam Steel.
The Ducks might still put him at center, though that would likely move Isac Lundestrom down the lineup. Strome is slightly better in the face-off circle than Lundestrom, and the 25-year-old former Blackhawk is a better point producer.
The Ducks won't make the playoffs anytime soon, so taking a chance on Strome won't hurt the team too much. And if it works out, it'd be a shrewd move on the part of Ducks GM Pat Verbeek.
The Red Wings have taken a chance on Blackhawks castoffs in the past. In fact, they were the team that signed Pius Suter last offseason.
Detroit also traded for winger Brendan Perlini in 2019-20. Perlini didn't work out so well, but the Suter signing has looked pretty good. The Swiss center iceman recorded career highs in goals, assists, and points while playing all 82 games.
The Red Wings could return to the well here. They need depth down the middle, and while money is certainly no issue, the cost wouldn't be too steep.
Strome could slot in as the third-line center over Michael Rasmussen. However, that might bump Joe Veleno out of the lineup entirely, and that would not bode well for the former first-round pick.
On the wing, the 25-year-old would be in competition with Adam Erne and Givani Smith on the bottom six. He likely wouldn't crack the top-six without breaking out in Hockeytown.
However, Detroit could provide bottom-six opportunities, and he could add a playmaking quality that would help Erne and Smith come along in their games.
The Red Wings are the closest to the playoffs of any team on this list. Adding Strome could give them worthwhile depth if they find themselves in that playoff hunt.
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