Immediately, my mind turned to the Blackhawks' roster problems. They have a logjam of defensemen, with five under contract for next season, a number that doesn't count top prospect Henri Jokiharju. Chicago's second- and third-ranked prospects are also defensemen -- Adam Boqvist and Nicolas Beaudin. Chicago needs to move a defenseman out, and that player is Brent Seabrook.
A three-time Stanley Cup champion with the Blackhawks, Seabrook has five years left on his contract with an annual $6.875-million cap hit. His on-ice decline has been well underway since 2013.
Those two factors mean his contract is nearly unmovable. And beyond that, Blackhawks general manger Stan Bowman, in all his infinite wisdom, also gave Seabrook a full no-trade clause in his too-rich, too-long contract. So the Blackhawks would need Seabrook's permission to trade him. The team asked Seabrook to waive the no-trade clause this past season, according to reports, but he declined.
This is where Quenneville potentially enters the equation. Could the Panthers be the answer to the Blackhawks' problem?
The Panthers' general manager is Dale Tallon, who used to lead the Blackhawks. It’s no secret that both love Seabrook, and they should. Beyond Seabrook's incredible play for the bulk of Quenneville's tenure in Chicago, he was also -- and remains -- a natural leader on the team. Seabrook is the most vocal player on and off the ice and has the respect of every person in the locker room.
Perhaps Quenneville would like a player with those traits in Florida, and it seems like he has a blind spot for Seabrook's on-ice shortcomings, seemingly being the last person to notice he was declining.
From Seabrook's perspective, one has to wonder if reuniting with Quenneville and playing out the remainder in his career in sunny Miami might be enough to waive his no-trade clause.
"He means the world to me," Seabrook said after Quenneville was fired by the Blackhawks in November. "He taught me a lot as a young man, as a young player. (I) cherish the days and memories and all the stuff we did together."
From a salary cap and roster standpoint, the Panthers are in position to take on Seabrook’s deal. A trade may have to wait until after free agency begins, however, as the Panthers are rumored to be pursuing both Blue Jackets wing Artemi Panarin and goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, who could come as a package deal.
That could cost Florida about $17 million to $18 million in cap space. But if the Panthers were to miss out on one or both of those players, they’ll have plenty of cap space to absorb Seabrook deal.
For the Blackhawks, it's worth exploring.