NHL trade grade: Blackhawks trade Artem Anisimov to Senators
By Alex Hoegler
The Chicago Blackhawks have traded Artem Anisimov to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for Zack Smith.
Chicago Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman has made another big offseason move, sending skilled Russian forward Artem Anisimov to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for Zack Smith, per the team’s official Twitter page.
The 31-year-old Smith is signed for two more seasons at a $3.25 million cap hit per CapFriendly, while Anisimov is also signed for two more years at a $4.55 million cap hit. The move saves slight move saves the Blackhawks $1.3 million in cap space, but the Senators unquestionably get the better player here.
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Anisimov scored 15 goals and 37 points in 78 games for the Blackhawks this past season. He had hit the 20-goal mark in each of the previous three years. In all, Anisimov is a four-time 20-goal scorer, and he’s cracked the 40-point mark three times.
The Blackhawks acquired Anisimov as part of a 2015 offseason blockbuster trade that sent fan favorite Brandon Saad to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Anisimov did his job as a secondary scorer for the Blackhawks, but he became expendable with Alex DeBrincat and Dylan Strome breaking out.
Anisimov should help a rebuilding Senators team that finished 31st overall in 2018-19. The Sens ranked 18th in goals for last season (242), and Anisimov should be able to fit nicely in their top six, alongside young stars Brady Tkachuk and Colin White.
Smith will provide more grit and toughness on a skilled and somewhat undersized Chicago team. He scored a career-high 25 goals and 36 points for the Senators in 2015-16, but he hasn’t been able to repeat those totals.
The 6-foot-2 Smith had nine goals and 28 points in 70 games for the Senators last season. He was instrumental in helping the Senators reach the 2017 Eastern Conference Final — where they fell to the Pittsburgh Penguins in double overtime of Game 7.
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Chicago has missed the playoffs in each of the last two seasons, but Bowman has added a handful of impact players to change that. He signed Vezina Trophy candidate Robin Lehner to a one-year deal and acquired Alexander Nylander from the Buffalo Sabres for Henri Jokiharju. Now, he hopes that the hardworking Smith can provide a key role in helping Chicago get back to the big dance.