Brandon Saad: Traded to the Blue Jackets

Saad was traded to the Blue Jackets on Tuesday, TSN's Bob McKenzie reports. The Blackhawks will receive forwards Artem Anisimov, Marko Dano, Jeremy Morin, and Corey Tropp along with a 2016 fourth-round draft choice in the deal, while the Blue Jackets will pick up forward Alex Broadhurst and defenseman Michael Paliotta in addition to Saad.

Analysis:

The Blackhawks experienced some traction in their initial extension talks with Saad, but the two sides were eventually expected to reach an agreement on a new deal. However, with the prospect of another team submitting a huge offer sheet to Saad -- a restricted free agent -- becoming a looming issue, the Blackhawks decided to try to get something back in return for the forward rather than lose him outright. After scoring 23 goals and 52 points in the regular season and submitting a strong playoff performance as the Blackhawks claimed the Stanley Cup, Saad was expected to assume an even greater role in 2015-16, but his circumstances shouldn't change too dramatically with his new team. Though he won't have the luxury of potentially playing alongside Jonathan Toews, Ryan Johansen is one of the league's top up-and-coming centers, and could help Saad elevate his game to new heights.