Blackhawks bolster their offense with Andre Burakovsky
The Chicago Blackhawks have made a significant move to strengthen their roster. The team acquired forward Andre Burakovsky from the Seattle Kraken, in a trade that involved Joe Veleno.
Burakovsky, 30 years old, had a standout regular season with the Kraken, accumulating 37 points (10 goals and 27 assists) in 79 games.
The two-time Stanley Cup winner has a $5.5 million cap hit for the next two seasons, as part of his five-year contract.
“Andre was a valuable player for our organization during the three years he was here, and we wish him and his family the best of luck in Chicago. In return, we have acquired a young player with experience, while increasing our flexibility in the salary cap in the future,” said Jason Botterill, general manager of the Kraken.
In addition to the signing, the Blackhawks also placed defenseman TJ Brodie on unconditional waivers to terminate his contract.
In his career, Burakovsky has accumulated 387 points (153 goals and 234 assists) in 696 games with the Washington Capitals (2014-19), Colorado Avalanche (2019-22), and Kraken. He was selected by the Capitals in the 2013 NHL draft.
For his part, Veleno, 25, recorded 17 points (8 goals and 9 assists) in 74 games last season, playing for both the Detroit Red Wings and the Blackhawks. Throughout his career, Veleno has accumulated 81 points (38 goals and 43 assists) in 306 games with Detroit (2021-25) and Chicago. He was selected by the Red Wings in the 2018 NHL draft.
