Win/Win: Canucks Trade Dickinson to Blackhawks for Stillman

Vancouver Sheds Salary

The main priority for the Canucks with this trade was to shed salary. They were $2 million over the salary cap and were among the many teams that needed to become cap compliant before the regular season. Dickinson is someone they have been actively trying to trade since last season. They traded a third-round pick to acquire him from the Dallas Stars in the summer of 2021, ultimately extending him to a three-year, $7.95 million contract. Yet, the 27-year-old didn’t live up to the cap hit as he tallied 5 goals, 6 assists, and 11 points in 62 games last season.

Dickinson is a solid, bottom-six center that likely needed a change of scenery, but his time in Vancouver was a disappointment for all, as the Canucks had high hopes for him, and ultimately they had to part with a 2024 second-round draft pick because of it.

Blackhawks Gain Draft Capital

This trade for the Blackhawks is not about Dickinson but the second-round pick. General manager Kyle Davidson made it clear he is willing to take advantage of Chicago’s $7 million salary cap space to receive assets. Davidson is taking the stance that any player is expendable if assets are involved. It has happened all summer with trading players like Alex DeBrincat and Kirby Dach. The Blackhawks are rebuilding and want as much draft capital as possible for the future, and they were willing to part with Riley Stillman to make it happen.

Stillman was acquired from the Florida Panthers in April 2021, and he has been a third-pairing defenseman for the team. He showed promise last season, notching 2 goals, 10 assists, and 12 points in 52 games, including a six-game point streak in January. However, the Blackhawks have a lot of defense prospects, such as Alex Vlasic, Alec Regula, Ian Mitchell, and Isaak Phillips. There’s not enough room for everyone, which factored into the trade.

Trade Could Pay Off for Both Teams

This trade could be a win-win for both teams in the future. The Blackhawks are not close to competing, which makes the draft pick valuable. They will consider that a home run if they get a great NHL talent with the pick. Dickinson could also have a bounce-back year and complement the team’s bottom-six, which they would consider a bonus. For Vancouver, they desperately needed salary cap relief, and they got a young, 24-year-old depth defenseman in return. They might not have been crazy about parting with a second-round pick, but they’re hoping Stillman’s physical, energetic style of play will benefit the club going forward. All these things may happen, and both teams are eager to see how this plays out.