The Chicago Blackhawks solidified their goaltending position back on Tuesday, July 27, acquiring longtime Vegas Golden Knights netminder Marc-Andre Fleury for forward Mikael Hakkarainen.
Fleury is the reigning Vezina Trophy winner for the top goaltender in the NHL, and the Blackhawks were able to get him on their roster for a minor league prospect while absorbing the $7 million left on his deal for next year.
The only problem? Multiple reports indicated that Fleury may not play for Chicago, having the Blackhawks on the hook for his salary at the start of the NHL offseason.
Marc-Andre Fleury has been traded to the Blackhawks.
— FanSided (@FanSided) July 27, 2021
Chicago will pick up the entire $7 million remaining on his contract and only ship minor leaguer Mikael Hakkarainen to Vegashttps://t.co/hfk8qKr0BY
It appears those concerns have now been squashed, as Fleury has confirmed to the Blackhawks that he will play, according to NHL insider Frank Seravelli. The Blackhawks confirmed the news with a not-so-subtle flower-emoji tweet Sunday morning.
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— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) August 1, 2021
How does this impact the Blackhawks Stanley Cup odds for 2021-2022?
The initial addition of Fleury did not move the Blackhawks' initial odds to win the Stanley Cup, with concerns that the 36-year old goalie would not end up playing the season in Chicago. Now that the news is official, WynnBET Sportsbook has confirmed the Blackhawks' odds are now down from 75/1, or +7500 to 60/1, or +6000 to win the Stanley Cup.
Chicago has been one of the more active teams this offseason through both the trade market and free agency. Among the biggest moves was the addition of defenseman Seth Jones via trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Jones's contract was then extended following the trade, giving him an eight-year deal worth approximately $9.5 million annually.
Still think the Blackhawks offer major value at 60/1? Are the oddsmakers missing out on another team in the NHL?
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