Blackhawks trade for Bruins' Taylor Hall; Boston gets needed cap space

The Chicago Blackhawks made a splash in the trade market on Monday, two days before they will make a splash at the NHL draft.

The Blackhawks acquired veteran forward Taylor Hall and pending unrestricted free agent forward Nick Foligno from the Boston Bruins in exchange for defensemen Ian Mitchell, 24, and Alec Regula, 22, who are both pending restricted free agents.

"We are thrilled to be adding players of Nick's and Taylor's caliber to our organization," Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson said in a statement. "The two bring a wealth of experience and leadership that will strengthen not only our forward group, but aid in the development of our entire roster."

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Breaking down the trade:

What the Chicago Blackhawks get

The question after the Blackhawks won the draft lottery was who consensus No. 1 pick Connor Bedard would play with because the team was stripped down after moves in the 2022 offseason and near the trade deadline. Hall is an answer. He is a former No. 1 pick (2010 with the Edmonton Oilers) and a former Hart Trophy winner who will be able to mentor Bedard on what to expect at the NHL level. Hall was limited to 16 goals in 61 games last season, but those numbers should pick up alongside Bedard. The Blackhawks can negotiate with Foligno before he hits free agency on Saturday. He would give the team grit if he signs.

What the Boston Bruins get

The two players they received aren't the story. It's the cap space. Hall has a $6 million cap hit over the next two seasons. With that gone, they have nearly $11 million in cap space as they try to find the money to re-sign pending UFA forward Tyler Bertuzzi, who was acquired at the trade deadline. Bertuzzi tied for the team playoff lead with 10 points as the record-setting Bruins were upset in the first round by the Florida Panthers. Fellow trade deadline acquisitions defenseman Dmitry Orlov and forward Garnet Hathaway also are pending UFAs, and the Bruins need money to re-sign captain Patrice Bergeron if he decides to return. Goalie Jeremy Swayman, who played 37 games behind Vezina Trophy winner Linus Ullmark, is a restricted free agent needing a raise coming off his entry-level contract.