Early Philipp Kurashev landing spots before 2025 NHL trade deadline
01/24/2025 07:32 PM
The Chicago Blackhawks are not good in 2024-25. But at this time last season, it seemed as if they had some legitimate hope. Forward Philipp Kurashev formed a shockingly cohesive tandem with Connor Bedard that produced results. Bedard won the Calder Trophy while Kurashev scored more than 50 points for the first time in his career.
Chicago still has some young players turning in impressive performances. However, Kurashev has fallen off a cliff it seems. The Blackhawks forward has just seven points in 32 games. Moreover, he has served as a healthy scratch in 12 of his team’s last 16 contests. The midseason firing of Luke Richardson has not given the Davos, Switzerland native more playing time.
The Blackhawks are set to sell around the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline. Taylor Hall is the obvious candidate, while Seth Jones is a more surprising trade possibility. In any event, they are primarily looking to offload pending free agents like Hall. Kurashev falls into this category. He is a pending restricted free agent but is unlikely to receive a qualifying offer.
The Blackhawks are hoping to stock future assets. Kurashev could bring in some draft pick capital as a buy-low, high-reward option on the trade market. With this in mind, here are two early landing spots for the Chicago forward ahead of the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline.
The Sharks are a fit for Philipp Kurashev
The San Jose Sharks are a logical fit for Philipp Kurashev. The Sharks are one of the worst teams in the NHL this season, much like the Blackhawks. However, the vibes in San Jose are much more upbeat. While Connor Bedard is frustrated with the losses, Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith — along with other young San Jose stars — are taking the defeats in stride.
This is not an indictment on either team. The point is that it seems as if the teams are at two different points in their rebuild despite being so close in the standings. Beyond that, San Jose has a similar setup to what allowed Kurashev to succeed last season. They have two potentially elite centers who could use a playmaking force on their wing.
Kurashev’s issues run deeper than a lack of offensive production, to be fair. He has regressed defensively and has shown a lack of focus as it pertains to the little details of the game. This is certainly a concern without a doubt. But this is also a rather low-risk move for San Jose. The Sharks could refrain from extending a qualifying offer to the Swiss winger if things don’t work out.
The Sharks could be closer to contention than many give them credit for. Kurashev may not take them over the hump, to be fair. But he could be a diamond in the rough if they were able to work out a trade with the Blackhawks before the March 7th deadline.
The Kraken, Blackhawks could swing a trade
The Seattle Kraken are no stranger to acquiring cast-off wingers. Seattle claimed Eeli Tolvanen from the Nashville Predators in 2022-23 after the former first-round pick struggled in Nashville. More recently, the Kraken traded for former New York Rangers forward Kaapo Kakko, a former second-overall pick.
Seattle has had success with both players. Tolvanen has emerged as a reliable middle-six winger, though his production is down a bit in 2024-25. Kakko’s sample size with the Kraken is rather small. But he has four goals and 13 points in 16 games with his new team thus far.
The Kraken could do something similar with Philipp Kurashev. The Blackhawks forward is not receiving playing time in the Windy City. But he could slot into a better lineup in Seattle. Especially given that the Kraken are expected to trade the likes of Brandon Tanev at the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline.
Kurashev could be the next in a line of wingers to find their stride in the Pacific Northwest. He should serve as a low-cost option for the Kraken to add some depth to their lineup, as well. Perhaps we will see the Blackhawks send their struggling Swiss winger out West before the buzzer sounds at 3 PM Eastern Time on March 7th.
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