Saad traded to Avalanche by Blackhawks for Zadorov

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Brandon Saad was traded to the Colorado Avalanche by the Chicago Blackhawks for Nikita Zadorov and Anton Lindholm on Saturday.

Left Wing Brandon Saad (#20) of the Chicago Black Hawks skates against Defenseman Radko Gudas (#3) of the Philadelphia Flyers

Chicago also sent defenseman Dennis Gilbert to Colorado as part of the trade. The Blackhawks will retain $1 million of Saad’s $6 million salary this season.

“In Brandon we are acquiring a two-time Stanley Cup champion who brings veteran leadership and experience to our team,” Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic said. “He is a proven goal-scorer, and at age 27 is in the prime of his career. We are also adding a sturdy, young defenseman in Dennis who plays a physical game and will help our depth on the blue line.”

Saad scored 33 points (21 goals, 12 assists) in 58 regular-season games with Chicago last season and five points (two goals, three assists) in nine postseason games. The forward has scored at least 21 goals in five of the past six seasons, including an NHL career-high 31 with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2015-16. He won the Stanley Cup with the Blackhawks in 2013 and 2015; after four seasons, they traded him to the Blue Jackets on June 30, 2015.
[RELATED: 2020-21 NHL Trade Tracker]

 

Saad has one season remaining on a six-year, $36 million contract he signed with Columbus on July 3, 2015.

Zadorov, a restricted free agent, scored 13 points (four goals, nine assists) in 64 regular-season games with Colorado last season and five points (three goals, two assists) in 15 postseason games. The 25-year-old ranked seventh in the NHL among defensemen with 175 hits.

Lindholm, a 25-year-old defenseman, had one assist in four NHL games this season and scored three points (one goal, two assists) in 45 games with Colorado of the American Hockey League.

Gilbert scored three points (one goal, two assists) in 21 NHL games last season as a rookie. The 23-year-old also scored seven points (one goal, six assists) in 30 games with Rockford of the AHL.