The Chicago Blackhawks are “in talks” to acquire two top-end talent left wingers in Montreal Canadiens’ Max Pacioretty and Carolina Hurricanes’ Jeff Skinner, reports David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period.
Chicago freed up $8.5 million in salary cap space with a seven-player trade Thursday that included Marian Hossa.
Pacioretty, 29, has one year remaining on his current contract at a $4.5 million cap hit and is coming off a season in which he scored a mere 17 goals. The 6-foot-2, 206-pounder reached the 30-goal mark in each of the previous four seasons.