ARIZONA ADDS D-MAN HJALMARSSON
The Arizona Coyotes acquired defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson from the Chicago Blackhawks for defenseman Connor Murphy and forward Laurent Dauphin.
What does it give the Arizona Coyotes
In Hjalmarsson, the Coyotes land an outstanding defensive defenseman who is a natural fit to play alongside fellow Swede Oliver Ekman-Larsson. Hjalmarsson will play huge minutes and lead by example in Arizona. He is great on the penalty kill and very adept at blocking shots. 'Zona also did not pay a lot to land him.
What does it give the Chicago Blackhawks
The Blackhawks are revamping their roster after back-to-back first-round playoff exits. In Murphy, Chicago lands a solid blueliner who could end up replacing Hjalmarsson as Duncan Keith's trade partner. Dauphin is versatile and can play center and provide depth and grit. Clearly, the 'Hawks are shaking things up.
Fantasy impact
Hjalmarsson does not have much fantasy value, regardless of where he plays. He can be a mid-season pickup if his team is on an offensive role, but is otherwise not a great option. Murphy's fantasy stock receives a bit of a spike moving to Chicago, though he too is not a great option. Dauphin is a bottom-six forward option for the Blackhawks. The 22-year-old is a wait-and-see fantasy forward.
