The Blackhawks are free of Marian Hossa's salary-cap hit, but it comes with a cost.
The Hawks on Thursday announced they have acquired forwards Marcus Kruger, MacKenzie Entwistle, Jordan Maletta, defenseman Andrew Campbell and a 2019 fifth-round draft pick from the Coyotes in exchange for Hossa, forward Vinnie Hinostroza, defenseman Jordan Oesterle and a 2019 third-round pick.
The deal sends Hossa's contract to Arizona and helps them reach the NHL's salary-cap floor, according to Eliotte Friedman of Hockey Night in Canada.
Hossa, who missed the entire 2017-18 season with a debilitating skin condition and is not expected to play again, carries a $5.3 million salary-cap hit that has been a conspicuous burden for the Blackhawks.
"Marian's long-term contributions to the club will never be forgotten," the Hawks said in a statement. "His performance as a player was always appreciated, but, it is his special qualities as a teammate, a leader and a person, that will more than anything leave its mark on all of us who have come to love and respect the very humble way he goes about everything he does."
Kruger, 28, rejoins the Blackhawks after one season with the Hurricanes. The Swede, who played seven seasons with the Hawks from 2010 to 2017, was traded to the Coyotes May 3.
Hinostroza, 24, recently signed a two-year extension with the Hawks that pays $1.5 million per season. The Chicago-born Hinostroza had 7 goals and 18 assists in 50 games for the Hawks last season.
The deal with the Coyotes is not the first time the Hawks had to trade a young player in order to shed a bad contract. They included Teuvo Teravainen in the trade that sent Bryan Bickell to the Hurricanes in 2016, and they packaged defenseman Stephen Johns in the deal that sent Patrick Sharp to the Stars in 2015.
