The Chicago Blackhawks and Seattle Kraken have executed a trade, with the Blackhawks acquiring forward Andre Burakovsky in exchange for forward Joe Veleno. The deal, confirmed by both teams on Saturday, June 21, 2025, sees Chicago taking on the remaining two years of Burakovsky's $5.5 million average annual value contract.
Burakovsky, 30, is a two-time Stanley Cup champion, having won with the Washington Capitals in 2018 and the Colorado Avalanche in 2022. Drafted 23rd overall by Washington in 2013, the Austrian winger has accumulated 387 points (153 goals, 234 assists) in 696 career NHL games. In 79 games with the Kraken last season, Burakovsky posted 37 points (10 goals, 27 assists). Prior to joining Seattle, Burakovsky had a career year with Colorado in 2021-22, notching 22 goals and 61 points. However, his time in Seattle was marked by inconsistency and injuries. While he produced at a similar points-per-game rate in 2022-23 with 39 points in 49 games, he missed 33 games due to injury. The following season was also plagued by injury, as he missed another 33 games, with his production dropping to just seven goals and nine assists.
Blackhawks management likely hopes that Burakovsky can regain his scoring touch in Chicago and provide valuable veteran leadership to their young forward group. Last summer, the Blackhawks added Tyler Bertuzzi and Teuvo Teravainen to bolster their forward lines. Acquiring Burakovsky appears to follow a similar strategy. However, some analysts view the move as a head-scratcher, suggesting that Burakovsky might block opportunities for younger players like Oliver Moore or Colton Dach.
Going to Seattle is Joe Veleno, 25, who had a short stint with the Blackhawks after being acquired from the Detroit Red Wings at the trade deadline in March for goaltender Petr Mrazek. In 18 games with Chicago, Veleno contributed three goals and four assists. Overall, Veleno recorded 17 points (8 goals, 9 assists) in 74 games split between Detroit and Chicago in the 2024-25 season. Drafted 30th overall by Detroit in 2018, Veleno has played 306 NHL games, amassing 38 goals and 43 assists.
The Kraken's perspective on the trade seems to be multifaceted. General Manager Jason Botterill stated that the team acquired "a young player with experience while also increasing our salary cap flexibility moving forward." With the recent acquisition of Mason Marchment, Seattle had a logjam at forward, and trading Burakovsky alleviates some of that congestion. However, the acquisition of Veleno creates another roster issue. One potential solution would be to buy out Veleno, which would save the Kraken a significant amount against the cap.
In summary, the Blackhawks are banking on Andre Burakovsky's potential to regain his scoring form and provide veteran leadership, while the Kraken are aiming for increased cap flexibility and an opportunity to give Joe Veleno a fresh start.
