Islanders and Blackhawks make major trade for draft picks

There is expected to be many blockbuster trades this summer, especially on draft day, but with the 2024 NHL Draft being a month away, we didn't expect to already see a pick swap. On Friday, it was announced that the Chicago Blackhawks and New York Islanders have made this intriguing deal;

The deal will see the Blackhawks move up from pick No. 20 to No. 18, with the official details on the trade being as follows;

It's an interesting play to see this deal made with so much more time before the draft, but it's clear the Blackhawks believe they need quality of picks rather than quantity, with the Islanders happy to take back two second round picks in exchange for a first and a second.

We will see how this now plays out on draft night, but don't expect it to be the final trade of draft picks over the next month before the NHL officially takes over the sphere in Las Vegas for the 2024 NHL Draft.