Could the Blackhawks trade for Robert Thomas, Jason Robertson or Matthew Knies this summer?

More likely than not, the Blackhawks' upcoming summer will be relatively quiet. They're prepared to enter next season with a ridiculously young, almost entirely built-from-within roster and hope the cream rises to the top.

But when general manager Kyle Davidson was asked during his March 6 news conference about the possibility of trading for an established high-end NHL player, there was a subtle, slight change in his tone.

When asked about that in the past, Davidson has responded that he explores every trade opportunity but remains committed to "hand things over to the young players and let them continue to run with it."

He mentioned in December that it might make more sense to add from the outside in a couple years, once he has a clearer sense of the holes in the built-from-within roster.

Nothing about Davidson's response was explicitly different this time, yet a person familiar with his carefully rehearsed answers could detect a difference. The idea of acquiring an impact player sounded more front-of-mind, albeit certainly not guaranteed.

"That’s not something we’re necessarily married to only happening down the road," Davidson said. "Those are things that we have explored, we have attempted.

"The reality of it is...really good young players are so hard to shake loose. It just is what it is. It’s natural, it’s understandable, but it’s something we’re always trying to do. We’ve got the ammo to continue to explore those avenues and try to acquire talent."

Even if the Hawks do actively try to acquire a top-six forward — the specific type of impact player they need — this summer, one challenge will be a lack of availability.

The rising salary cap continues to largely squash free agency as a viable way to acquire talent. Now that Nick Schmaltz has signed an eight-year extension with the Mammoth, the 2026 unrestricted market has just one prime-aged top-six forward left: Alex Tuch.

Tuch entered Saturday with 57 points for the upstart Sabres (after tallying 67 last season). He would be a great fit for the Hawks as a versatile, big-bodied winger. But odds are he will re-sign in Buffalo before July, and if he doesn't, about 20 teams will eagerly vie for his services.

Beyond him, the next-best pending UFA forwards are Mason Marchment and Anthony Mantha — not exactly needle-movers.

That means a trade is the only clear route to acquiring a top-six forward, and that is an area where the Hawks might have an advantage on those 20 teams seeking to add.

The Hawks have more valuable draft picks (12 first- and second-round selections in the next three years) and more valuable prospects that they could theoretically dangle in negotiations than just about anyone.

The trade market might be somewhat active this summer, at least compared to last summer. That's true for defensemen too, but looking specifically at high-end forwards who could theoretically be moved, three stand out as logical Hawks targets: Blues center Robert Thomas, Stars winger Jason Robertson and Maple Leafs winger Matthew Knies.

There's no question any of the three would dramatically alter the complexion of the Hawks lineup. Thomas and Robertson, in particular, wouldn't just bolster the top six; they would instantly become the Hawks' second-best forward, behind only Connor Bedard. Knies has the potential to develop into that, too.

Thomas, who turns 27 this summer, has endured a down season but racked up 60 assists and 80-plus points each of the last two seasons. He will have five years left on his contract with a very reasonable $8.125 million salary-cap hit.

He was heavily involved in rumors leading up to the trade deadline as the Blues, on the cusp of a GM handoff, mulled entering a full-fledged rebuild. The Sabres and Mammoth were reportedly deep in negotiations, but nothing crossed the finish line. Those sweepstakes will likely resume this summer.

Robertson, who also turns 27 this summer, is on pace for a fourth consecutive 80-point season, including a whopping 109 points in 2022-23 (when he finished fourth in Hart Trophy voting). He's slow, but he's one of the league's smartest offensive players.

He's a pending restricted free agent who will command a massive cap hit in the $10-12 million range. That could be difficult for the Stars to afford, since they already have six other players (including four other forwards) making more than $8 million. Once their playoff run ends this spring, Robertson negotiations will become a hot-button topic.

Knies, 23, has produced at a 72-point pace this season, his third in the NHL, after tallying 58 last season. He's a unique power forward with a 6-3, 230-pound frame and cool finishing touch who probably hasn't yet reached his ceiling. His defensive play has dipped this season, though.

His name circled in trade rumors before the deadline, even though he's just in the first year of a six-year contract with a $7.75 million cap hit. If the Leafs move him, it would follow similar logic to the Hawks' decisions to trade Brandon Hagel, Alex DeBrincat and Kirby Dach in 2022: They need picks and prospects to jumpstart a rebuild, and he's one of few valuable assets they have to offer.

Obviously, the trade cost to acquire Thomas, Robertson or Knies would be enormous. The Blues reportedly asked the Sabres for a first-round pick, a top prospect, another quality prospect and a young NHL forward in exchange for Thomas, for example.

From the Hawks, that package could look something like the Oilers' 2027 first-rounder, Ryan Greene, Vaclav Nestrasil and Gavin Hayes. One roadblock would be other teams demanding Anton Frondell or Roman Kantserov — a certain dealbreaker for the Hawks.

Then there's the question of willingness — from both sides.

The Leafs could decide to build around Knies instead of without him. The Blues are currently making a last-gasp playoff push and could decide to try again with their existing core next season. Relevant to the Stars is the fact NHL teams in this rising-cap environment have consistently found ways to squeeze in players it initially seemed like they couldn't afford.

Plus, the Blues and Stars might be hesitant to trade within the Central Division, and Thomas would have the power to nix a trade to a non-contender like the Hawks with his full no-trade clause. There's a long list of possible pitfalls.

As for the Hawks, Davidson believes immensely in the young players he drafted and has yet to demonstrate what it would take to convince him to part with them.

Even if he is coming around to the idea of a big splash, reaching an agreement that both parties believe to be advantageous is easier said than done.