What the Andrew Ladd trade to the Chicago Blackhawks means for the Boston Bruins at the NHL trade deadline

The first big trade of the 2016 trade deadline has broken, and it's a big one. Winnipeg Jets captain Andrew Ladd has been traded to the Chicago Blackhawks, along with defenseman Jay Harrison and prospect Matt Fraser for a first round pick, a conditional second pick and crucially, prospect winger Marko Dano. Winnipeg retain a third of Ladd's salary this season.

We've already talked at length about how the Andrew Ladd trade would set the price for Boston in any Loui Eriksson negotiations...and now the Ladd trade has been made, what is the result?

In short...GAME ON.

As we said a few days ago, this was the big trade for Boston and indeed the entire deadline, in that it would set the market for Loui Eriksson.

The market has been set very high indeed. A first-rounder of any type plus a top prospect and a second pick is a very high price indeed for two months of a power forward with only 34 points this season. Eriksson has six more goals and seven more assists. That's even without the myriad other reasons the Bruins could ask a higher price

There's talk that Chicago were almost pushed even higher, as the Jets worked hard to pull in Teuvo Teravainen - a name we didn't even consider when asking what the Bruins could get for Eriksson simply because it wasn't anywhere near realistic in our eyes.

However, it appears that aiming high is all very well, but we didn't aim high enough.

The fact is, Boston are looking at a better player who can do more for a team than Ladd can as their asset. The options for pursuing teams have also narrowed.

Don Sweeney and Cam Neely now hold one of the most valuable commodities a market where demand is rising, and supply has dropped. The perfect storm for rising prices.

In short, it couldn't be better for them as sellers right now.

The first trade of silly season didn't involve the Bruins - but it couldn't have gone better for them. It's set the market at a very high price and given the Bruins some serious muscle in trade negotiations.