John Jaeckel: One Player Away

Is it October yet?
Edit: Answer, no it is not, but thanks for the content keep it going

matt read is your answer. The flyers will gladly trade him to you!!!! even eat some money.

What's the % we have of getting Jiri?

Nice write-up JJ... You hearing any rumblings on potential winger trade targets w/ one or two of our defensive prospects going the other way?

What's the % we have of getting Jiri?
- BURDA13

Somewhere between 0% and 100%

My guess is that the odds are closer to 0% than 100% and (as John indicated) Stan could go the trade route to address the holes in the roster.

Nice write up, JJ.

I think waiting for the Vesey decision is what probably killed the Hudler signing. I think he's going to go to Vancouver. Maybe there's a chance he comes here, but I would be surprised.

What about trading for Yakupov and trying to turn him into a LW...

JJ is the truth.

JJ - do you have a sense of how much the Hawks are considering the expansion draft when looking at various trade or FA options? Are they simply looking to add players that can help now and figure out next year when it comes?

Considering the TDL moves they made last year, My assumption is that they are solely concerned with icing a competitive team and not really looking at the future all that much.

What's the % we have of getting Jiri?
- BURDA13

If they don't, there's a legitimate chance they start the season with what they have and see if any young guys emerge as a real NHL caliber player before trying to make a trade or sign someone.

It makes complete sense the Hawks move a D-man. NONE of these prospects (Forsling, Pokka TVR, Swedberg, Gus) are elite big time prospects. At best most are bottom pairing guy maybe with some specialty potential to help the occasional powerplay, but those 4 either lack the defensive prowess to be a legit top pairing guy (Forsling) or just don't provide the dynamic skill of a top pairing guy (TVR). Not to say they are worthless, each have various degree of potential, much not realized. And in time I think most of them will play some role at the NHL level, IN TIME.

However, all of them are either going back to the farm or will man the press box nightly, save TVR who is probably the most valuable of the 5. And if they do draw into the lineup because of an injury to 2, 7 or 4 it won't matter much anyway.

I think a trade involving one of them has to be the order of the day. The Hawks have defensive depth to spare and weakness in the top 6. It shouldn't be like pulling teeth to get something done here. If this WAS a rebuild, you keep them all around and see which one, if any, has more to offer than at first meets the eye. But for the here and now NONE are that important to the Hawks chance at a Cup run THIS YEAR, while a legit top 6 winger IS.

Good column, J&J. I commented last night on the previous link that teams that did not land Vesey are now likely making phone call to see who is available to fill holes.

I know Ken Holland has stated he would like to trade an NHL forward for an NHL defenseman.

Also, last week in speaking to one of my hockey contacts, the defense came up in conversation. I can tell you they are brimming with confidence at plugging Campbell into the 2nd pairing and winning the Kemney sweepstakes.

The one tid bit that I was not expecting to hear - watch out for Ville Pokka. I was told they really, really like him and the way he plays and that he might just make the team out of camp and not start in Rockford.

Great work as always JJ, enjoying the summer golf schedule back here but really "hankerin'" for some hockey.

The most enjoyable thing to me about the SC Playoffs is the total unpredictability of it. Who on this board last year would have said that after the Hawks beat the Pens for the 2nd time...."Yep, I think the Pens are the odds on favorite to win it all". My guess is the % resides somewhere between 0 and 5.

I have followed the Blackhawks for almost 50 of my 58 years on this Earth and I must admit I'm a fan but don't know the game like a great deal of the others here. Never played it but know a ton of former Hawks via golf, the #1 hobby of most players, LOL and they have ALWAYS said winning 4 series (or less for some of my old timers) had a LOT to do with health and luck, almost as much as talent, or a hot goalie!!

So Vegas may instill our boys as the favorite but that's just them covering their butts with lines, so where does all this leave us? I think it leaves us where for us old timers at least is nirvana. Another year that the Hawks have a legitimate chance of winning Lord Stanley's Cup. Since 2010 they've won 3 cups, which by the way is the same number they had won since they came into existence back in 1926 up to 2010.

So yes, I'm as interested as the next guy in who takes over the LW duties next to our two future HOFers or who is going to be lost in the expansion draft or even the odds of Arlington Rob making a doom and gloom comment before Opening Night......just kidding Rob.....luv you man. The fact is for this old timer, its all about the journey from now until April. And hopefully a lot of 2-1 or 3-2 wins in April, May and June!!!

Keep up the good work JJ and to all our experts here (Al, Wiz, 6628, Mr. Ricohet, vabeach, betweenthedots, kwolf, ebony) and the rest who I apologize for omitting here's a salute to another interesting and angst filled year at the Buzz!!!

http://www.cbssports.com/...r-options-in-free-agency/

What about trading for Yakupov and trying to turn him into a LW...
- Hank3Henshaw

Thats like the Bears typical rebranding of players into what they are not - see Shea Mcclellan - Rarely works

Thats like the Bears typical rebranding of players into what they are not - see Shea Mcclellan - Rarely works
- riozzo

I know. I was half-joking with that post.

John Jaeckel: One Player Away
- John Jaeckel

Probably lupul

Huh?

Why would a team trying to get better trade away an early drafted young first rd.pick for a NOW goalie?

Think of it this way....when he was still in development and the hawks were garbage in 2006, sending Duncan Keith to Buffalo for the 26 yr. old Ryan Miller who won 40 reg season games and 9 playoff games...
it helps the hawks THEN but down the road...it hurts them a
- wiz1901little

First off Wiz, your classification of Crawford is a little bit off don't you think? If I recall correctly that Crawford is a 2 time Stanley Cup Champion, who in some estimation could have the won Conn Smythe in one of those championships (2013). Yes he can help a team win now, but Buffalo is on the treshold of winning now. They have amassed a lot of pure talent both defensively and offensively. What they are missing is a goalie.

During the 2016 draft the sellers price on a top flight goalie was a top 10 pick. Per reports, Calgary was the one giving up their top 10 pick and the Blackhawks had a deal in place (apparently) that Crawford denied.

So trading for a top 10 pick is well within reason from the Sabers. Reinhardt comes to mind because he can play both RW & C. He checks many boxes off for us. He can replace AA at the dot and move AA to 1 RW or Reinhardt can just play 1 RW. He can score, is defensively minded (from what I have read). Maybe trade Crawford + for Reinhardt, Ennis, and Lehner. In this blog JJ mentions that trading TVR could net us a RW. Well how about Crawford & TVR for Reinhardt, Ennis, and Lehner.

The trade makes sense because it helps us resolve the 1 RW, a goalie to replace Crawford and give competition to Darling. Ennis comes this way because of money but more importantly he is the guy we leave available for LV to take in the expansion draft. That opens over 6 mil in cap space next season to sign Panarin.

For Buffalo they get an elite goalie and good young defenseman. How many Stanley Cup winning goalies are available right now, who can get you to the next level? Not many if any except Crawford, and the only real reason he is available is because he costs $6 mil.

Could it cost us a bit more like JJ was mentioning something like Crawford, TVR, & Svedberg? Maybe. Giving up the leagues most accomplished goalie plus a Dman and prospect is more then fair. The only real hold up is Crawford. As we saw during the draft the guy stopped us from getting a top 10 pick. WE are giving up a lot to get a 20 goal scorer who was a top 10 pick.

best blogger on this site

How about Brandon Saad?

best blogger on this site
- DoubleDown

Thanks, you are too kind, DD, but there are some posters on the HotStove thread who disagree with you.

How about Brandon Saad?
- Bluejackets76

Right profile, wrong price.

Great read John.

I wonder who the Hawks are highest on in terms of defensive prospects? Gustafsson, Forsling, Svedberg, and Pokka. They all have potential but who has the best potential? Maybe we will find out soon in camp.

I could see a team who may need RHD cough up a decent forward for say TVR and say, Gustafsson or Svedberg as a sweetener.