Closing Costs (chicago)

Roster Updates

C Jones - S Jones McCabe - Murphy Stillman - Gustafsson Mitchell/Kalynuk

If Mitchell or Kalynuk is recalled, it would be best for him to play and log minutes on the 3rd pair while the likely candidate Erik Gustafsson gets scratched. Caleb Jones and Riley Stillman have been playing relatively well lately so they should continue to suit up.

NHL COVID protocol requires a player to sit out for at least 10 days so the earliest de Haan returns is December 30. The Hawks have only 2 games left this calendar year on the 28th and 29th so the first game he could possibly play in is on New Year's Day versus the Predators.

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IceHogs Updates

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Prospect Updates

For one thing, the Hawks were set to draft him at 17th in the 2020 draft before the Canadiens nabbed him one pick earlier at 16th. The Hawks, of course, selected Lukas Reichel which was a surprise at the time but is now a revelation as he's dazzling in the AHL this season.

Another reason why Guhle is worth noting is that the Habs have in the past expressed interest in Nicolas Beaudin. Guhle's potential as a top 4 NHL D-man may be much higher today than Beaudin's yet could Montreal still have interest in the Quebec native (just south in Chateauguay)?

If a trade could be had, one would think the Hawks would need to sweeten the pot by sending more assets to the Habs. Perhaps send Beaudin plus a 2nd round pick or Henrik Borgstrom to Montreal in exchange for Guhle. Too much? Too little? Guessing it's the latter.

Guhle is the top D prospect for the Canadiens by a country mile. He could very well be their top prospect, too, regardless of position. Thus, the Habs would likely desire a considerable return for him which may be more than what the Hawks may be willing to give up.

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Trade Rumors

Also in discussion are Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews who are the last vestiges of the vaunted Cup core. Kaplan from ESPN is on point with one potential trade destination for Kane which would be in the Big Apple to reunite with former linemate and buddy Artemi Panarin on the Rangers.

Larry Brooks from the New York Post wrote a piece earlier in the month proposing a blockbuster trade between the Rangers and Blackhawks involving Kane. With Alexis Lafreniere and Braden Schneider as the untouchables for the Blue Shirts, the Hawks would get the following:

Kaapo Kakko Vitali Kravtsov Nils Lundqvist 2022 1st rounder

The wonderment with Kakko and Kravtsov is whether they've lost their shine a bit and they're no longer top 6 talents. Could they be the Rangers version of what the Blackhawks have in Alex Nylander and Strome. Is each team eager to move on from these former 1st rounders?

Kakko and Kravtsov are still young enough to hit their stride with Kakko being a dominant scoring winger in all zones and Kravtsov being an offensive powerhouse in his own right. But maybe one or both falls short. Is it worth the risk to trade Kane for a pair of wild cards?

Would it be better to seek replacing Kakko and Kravtsov with any two of a 2023 1st rounder, defensive rearguard Matthew Robertson, or fiesty scoring winger Brennan Othmann along with Lundqvist? Also, besides salary retention, what sweeteners would the Hawks need to add?

And what about Toews? One possibility is sending him home to Winnipeg with salary retained for the 2 years left on the contract of Bryan Little -- who hasn't played since 2019 and may retire on LTIR -- and futures like a 1st or 2nd rounder and a prospect like Nikita Chibrikov.

Like any potential Kane trade, the Hawks would need to give up a lot more in a Toews trade given his health concern and drop off in play as a result. Whether the Jets or any other team, the trade partner could be asking more than what the Hawks may be willing to part with.

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See you on the boards!

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