No Bagel (blackhawks)

Both of the 1st rounders that the Bolts sent to the Hawks are "Top 10 Protected" which translates to the 2023 1st shifting to 2025 unprotected and the 2024 1st shifting to either 2025 or 2026 unprotected depending on how the next two seasons end for Tampa Bay in the standings and playoffs.

One could criticize the Hawks for dealing with the defending Stanley Cup Champions over consecutive seasons given that their farm system isn't brimming with elite prospects and their picks are amongst the last -- if not dead last -- in each round of the draft.

Then again, what if the Lightning were the only team willing to offer up not just one prospect and one 1st round pick but two of each asset? Especially in a rebuild, is quantity more important than quality? This assumes other suitors offered up higher-quality assets but only one apiece.

Another criticism is why trade for late 1st rounders when there's a high likelihood they won't be elite talents. For one thing, there are always diamonds in the rough. Also, consider the Hawks draft record when picking 20th and later starting after Patrick Kane went 1st overall in 2007:

* Nolan Allan, 2021 32nd * Nicolas Beaudin, 2018 27th * Henri Jokiharju, 2017 29th * Nick Schmaltz, 2014, 20th * Ryan Hartman, 2013 30th * Phillip Danault, 2011 26th * Kevin Hayes, 2010 24th * Dylan Olsen, 2009, 28th

Besides Dylan Olsen who played 124 NHL games across 4 seasons (one with the Blackhawks and 3 with the Panthers) and Nicolas Beaudin and Nolan Allan who are still in the development stage of their careers, all other picks are regulars including all of the forwards possessing top 6 productivity.

Regardless of these criticisms, the deal is done and general manager Kyle Davidson did arguably well for his first trade without the interim tag. Even when you count his other trades while he was still impermanent, his first move was a wash while his second one was quite good in retrospect.

In the first trade, Davidson sent D prospect who was far down the depth chart in Chad Krys to the Maple Leafs for a better opportunity for toughness in return in Kurtis Gabriel who has spent most of his tenure in the Blackhawks organization with the farm team in Rockford.

Then in the second trade, Alex Nylander was sent packing to Pittsburgh -- more accurately Wilkes-Barre/Scranton -- in exchange for Sam Lafferty who has been a revelation as far as role players go. Lafferty was preliminarily viewed as a space filler but may have earned a contract renewal.

Davidson also did well with the Hagel trade by getting a 2023 1st and 2024 1st and not the 2022 1st given that the upcoming draft this summer isn't deep compared to subsequent years. There's still time for Davidson to recoup a 2022 1st possibly through a Marc-Andre Fleury trade.

Raddysh & Katchouk

So what are the Hawks getting in Raddysh and Katchouk?

Raddysh (6'3" 198) is a right-shooting RW who is projected to be a scoring power forward capable of 20+ goals if he hits his stride. That's the thing, though, as his literal stride or skating is not his strong suit so it can hinder how effective he is on the ice. An amped up compete level would help.

Katchouk (6'2" 206) is a left-shooting LW who is as close to Hagel as the Hawks could get due to his non-stop motor, hustle, compete level, and three-zone play. He may not be a big goal scorer like Raddysh but he's still capable of notching 10-15. He'll be known more for his shutdown prowess.

Salary Breakdown

Comments by Kyle Davidson
Erie Otters Connection
Farewell to the Bagel

Blackhawks Notebook

DeBrincat - Strome - Kane Kurashev - Toews - Kubalik Katchouk - Dach - Raddysh Lafferty - Carpenter - Entwistle Borgstrom

de Haan - S Jones McCabe - C Jones Vlasic - Stillman Gustafsson

Fleury Lankinen

--

See you on the boards!

Sources: Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago Tribune, Daily Herald, NBC Sports Chicago, The Athletic Chicago

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