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In my last blog, posted around midday today, I theorized that Hawk GM Stan Bowman’s cap conundrum and stagnant summer thus far was forcing him to think outside the box—explore contingencies.
But it turned out to be that, and much more.
In the last hour, it has been announced that Brandon Saad, widely considered a key cog in the Blackhawks’ future has been traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets, along with AHL winger Alex Broadhurst, and AHL blueiner Michael Paliotta, for center Artem Anisimov, W/C Marko Dano, F Corey Tropp, W Jeremy Morin and a 2016 4th round pick.
Wait, what?
Yes.
OK, just unpacking this deal and the “logic… of it could take years and cost millions of lives. To me, this is almost a swap of Dano, Tropp, Morin and a 4th for Saad.
I was just told by a Hawk source that Saad was demanding a lot of money and was going to get an offer sheet and sign it, I'm guessing Anaheim, and one the Hawks couldn’t match.
I don’t think Anisimov will be a Hawk for long—flipped yet this summer, perhaps even bought out, dealt at the trade deadline. Something like that. He makes in excess of $3.5 million this season and is UFA next summer. Maybe he sticks around 'til then and serves the heretofore unfulfilled role of “language buddy… for rookie Artemi Panarin.
He’s not a terrible NHL player. Just not Brandon Saad or close to it.
I will tell you that Columbus fans love(d) Marko Dano, a speedy, creative forward with high hockey sense, and projected high upside. And five years from now, Hawk fans may look back on this as the Saad for Dano deal. Dano could—potentially— be approaching that good.
And, in the meantime, they can put him on a line with Philip Danault and make Pat Foley’s head explode.
A tough summer for Stan Bowman just got a lot tougher.
More as I have it.
JJ