Why would MTL do that? Why would they want a anchor of a contract and declining play in Seabrook, an older more expensive center and an unproven d-man? What is the win in that deal for them?
- TheTrob

Beaudin AA and a second for Patches and Danault.

I believe Patches is a star but definitely not a superstar. I also know that MTL is in a tough position given he can walk the year after next. That said, would any package of AA not including a 1st rounder (or DKat, Smaltz, our recent 1st round D picks, etc.) work to get him at this point? I remember the only interest in AA at last year's deadline was a 3rd rounder from Columbus.

I heard that the hawks management is in talks with Montreal and probably Carolina but holding up any trades due to lack of agreement amongst themselves.

If Chicago were to make a trade with Montreal

What do you think
Chicago sends Seabrook Anisomov Gustafson and either forsling beaudin and a 2nd round pick

For patches and denault and Benn?

Chicago gets and solid 3rd line center , bottom 5 defense man and a solid top 6 winger in patches.

Chicago also positions itself for a cup run gains cap space and opens itself up cap wise for resigning schmaltz and debrincant schmaltz and debrincant and any free agents like panarin?

Would you make that trade
- Taylorst1

Why would Montreal do this trade?

Saad toews dcat
Nash/smaltz AA kane
Kahun letestu/colborn hayden
Kunitz kruger Martinsin/schroder
Wingles if hawks sign him if healthy
Keith ?
Murphy Seabrook
Manning rutta
Gus

Crawford
Ward

Nash, letestu, colborne wingles are pto or free agent signing when all the rfa's are signed and the dust settles and where teams are as far as the cap implications. Maybe make a trade with a team right up against the cap and get a player we need. Question to whomever might have more info on this subject than I would, any colleage free agents worth pursuing?
- Scott1977

I think this is a good lineup as well, adding Nash would fill a big gap on this team.

I hope that they put dcat on line 1 LW and Saad line 1 RW. Even though Saad has shown good scoring ability, his best asset is creating scoring chances. He has always had some problem with finish, and I think putting his fore hand in the center of the ice would help him here, not sure why they haven’t tried it.

I’m worried about line 3/shutdown line. For the Blackhawks and Q to be really successful, I’m convinced they need a legit shut down line. For every Stanley cap, they have had a line that can play against top offensive lines and limit scoring. Bolland was the centerpiece of this line for team version 1, Kruger was the centerpiece for team version 2.

I am surprised the lack of conversation around Kruger. Has he really lost his game that much? He had a sports hernia that limited him last year. Can he be the center man for a d first, breakout, possession line? That has been a missing piece for this team, and could potentially make a very big impact. I am excited by the possibility. Could him and Kunitz form the core of a responsible, hard to play against line? I don’t think Hayden helps here, I think he may be a little slow. Maybe Kahun? Sounds like the hawks like him for his 2 way play.

The more I think about it, I don’t think the Hawks are THAT far. Things have to shake out the right way, but it is possible. Here is what I think has to happen, many of these things have been stated already.

1) Saad and Toews line scores maybe 20 more goals. I believe this happens. This line was snakebit last year and still played at a high level.

2) Crawford plays 50 games, is in prime condition for the playoffs. This is what I’m most worried about. He must have serious issues to have been out this long. If he is healthy, how many goalies in the league would be taken over him? Amazing how far he has come and how much we trashed him on this board. He deserved it after the series in 2012 against the coyotes. Let in a few real softies.

3) scoring winger for Kane to get him closer to 85-90 points. Pacioretty as a rental would be great here, wouldn’t sell the farm but would make a legit pitch as a rental with no intention of resigning. The Blackhawks are going to use their cap space, and I think this is where they use it. Try to maybe get rick Nash if Pacioretty doesn’t happen.

4) as I said above, Q needs to cobble together a shutdown line. If Kruger can find his game, this would be a lot easier to do

5) seabrook returns more to form. I think his demise is exaggerated on this board and in general. He was bad the first half and found his game much more after the healthy scratch which no one ever talks about. In addition, Murphy puts it together and becomes the shutdown d people thought he could be.

Maybe these things don’t happen, but at least we have the players in the org to give us a chance. Hopefully one of the young d steps up as well. I’m not so pessemistic as many on this board. There is no dominant team out there that we have to be very scared of. Yes the jets are fast and big, they also got smacked in 5 by the rag tag knights. Capitals won the cup with the great Kempny as a top 4 coughing up the puck in mid ice a couple times a period. Funny how he talked about Trotz letting him make mistakes, because he made his fair share.

Anyways that was a bit of a ramble, but my point is that I think the Hawks for the most part have the horses to do some damage again, they just need to show up this year with a renewed desire to win.

I believe Patches is a star but definitely not a superstar. I also know that MTL is in a tough position given he can walk the year after next. That said, would any package of AA not including a 1st rounder (or DKat, Smaltz, our recent 1st round D picks, etc.) work to get him at this point? I remember the only interest in AA at last year's deadline was a 3rd rounder from Columbus.
- Popsghostly

Pacioretty right now is a rental, so if his value is a typical rental price, then it's a 1st + A/B prospect, though that prospect is usually not a recent draftee - it's typically someone in the 20-22 range (a Forsling vs a Beaudin). If that holds true, then Debrincat/Schmaltz are definitely oversells and so are the more recent 1st round d-prospects.

If Pacioretty was willing to sign with the team he was being traded to, the ask should be higher, but so far, Pacioretty has not agreed to a handshake deal with a team (supposedly there was one for LAK at the TDL last season and then SJS at the draft or right before).

The TDL is a bad time to sell someone like Anisimov due to the years left on his contract, cap hit, and the Hawks not being able to eat cap. Most teams are looking for rentals then so AA is a harder sell. In the summer or early season, when teams are still building their rosters or tweaking things is when AA would get the most since the team receiving can plan better. On top of that, he likely wasn't willing to waive his NMC for many teams lbr - a lot of players with young kids do not want to move in-season with them. All of that limits a potential return during that time.

Luke Fox of Sportsnet: Have been some reports that the Chicago Blackhawks have shown some level of interest in defenseman Luca Sbisa.

Hope this isn’t true.

Why would Montreal do this trade?
- GPHawksfan

No Doubt Montreal gets hosed on this one.

I’m worried about line 3/shutdown line. For the Blackhawks and Q to be really successful, I’m convinced they need a legit shut down line. For every Stanley cap, they have had a line that can play against top offensive lines and limit scoring. Bolland was the centerpiece of this line for team version 1, Kruger was the centerpiece for team version 2.
- LaheysBRandy

I'm somewhat in agreement but would state it another way. I think there is sufficient personnel to put together 2 strong scoring lines and a solid 4th line. However, an effective 3rd line may be tougher to piece together given the current roster players and prospects who are NHL ready.

The 3rd line should be able to provide stellar defense as well as scoring ability plus ideally the center on that line should also be strong on faceoffs. All these factors would take pressure off of Toews to constantly take key draws so that Kruger (4C in my book) and whoever the 3C is can shoulder a lot of the load, which in turn allows Toews and his linemates to focus on offense.

A 3rd line that has scoring punch also has the opponent's head coach having to make the hard decision on how he deploys his defensemen. In other words, the goal would be to create match-up problems: if lines 1-3 create a "pick your poison" situation offensively, then the other team can't simply key in on shutting down Kane's line only and/or Toews line only.

If no new players are added:

Saad - Toews - Schmaltz
DeBrincat - Anisimov - Kane
3LW - 3C - Sikura
Kunitz - Kruger - Hayden/Martinsen

But if a big LW is added like Nash or Pacioretty:

Saad - Toews - DeBrincat
Nash/Pacioretty - Schmaltz - Kane
3LW - Anisimov - Sikura
Kunitz - Kruger - Hayden/Martinsen

The 3rd line needs a lot of work and not much options in house unless rookies like Sikura as 3RW or say Fortin as 3LW impress with strong 3-zone play. Anisimov isn't a horrible 3C option but he's not ideal either. He would need to have strong linemates to help complement him (and vice versa).

Luke Fox of Sportsnet: Have been some reports that the Chicago Blackhawks have shown some level of interest in defenseman Luca Sbisa.

Hope this isn’t true.
- walleyeb1

Uuuuuugh no

Pacioretty right now is a rental, so if his value is a typical rental price, then it's a 1st + A/B prospect, though that prospect is usually not a recent draftee - it's typically someone in the 20-22 range (a Forsling vs a Beaudin). If that holds true, then Debrincat/Schmaltz are definitely oversells and so are the more recent 1st round d-prospects.

If Pacioretty was willing to sign with the team he was being traded to, the ask should be higher, but so far, Pacioretty has not agreed to a handshake deal with a team (supposedly there was one for LAK at the TDL last season and then SJS at the draft or right before).

The TDL is a bad time to sell someone like Anisimov due to the years left on his contract, cap hit, and the Hawks not being able to eat cap. Most teams are looking for rentals then so AA is a harder sell. In the summer or early season, when teams are still building their rosters or tweaking things is when AA would get the most since the team receiving can plan better. On top of that, he likely wasn't willing to waive his NMC for many teams lbr - a lot of players with young kids do not want to move in-season with them. All of that limits a potential return during that time.
- L_B_R

Thanks a lot L.B.R. So we are looking at possibly a 1st and Forsling for Patches... I also see that AA is worth more now than he was at the TDL...

I believe Patches is a star but definitely not a superstar. I also know that MTL is in a tough position given he can walk the year after next. That said, would any package of AA not including a 1st rounder (or DKat, Smaltz, our recent 1st round D picks, etc.) work to get him at this point? I remember the only interest in AA at last year's deadline was a 3rd rounder from Columbus.
- Popsghostly

While it adding Pacioretty would make the Hawks a better team - is having Pacioretty the difference between being a legitimate Cup contender or not? That's of course a rhetorical question because the answer is obviously "no" - the Hawks are not a Pacioretty away from raising the Cup. Not even close. Therefore, spending anything that could negatively affect the Hawks ability to be a legitimate Cup contender in a couple years is not worth spending for a 2018/19 band aid.

Edit: I should add my definition for assets not to be used to make the 2018/19 team better: Toews, Kane, Saad, Schmaltz, DeBrincat, Sikura, Keith, Jokiharju, Boqvist, Mitchell, Beaudin, Wise, Crawford and no 1st/2nd round draft pick.

Laz:

As for the Hawks, Wirtz still believes in Bowman, he still believes in Quenneville, and he still believes in the process. More than anything, though, he still believes in McDonough, to whom he defers much of the credit for the franchise’s turnaround from laughingstock to powerhouse.

McDonough, naturally, returns the favor.

“I’ve been around sports 39 years,” he said in April, after noting the significant financial hit the Hawks were taking from missing the playoffs. “This is the best owner I’ve ever seen. His ‘get-it’ factor is through the roof. He wants to win, he understands what it takes. But he’s empowered me to make these difficult decisions, these twist-and-turn-in-the-middle-of-the-night decisions, the wake-up-at-3:10-and-try-to-get-this-right decisions. He understands it.”

After first down season, Rocky Wirtz keeps the faith: ‘We’re going to be fine’

https://chicago.suntimes....enneville-stan-bowman/amp

I'm somewhat in agreement but would state it another way. I think there is sufficient personnel to put together 2 strong scoring lines and a solid 4th line. However, an effective 3rd line may be tougher to piece together given the current roster players and prospects who are NHL ready.

The 3rd line should be able to provide stellar defense as well as scoring ability plus ideally the center on that line should also be strong on faceoffs. All these factors would take pressure off of Toews to constantly take key draws so that Kruger (4C in my book) and whoever the 3C is can shoulder a lot of the load, which in turn allows Toews and his linemates to focus on offense.

A 3rd line that has scoring punch also has the opponent's head coach having to make the hard decision on how he deploys his defensemen. In other words, the goal would be to create match-up problems: if lines 1-3 are create a "pick your poison" situation offensively, then the other team can't simply key in on shutting down Kane's line only and/or Toews line only.

If no new players are added:

Saad - Toews - Schmaltz
DeBrincat - Anisimov - Kane
3LW - 3C - Sikura
Kunitz - Kruger - Hayden/Martinsen

But if a big LW is added like Nash or Pacioretty:

Saad - Toews - DeBrincat
Nash/Pacioretty - Schmaltz - Kane
3LW - Anisimov - Sikura
Kunitz - Kruger - Hayden/Martinsen

The 3rd line needs a lot of work and not much options in house unless rookies like Sikura as 3RW or say Fortin as 3LW impress with strong 3-zone play. Anisimov isn't a horrible 3C option but he's not ideal either. He would need to have strong linemates to help complement him (and vice versa).
- AEL_Fox

You have Hayden as a 4th. I think he has the tools to make a really good 3rd liner. I would like him to have a crack at that!

You all need to relax. Hawks topped off a fantastic off season by bring back Chelios to help McD with his ad campaign.

Because if you can get him at $2mil or under he has the potential to be a difference maker and is still probably a better option than a whole bunch of guys you are still waiting to prove belong in the NHL or take the "next step"

Let me ask this, would you rather have the recently departed Hinostroza @ $1.5 mil or Rick Nash at the same price?
- TheTrob

Hmmmm.... You pose a good question. I am glad that the Hossa contract is gone. Unfortunately, Hinostroza was a casualty to make that happen. I might consider Nash IF he makes the decision to continue to play. The fact that he's contemplating to play or not to play is another red flag. I would still exhaust other options before I thought about Nash. Then if I did, Nash would have to pass his physical with flying colors!

I would like your thoughts on this. Why keep Schmaltz as a 2nd line Center when he has never won over 50% of his faceoffs in his career? You know the importance of that especially to a puck possession team. Why not package him with Anisimov or Murphy to address our need for a Center that CAN do that consistently? Centers have brought good returns in trades thus far too. If Stan plays it well then we get our top 4 D man as well. If we keep both AA & Schmaltz, we have two black holes at the faceoff dot when we need to be stronger down the middle to achieve our ONE GOAL. What do you think?

Luke Fox of Sportsnet: Have been some reports that the Chicago Blackhawks have shown some level of interest in defenseman Luca Sbisa.

Hope this isn’t true.
- walleyeb1

Where would they play him? He's not better than any of the current top 6 and I'm sure they want to leave room for Forsling and/or Jokiharju to make the team.

You have Hayden as a 4th. I think he has the tools to make a really good 3rd liner. I would like him to have a crack at that!
- hawk35

I think Hayden has 3rd line potential, too. He could be an option worth considering there, then have Martinsen play 4th line. I would love Wingels back as 4RW (bumping Martinsen to 13th forward or back to Rockford), and that could still happen, but let's hope his health is okay after that head injury he suffered in the playoffs. That may be a reason why no team has signed him yet as he may not be 100%.

The only way Rick Nash signs in Chicago is if it's written in his contract that he plays with Patrick Kane every single shift. Why the (frank) else would he want to come play for a last place team???

I think Hayden has 3rd line potential, too. He could be an option worth considering there, then have Martinsen play 4th line. I would love Wingels back as 4RW (bumping Martinsen to 13th forward or back to Rockford), and that could still happen, but let's hope his health is okay after that head injury he suffered in the playoffs. That may be a reason why no team has signed him yet as he may not be 100%.
- AEL_Fox

And bc Wingels is a 30yr old 4th liner and smart teams would rather play young guys in that role

And bc Wingels is a 30yr old 4th liner and smart teams would rather play young guys in that role
- EnzoD

Indeed. I'm getting a bit concerned when there are calls to sign guys like Gagne, Pageau (admittedly not a totally bad idea), and Wingels. We have plenty of 3rd/4th liners on this team. The problem is we have borderline 1/2 line players that are playing there out of necessity.

Settle the first two lines (and, oh yeah the defense too) and we will be in a much better place.

Where's Sikura?
- SoftServe

Good catch. Sikura for Kampf. I missed it too.

You all need to relax. Hawks topped off a fantastic off season by bring back Chelios to help McD with his ad campaign.
- z1990z

I'm looking forward to when Pang becomes an ambassador. He'll be great for the brand.

Source???
- BGKarras

JACK JACKEL! If I spelled his last name correctly.

And bc Wingels is a 30yr old 4th liner and smart teams would rather play young guys in that role
- EnzoD

So that's a guarantee Wingels will sign in Chicago.