Thank you, 2 more and we can have a Letterman top 10 reasons why the Hawks traded for Olli Maata
- LAHawk

Somebody will think of them.

I liked Kahun but he and Sikura are the same player, and it was clear that JC liked Sikura more. So no harm in moving him

Maata is solid, if he can be healthy...and may be a good fit with Joki

I think that Gus, Murphy, Forsling....maybe even Joki are on the move soon for something bigger

Well, I’m going to mentally place Maatta in my head somewhere between Rozsival and Sopel and let that be my guide in evaluating this trade and his subsequent play this season.

Onward and upwards...

7) Maatta is a candidate for the draft lottery, so he can be looked at as a two year rental and placeholder until one of the prospects is ready
8) Maata will be probably be paired with Jokiharu and can mentor him.
- boilermaker100

9) Hawks now have excess LD in Koekkoek, Forsling, Dahlstrom. Can package one or more of them for help elsewhere. Perhaps obtain RD Miller from VGK for one of them. Vegas saves $3M in cap space.

Well, I’m going to mentally place Maatta in my head somewhere between Rozsival and Sopel and let that be my guide in evaluating this trade and his subsequent play this season.

Onward and upwards...
- Chief4Feathers

If the consensus is he's more of a 5D/PK specialist, maybe Stan realizes this and he is still looking for a top 4D.

9) Hawks now have excess LD in Koekkoek, Forsling, Dahlstrom. Can package one or more of them for help elsewhere. Perhaps obtain RD Miller from VGK for one of them. Vegas saves $3M in cap space.
- boilermaker100

10) JC and the coaching staff will try and put him in a role where he can succeed as opposed to Q who would bury him if he didn’t t like aspects of his game.

I just hope this doesn't signal that the team is NOT taking Byram now.
- TommyHawk

I don’t think this move impacts who the Hawks will want to draft. Stan has said more than once that drafting a player in this spot is for the next 10+ years.

This trade has deeper implications than merely whom got the better end of the deal or whom is the best player. We put on our thinking caps (ok, our Blackhawk caps) and look deeper into what transpired before Kahun was signed, while he was here, and explore ramifications of this impactful trade.

As Rick J and others have remarked....get over the speed factor. Now i am not going to say Maata is not so great a la Larry Murphy was in playing the angles. But he can be more consistent in his game and hopefully be steady.

Yada yada yada about being a turnstyle. Yeah i know we are in the midst of new age dmen. Heck each team at every kevel youth hockey through juniors tries more and more to emphasize playing fast, making decisions & plays at speed. Keeping your feet moving and moving the puck quickly up ice. Strong on transition. But each defense has room for the shot blockers and defensively sound players.

For better or worse AND MIND YOU IN THIS NEW SYSTEM supposedly Bowman is upgrading the quality. And depth at the defense position. Experienced blueline crew. You and i may wind up agreeing or not the improvement individually among the blueline crew after Bowman finishes tinkering. Murphy on the move? Maybe Gus?

But let's backtrack a bit then i will fastforward.

Kahun was signed at no player cost as in player renumeration going back to another team. Bowman had the equivalent of open block boxes to see which box he checks on after Kahun played a season.

In the same way he had this for the no cost or inexpensive charge when he signed Kemny, Ruuta, and toss in Oesterle too.

Kahun proved useful. He has ability. In right situation with better linemates he probably produces more points. He was more likely only projected as a third line offensive capable yet solid defensively. Had that preresiquite speed in modern NHL & could help when usedcl on a top line.

There is a lot of guys on the periphery who were signed and will be pushing for a job. Kahun is nothing special that we couldn't part ways with. Soderland, Hagel, Re Johnson, a couple European imports. Kurasev (sic) and Barrett too will be pushing and then you have Nilsson. In two years your #1 2019 forward (if Bowman goes that route) may be aboard. LOTS OF COMPETITION for Kahun spot. And i even omitted L Johnson & Highmore.

Altight then ....after one season Maata could be expansion fodder

We have added one dman. Not spent too much $ and the cap hit is.fair enough.

Oh what is next. The waiting is the hardest part. Whom else is coming and going? Make a new plan, Stan. Just hop on the (team bus) - see whom is new or headlights. You don't need to be coy....oh yes he does about the #3. That was Paul Simon words from a song with so me phrases a bit switched around. btw. Couldn't resist the "make a new plan, stan" - LA king blogger will say "again!."

I’m not sure what to think of the Maatta deal, largely because I haven’t seen him play enough to make a proper assessment. Although the board’s reaction reminds me of when the Hawks acquired Oduya the first time. He was labelled “The Pizzaman”.

I liked Kahun as much as anyone and I don’t like that he was dealt. But a GM needs to give up quality to get quality in return. Stan found a way to add an experienced and young defense man without giving up Saad. That much I like.

As many have pointed out, the Hawks have options to replace Kahun - Kubalik, Sikura (who I think will have a great season) or a UFA like Tanev. There weren’t the same options on defense. Any UFA defensemen signings would cost a lot more than $4 million.

Most important, and as many have pointed out, I doubt that Stan is done. This team missed the playoffs two years in a row after two consecutive years of first round exits. We shouldn’t be getting attached to anyone not named Kane, Toews or DeBrincat.

and they rejoiced when the added Jack Johnson, so ?
- wiz1901

Did anyone other than Rutherford have a positive reaction to that signing? It was terrible then and was terrible now.

Don’t look at olli not being in the top six rotation in the playoffs as indicative of him. I won’t try to tell you that you just acquired Duncan Keith from six years ago, but he’s certainly better than JJ. The pens were just doubling down on a bad mistake.

Anything good or bad to tell me about Kahun that might not be apparent from the numbers?

Stan Bowman: "Trade chatter has been pretty active throughout the league.” #Blackhawks

so as I had expected stanbow pulls a bit of surprise with this trade...how many of you had Matta on your trade speculation radar...

Morning everyone, sounds like there is a split of opinion on the Maatta trade - although more on the nagative than I expected.

I am trying to remember what it was like on here when the Hawks traded amazing, fan favourite players like Buf, Ladd, Hammer.

I didn't think Donlminik Kahun was so well revered here.

Listen, I think he's a good little player and I think he is going to do well in Pittsburgh but did we all think the exact same team was coming back?

Would people have preferred Maatta for Nicolas Beaudin and a pick or Maatta + prospect/picks for Saad?

I'm not saying Maatta would have been my first choice, however, Stan just went out and got a top 4 defensive dman who will be instrumental in bringing along Jokiharju, blocks a ton of shots and help the penalty kill.

No $4M is not ideal but just be patient. Stan is not done and wants to be active in free agnecy and more trades.

I mentioned last night that the Hawks are looking at other options. Ones that could involve moving out Murphy, Forsling and/or Gustafsson.

More changes are coming and Stan is working closely with Colliton on reshaping this team for the better.
- Tyler Cameron

Personally i like the trade a 4 or 5 soild d man who hopefully could help stablize the d core.

Stan Bowman: "Trade chatter has been pretty active throughout the league.” #Blackhawks
- mrpaulish

Just a guess on my part, but I expect 2-3 more trades for the Hawks and 2-3 UFA signings

so as I had expected stanbow pulls a bit of surprise with this trade...how many of you had Matta on your trade speculation radar...
- bogiedoc

Ty did... he was probably the only one.

Although a few of us said we wouldn’t be surprised to see Stan pull the trigger on a deal that nobody sees coming.

Olli Maatta is a total pro and is looked at as a no maintenance locker room guy, and will be another great example of “how to be a pro defender” for Henri and others.

I find it pretty amusing that after YEARS of hearing about the “bad” and slow skating of Seabrook, you all get to see a REAL feet in quicksand defenseman who KNOWS he must rely on his head, vision, stick body and reach to play his position.

Did Stan make this trade to silence the Seabrook skating naysayers?
- wiz1901

I suspect this is rhetorical and red font material...because stanbow doesn't care what naysayer says...

Chicago just got another extremely hard worker in Maata. Just because he's not as fast as Kahun doesn't mean he doesn't get exception effort.

Maatta is known for be dedicated on and off the ice to his game, as well as a great teammate.
- Tyler Cameron

hawks sent away another winger that tried to play with toews...what is that #15 over the last 4 years...

I am not too concerned about cap space and Olli's 4M salary. Per cap friendly Hawks have 17 players signed (not including Joki) and 17.2M in cap space. Assume Sikura, Kampf and Perlini sign for a combined 4M leaving 13.2M with 20 players signed. Assume Joki replaces Koekkoek or Dahlstrom at a wash in salary.

So Hawks have 13.2M to sign 2-3 players. Perhaps a veteran backup goalie for a year at 3M? Maybe another D in place of Murphy at a salary wash? Maybe a depth forward or two for 6M total offset by Anisimov trade = 1.5M cap gain? That leaves Hawks with about 8M banked for next year to go toward extending Cat and Strome.
- boilermaker100

They have 17 million plus according to cap friendly plus the cap is going up probably 3 to 4 million.

it does seem stanbow has a thing for former #1 picks of other teams...who knows maybe matta is part of another larger deal...

Ty did... he was probably the only one.

Although a few of us said we wouldn’t be surprised to see Stan pull the trigger on a deal that nobody sees coming.
- DarthKane

Is that not Stan's MO for both trades and the draft?

Hypothetically if Maatta was a free agent, what kind of deal do you think he would get in the open market? My point... I don't think 4M for 3 years is that bad

Somebody will think of them.
- boilermaker100

The part where he tosses the card and
It breaks the window......like fans saying ouch to a trade.

Later the part where an unsuspecting guest gets hosed by a secret hidden hose.
Kane was hosed.
But the question now soon.to be determined: does Bowman.get hosed?
Anyone able and willing to get footage of
the Kane hosing?

I’m not sure what to think of the Maatta deal, largely because I haven’t seen him play enough to make a proper assessment. Although the board’s reaction reminds me of when the Hawks acquired Oduya the first time. He was labelled “The Pizzaman”.

I liked Kahun as much as anyone and I don’t like that he was dealt. But a GM needs to give up quality to get quality in return. Stan found a way to add an experienced and young defense man without giving up Saad. That much I like.

As many have pointed out, the Hawks have options to replace Kahun - Kubalik, Sikura (who I think will have a great season) or a UFA like Tanev. There weren’t the same options on defense. Any UFA defensemen signings would cost a lot more than $4 million.

Most important, and as many have pointed out, I doubt that Stan is done. This team missed the playoffs two years in a row after two consecutive years of first round exits. We shouldn’t be getting attached to anyone not named Kane, Toews or DeBrincat.
- DarthKane

no he is not done and good point about oduya = pizzaman...

it does seem stanbow has a thing for former #1 picks of other teams...who knows maybe matta is part of another larger deal...
- bogiedoc

Line dance. How high can you go. For another former #1

Just a guess on my part, but I expect 2-3 more trades for the Hawks and 2-3 UFA signings
- DarthKane

Agree hopefully adding more grit and heart players. Need a 4th line like boston st.louis etc.