Why ? If Byram is all that why not just stockpile studs on D? Why sell off other ones?
- mrpaulish

Byram would take Gus’s spot on pp. Boqvist could theoretically net you another #1 pick maybe in the top 10. This could get us our next center of the future.

No need for Gus and he too could net you another #1 probably later in the draft.

Why not do Keith/Jok and Maatta/Gus?
- Assman22

From what I’ve read up on Maatta the past 24 hours, he could form a shutdown duo if paired with a partner who skates well with sound defensive awareness and skills to help cover for him if and when he gets beat.

Gustafsson can skate well but he is offense first virtually all the time so he wouldn’t be in a good position to cover for Maatta. The reverse would be true: Maatta would have to constantly cover for Gustafsson instead.

Why not do Keith/Jok and Maatta/Gus?
- Assman22

But seriously, all of this is making me think Murphy should be even more expendable than Gus.

This was certainly one of your better posts imo. The one thing I disagree with is that just because one defender is slow that his partner can’t also be slow. Parayko spent a fair amount of time with J Bo in the playoffs - neither of those guys are speedsters but they’re smart hockey players.

Maatta is a smart hockey player. A big problem in Pittsburgh was the high forward not being back and the weak side defender not coming out into the neutral zone when Maatta would pinch so often times when Maatta got beat and couldn’t recover it would result in 2 on 1s, 3 on 1s, or partial breakaways. As long as the coaches have his partner play NORMAL hockey lol then you’re fine
- WSCTeton17

Neither Bouwmeester or Parayko are slow, though. Maatta isn't just slow. His mobility is terrible.

He hung his hat on drafting Boqvist. Do you think the roundtable organizational pow wow endorsed a future defense with both Boqvist and Byram? I have doubt there was a consensus reached to eventually trust the defense with both of them (in a couple of years anyway).

Bet they endorsed taking a play angry Cozens or a Turcotte type would be a fit
- jhawk59

Agree who is the true projected center Turcotte or cozens? Could be what the brass debating about maybe. I believe both can play wing also so which would be projected as a true number 1 center for the future. This fun and exciting so let us all enjoy the rollercoaster ride of the Blackhawk's offseason.

Oilers FLA Habs could all use Byram.
Hawks might go for a C, my pick is Turcotte. Trading down could still net Newhook or a good winger Krebs or RHD in Soderstrom or Seider.
- Nighthawk

Krebs is a center. unless you forgot a comma

From what I’ve read up on Maatta the past 24 hours, he could form a shutdown duo if paired with a partner who skates well with sound defensive awareness and skills to help cover for him if and when he gets beat.

Gustafsson can skate well but he is offense first virtually all the time so he wouldn’t be in a good position to cover for Maatta. The reverse would be true: Maatta would have to constantly cover for Gustafsson instead.
- AEL_Fox

He is best when paired with a mobile partner. Problem currently is partnering him with Jokesonyou or Gus might limit their game. The reality is whomever Maatta is partnered with is going to do much of the skating on that pair. Just think of how much McAvoy was hampered offensively by having to drag the corpse of Chara around for the playoffs. By the last couple of games, it didn't look like McAvoy had the legs left to push the offense.

Alright, whoever pissed in Elbows' porridge, fess up.

Alright, whoever pissed in Elbows' porridge, fess up.
- mohel

Combo of Seabrook's sock sweat and Q, after a night with Binnys.

Alright, whoever pissed in Elbows' porridge, fess up.
- mohel

potty, porridge. both start with p, i got confused. oops 🤯

I'm sure its been mentioned but just to mention:

-Maatta is not a bad player. He gets beat a lot on the rush because he largely does not have a good first step.
-Maatta is a useful defenseman when he plays with a solid partner. Not a great partner, but just solid. Early in his career, he played with Matt Niskanen. Niskanen and him were a great pair. However, he has spent time playing with Johnson and other dmen who wont fall in that "Good" range and his stats sufferred. As long as he plays with a partner capable of playing hockey, he will be fine.
-He is fragile, no doubt. He doesnt shy away from taking hits to make a play which I always liked about him.

Overall it was a useful hockey trade for both sides.

No one ever said that about Kahun. Maatta up until last season always had more O-zone starts. So he isn't some shutdown specialist. When he did get a heavy dose of d-zone starts, he was terrible.
- Elbows15

Yeah I don’t agree with you at all....last year was his worst year as a pro but given his track record he’s an upgrade 💯....he is more of a shutdown guy than what we have

From what I’ve read up on Maatta the past 24 hours, he could form a shutdown duo if paired with a partner who skates well with sound defensive awareness and skills to help cover for him if and when he gets beat.

Gustafsson can skate well but he is offense first virtually all the time so he wouldn’t be in a good position to cover for Maatta. The reverse would be true: Maatta would have to constantly cover for Gustafsson instead.
- AEL_Fox

Actually gus would be perfect with oli....he does well with offensive puck moving defenseman....perfect balance for him....oli has the IQ to cover up for gus’s Defensive lapses

He is best when paired with a mobile partner. Problem currently is partnering him with Jokesonyou or Gus might limit their game. The reality is whomever Maatta is partnered with is going to do much of the skating on that pair. Just think of how much McAvoy was hampered offensively by having to drag the corpse of Chara around for the playoffs. By the last couple of games, it didn't look like McAvoy had the legs left to push the offense.
- Elbows15

Yes, agree. An ideal partner would be someone like Hjarlmarsson in his prime. Hjarlmarsson was the backbone of the effective duos he formed first with Campbell then with Oduya.

Alright, whoever pissed in Elbows' porridge, fess up.
- mohel

Its whomever, ya dink

I'm in the "cautiously optimistic" group with respect to the Maata-Kahun trade.

I'm a bit curious what trade the armchair GM's on here would have done for a top-pair d-man (as in, I don't think those trades exists without giving up substantially more than Kahun!).

I'm very curious how SB will turn the glut of D and prospect pool into heavy forecheck/possesion-driven mid/bottom 6 forwards. I don't know that there has to be a blockbuster trade to make this a playoff team.

My magic number is "3"....as in 3 trades through the first week of July and 2 UFA/RFA signings.

I'm in the "cautiously optimistic" group with respect to the Maata-Kahun trade.

I'm a bit curious what trade the armchair GM's on here would have done for a top-pair d-man (as in, I don't think those trades exists without giving up substantially more than Kahun!).

I'm very curious how SB will turn the glut of D and prospect pool into heavy forecheck/possesion-driven mid/bottom 6 forwards. I don't know that there has to be a blockbuster trade to make this a playoff team.

My magic number is "3"....as in 3 trades through the first week of July and 2 UFA/RFA signings.
- phantasmo

There’s gonna be a lotta female doging if there are that many transactions.

“Shouldn’t have moved that guy out” and “the guy coming back is too small, too slow, bad stats....”

Most trades seem to be “our disappointment for theirs”.

There’s gonna be a lotta female doging if there are that many transactions.

“Shouldn’t have moved that guy out” and “the guy coming back is too small, too slow, bad stats....”

Most trades seem to be “our disappointment for theirs”.
- StLBravesFan

Agreed. I don't know how you can bring back the same team that was so inadequate defensively with the forward units, some people have to go. You can't love every deck chair from the Titanic (although Kahun was far from last year's problems).....

Actually gus would be perfect with oli....he does well with offensive puck moving defenseman....perfect balance for him....oli has the IQ to cover up for gus’s Defensive lapses
- rwilliams88

I get your point and actually agree with many of your posts about Maatta being a good defensive defenseman if he’s on his game and healthy.

However, my argument is predicated on Maatta needing someone to cover for him due to his subpar first step and getting caught flat footed if he has to alter his skating to change course as a reaction to the other team’s offensive rush changing on the fly or just simply getting beat wide.

Sure Maatta could cover for an always pinching Gustafsson but who will cover for him? IMO, Maatta needs a strong skating defensively competent partner so they can cover for each other whenever needed.

Yeah I don’t agree with you at all....last year was his worst year as a pro but given his track record he’s an upgrade 💯....he is more of a shutdown guy than what we have
- rwilliams88

Except he sucked at being a shutdown guy last season when he was used that way.

Reading this and that, listening to other things, I'm betting they are drafting Turcotte.

Its all gonna be moot anyway when he is injured for 30 games.

This notion that drafting Byram makes Boqvist expendable is nonsense. Just because both of them are good offensively and if Colliton continues to use the 4+1 PP configuration only one of them will be on PP#1 - doesn't mean that having both of them in the top-4 doesn't make for a very good top-4. I hope they draft Byram and look forward to seeing not only Byram and Boqvist in the top-4, but Joki too ... and maybe Beaudin or Mitchell. This isn't going to happen immediately but in 3-4-5 years Byram-Joki-Boqvist-Beaudin could be our top-4 on D.

This notion that drafting Byram makes Boqvist expendable is nonsense. Just because both of them are good offensively and if Colliton continues to use the 4+1 PP configuration only one of them will be on PP#1 - doesn't mean that having both of them in the top-4 doesn't make for a very good top-4. I hope they draft Byram and look forward to seeing not only Byram and Boqvist in the top-4, but Joki too ... and maybe Beaudin or Mitchell. This isn't going to happen immediately but in 3-4-5 years Byram-Joki-Boqvist-Beaudin could be our top-4 on D.
- EbonyRaptor

at least 1/5 of them will be traded for a high octane forward.
Look at the Nashville model. Jones for Johannson. (Despite Columbus winning that by a country mile)

This notion that drafting Byram makes Boqvist expendable is nonsense. Just because both of them are good offensively and if Colliton continues to use the 4+1 PP configuration only one of them will be on PP#1 - doesn't mean that having both of them in the top-4 doesn't make for a very good top-4. I hope they draft Byram and look forward to seeing not only Byram and Boqvist in the top-4, but Joki too ... and maybe Beaudin or Mitchell. This isn't going to happen immediately but in 3-4-5 years Byram-Joki-Boqvist-Beaudin could be our top-4 on D.
- EbonyRaptor

Agreed. IF the Blackhawks think Byram is legit and he is the pick they will add him to a boatload of quality D prospects. Not shave off some of that depth. If thats what the Blackhawks do then they will simply buy forwards to add to the mix.