Maybe from an offensive perspective but Zack Smith is better on the dot than AA and has killed penalties as well. Plus it frees up a bit of cap room for the Hawks to fill out the roster
- Savetheembers33

He’s better % wise but takes about a hundred of less faceoffs.

Not sure I get this from Chicago Perspective.

Pay Anisimov bonus.
Help Ottawa with cap.
Help Ottawa pay less actual dollars.
Give Ottawa the better player.
Take back a bad contract.

You must be thinking about AA from three years ago because last season he was blah. Last years AA had 15 goals and 37 points compared to Smith who had 9 goals and 28 points. Smith played 8 fewer games and played on one of the worst offensive teams.
- hankscorpio

So those 8 games project out to what another 1.5 points?

This trade is a poop Sandwich. If it saved a significant amount of cap space it would have made sense, but this is just another crap dump

A legit 200 ft NHL Calibre Center
Netfront Presence
- Ogilthorpe2

Rosy glasses my friend because you know in your heart of hearts that AA is not a legit 200 ft NHL calibre center except maybe on Ottawa. If AA was so legit, then we got real trade value ala the trade of Duchene.

A legit 200 ft NHL Calibre Center
Netfront Presence
- Ogilthorpe2

I don't think Anisimov is a legit 200ft center anymore. Adequate defensively... maybe.

Have Strome, Shaw, and Toews that can hang around the net on the PP.

He’s better % wise but takes about a hundred of less faceoffs.

Not sure I get this from Chicago Perspective.

Pay Anisimov bonus.
Help Ottawa with cap.
Help Ottawa pay less actual dollars.
Give Ottawa the better player.
Take back a bad contract.
- ImThatGuy

Good summation.

You must be thinking about AA from three years ago because last season he was blah. Last years AA had 15 goals and 37 points compared to Smith who had 9 goals and 28 points. Smith played 8 fewer games and played on one of the worst offensive teams.
- hankscorpio

I stand corrected, 31 pts the year before..

He’s better % wise but takes about a hundred of less faceoffs.

Not sure I get this from Chicago Perspective.

Pay Anisimov bonus.
Help Ottawa with cap.
Help Ottawa pay less actual dollars.
Give Ottawa the better player.
Take back a bad contract.
- ImThatGuy

How is a 30+ point center with a 49% FO win pct that plays bottom six and PK a bad contract with two years left at $3.25MM per?

Remember, AA logged top six time as well, so his point production is skewed a bit, just like a primarily bottom six guy that plays PK a lot will skew the other way.

WAY too soon to tell if this was a bad deal for Chicago or not.

Rosy glasses my friend because you know in your heart of hearts that AA is not a legit 200 ft NHL calibre center except maybe on Ottawa. If AA was so legit, then we got real trade value ala the trade of Duchene.
- hankscorpio

You’re funny

You must be thinking about AA from three years ago because last season he was blah. Last years AA had 15 goals and 37 points compared to Smith who had 9 goals and 28 points. Smith played 8 fewer games and played on one of the worst offensive teams.
- hankscorpio

Yes. AA's most played with forward linemates were Kane, Saad, Kahun in that order. Last year Zack smith played mostly with Magnus Paajarvi, Jean-Gabriel Pageau, and a little bit with Bobby Ryan and Ryan Dzingel. You put them with similar skill linemates and you'll get somewhat comparable production IMO. The team just got more flexibility without losing out on anything.

Rosy glasses my friend because you know in your heart of hearts that AA is not a legit 200 ft NHL calibre center except maybe on Ottawa. If AA was so legit, then we got real trade value ala the trade of Duchene.
- hankscorpio

Also I am not an expert on advance stats but Anisimov's were pretty blah the last 3 years with more ozone start time.

JJ always had the best "sources".
- paulr

Yeah, but when Marcus Kruger finally goes through that growth spurt he's gonna be a star.

I’ve been on board with everything Stan has done so far this summer until now. This one bothers me.

Potentially. Shaw and Saad on the third line has some scoring punch. Will be interesting to see how this roster fills out. Kubaliak is a wild care scoring wise I think. If he comes in and provides a bit more offense than Kahun then the Hawks have plenty of scoring depth. Not holding my breath on Nylander being a top 6 wing suddenly.

Unless there is another move or we see Kampf locked in at 3C (yuck) it seems Dach might be the one that is being given the spot....earned or not.
- bhawks2241

Saad does better on his own line IMO.

Putting saad and Shaw with Dach helps protect Dach but creates a balanced line

How is a 30+ point center with a 49% FO win pct that plays bottom six and PK a bad contract with two years left at $3.25MM per?

Remember, AA logged top six time as well, so his point production is skewed a bit, just like a primarily bottom six guy that plays PK a lot will skew the other way.

WAY too soon to tell if this was a bad deal for Chicago or not.
- Return of the Roar

Remember everyone whining about Kruger making a little over $3mil......yeah, that’s why.

I would rather pay $3.25mil than $4.55mil for what is possibly my 4th line center.

How is a 30+ point center with a 49% FO win pct that plays bottom six and PK a bad contract with two years left at $3.25MM per?

Remember, AA logged top six time as well, so his point production is skewed a bit, just like a primarily bottom six guy that plays PK a lot will skew the other way.

WAY too soon to tell if this was a bad deal for Chicago or not.
- Return of the Roar

136 hits for Zack Smith last year..."Playoff Type" of bottom 6 guy. It was a Cap-Saving trade and with a Stagnant Cap and Ansimov's career-worst season, obviously not much interest in taking $4.5mil off StanBo's hands.


Shaw, Carpenter, Smith all add some nasty to the Hawks. Plus, if it allows them to Sign Perlini, then it makes even more sense.

One thing's for sure... Stan has been in full NHL19 mode this summer.

How is a 30+ point center with a 49% FO win pct that plays bottom six and PK a bad contract with two years left at $3.25MM per?

Remember, AA logged top six time as well, so his point production is skewed a bit, just like a primarily bottom six guy that plays PK a lot will skew the other way.

WAY too soon to tell if this was a bad deal for Chicago or not.
- Return of the Roar

You can start with the fact that he’s not a Center

Remember everyone whining about Kruger making a little over $3mil......yeah, that’s why.

I would rather pay $3.25mil than $4.55mil for what is possibly my 4th line center.
- TheTrob

Even if AA was solidly to be the third line center I'd still rather take the cap space in the name of the long term outlook.

Smith will be fine NOT playing with Magnus or Bobby Ryan, and should be a solid add as the new 3C.

You can start with the fact that he’s not a Center
- Ogilthorpe2

So he took faceoffs from LW?

Dude - he took 820 faceoffs last year.

Remember everyone whining about Kruger making a little over $3mil......yeah, that’s why.

I would rather pay $3.25mil than $4.55mil for what is possibly my 4th line center.
- TheTrob

I agree , as long as he is productive for what his role will be plus it allows Chicago some flexibility In cap space with bringing up players

From TSN:

Smith, who was placed on waivers last September only to go unclaimed by the league's other 30 teams, added nine points (two goals, seven assists) in 45 playoff contests. He registered nine goals and 28 points for the rebuilding Senators in 2018-19

I guess this means we couldn't even make a salary dump trade for AA...

You’re funny
- Ogilthorpe2

I've been known to make people laugh

Here is the side-by-side comparison

http://www.naturalstattri...&td=&tgp=410&lines=single

From TSN:

Smith, who was placed on waivers last September only to go unclaimed by the league's other 30 teams, added nine points (two goals, seven assists) in 45 playoff contests. He registered nine goals and 28 points for the rebuilding Senators in 2018-19

I guess this means we couldn't even make a salary dump trade for AA...
- Popsghostly

Exactly what I've been saying all along. No market for AA.

He also took 300+ fewer faceoffs.
- Ogilthorpe2

Last season AA W332 L394 45.7%

Last season Smith W403 L417 49.1%

One thing's for sure... Stan has been in full NHL19 mode this summer.
- DarthKane

Time will tell if the moves work out or not, but ya gotta give him credit. After failing to make the Playoffs the past few years and a simple offseason last year Stan and Co. have gone all out to try and fix the issues that this team has had