He’ll never be anything more than Jack Skille 2.0

(frank) him.

If we gave up our best candidate for 3C to accommodate his lazy ass that’s not a good move.
- Ogilthorpe2

I love how you see all sides and subtleties to everything. Your statements always include the nuances to every situation and you never have a knee jerk reaction. And on top of all that greatness, you state your point and let it stand. You never feel the need to dominate a conversation with a singular point stated over and over and over and over again like some posters here do.

So far this summer, they added:

Zach Smith
Nylander
Shaw
De Haan
Saarela
Quenneville
Maatta

They subtracted:

Anisimov
Jokiharju
2020 2nd
2020 7th
2021 3rd
Forsberg
Forsling
Hayden
Kahun
2019 5th

The added cap costs are about $9.5 million.
- 333inthe3rd

You forgot Lehner and Carpenter

He may become a complete player in the NHL - he was in Saskatoon - he hasn't shown that he is now for the Show - let's not hurt his career by promoting him too soon.

Altho I guess it's either Chicago or Saskatoon - this rule limiting where 18 year olds can play is, to me, worse than the one allowing four-year college players to become UFAs.
- StLBravesFan

You do understand it's not at all unusual for 18-19 year-olds to step right into the NHL, especially top 5 picks right?

Look at Andrew Shaw, he stepped right into the NHL as a 5th round pick at the age of 19 and he's not even that big of a guy..

Dach is a supremely skilled, smart 19-year-old two-way player that stands 6'4 with tremendous hockey IQ..... I think he will be fine..

When a kid says "I see the game 2-3 steps ahead of most other players", then prides himself on his 200-foot game - that kid is NHL ready...

Look, Dach is absolutely going to get his first 9 NHL games this October, if the Hawks staff feel he's not ready they will send him back to juniors...

The Hawks are very good at developing players, they give these kids all the time they need... I have never seen them rush a player once -- if anything they give some kids too much time..

I have absolutely no issue with starting Dach at 3C, the kid is a two-way player, he wont be out of his element at all playing that role.. Besides, I'm sure he will get quite a few games in this season playing in the top 6..... I would love to see him on the left side of Toews and Kane, and yes - I understand Dach is a center, but centers can play wing too - I mean Dach played wing at the WJC........ You see, all centers can play wing, but not all wings can play center ...... So yea, I would expect to see Dach see time on the 1st, 2nd & 3rd line(s) - as well as the PP and PK....

Look, and if he's not ready for the NHL after his 9 games, they will send him back to juniors - the Hawks WILL ABSOLUTELY NOT throw this kid to the wolves...

The kid has to be challenged to get better, and it's clear juniors aren't going to challenge him, so sending him back to juniors would be a wasted year of development..... The only way the kid is sent back is IF it is 100% clear he is not ready for the NHL -- as in playing in the NHL would mentally damage him, or his skills aren't even close to NHL caliber...... I don't see that at all - the kid is NHL ready and I'm excited to see him...

The Hawks took Dach for a reason, and one of those reasons was because he is NHL ready.... Believe me, they want him in the NHL learning from Toews, and you can bet Dach will be Toews protege, and Toews knows this - Toews knows Dach is his replacement..

Once again someone apparently convinced that taking face offs is the only thing that differentiates wingers from C’s.

Un(frank)ingbelievable.
- Ogilthorpe2

Really, because I don't remember typing how that is the only difference? Oh, that's right, because I didn't.

These supposed holes in the roster are always overblown by fans. Unbelievable how much it becomes the same story year after year. The tune doesn't change when the team is winning or losing.

1) We have a number of options at forward.
2) The off season isn't even over.
3) The Hawks can make more trades in camp, or in season if team actually has a need.

For those bringing up Zach Smith being waived last year, don't read too much into it.

He striggled through injuries the year prior and only put up 19 points but still, Dorion messed up.

Players loved him & the coach wanted him. They were all shocked.

Dorion put one of the most liked veterans (and his family) through the ringer for 48 hours for no reason.

Just another black eye on that organization last year.

As Matt Duchene put it “it’s a kick in the balls for us,” (to lose Smith).

Read/watch this:
https://www.sportsnet.ca/...waivers-kinda-hard-grasp/

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

I understand what you are saying, but, I'm not sure how it helps Ottawa with their cap. Yeah, the Hawks paid the signing bonus, but Ottawa is still on the hook for the entire cap hit.

I will have more thoughts on the AA for Smith trade + more first thing in the AM.

Smith has played a really crappy teams especially last year whereas AA played on one of the top offensive teams last year. What might the scouts be seeing that doesn’t show up in the stat lones?
- Assman22

[/img]

For those bringing up Zach Smith being waived last year, don't read too much into it.

He striggled through injuries the year prior and only put up 19 points but still, Dorion messed up.

Players loved him & the coach wanted him. They were all shocked.

Dorion put one of the most liked veterans (and his family) through the ringer for 48 hours for no reason.

Just another black eye on that organization last year.

As Matt Duchene put it “it’s a kick in the balls for us,” (to lose Smith).

Read/watch this:
https://www.sportsnet.ca/...waivers-kinda-hard-grasp/
- Tyler Cameron

Yeah, except he's not very good.

Even relative to the other players on Ottawa he was subpar.

Nothing. He sucks. Smith was waived last year and nobody picked him up. The only reason he ended up in the NHL was because they had a mini revolt amongst players when they tried sending him down.
- BINGO!

What a messed up organization! Did they screw up sending down and change their mind and call him back up, or did they capitulate to the players and call him back up even though they thought he should be down.

How does anyone plays understands those conditions.

L_B_R, do you have any defensive stat comparisons?
- boilermaker100

They're pretty similar there, honestly. Anisimov was better in transition because he's just a better passer and Anisimov has slightly better shot suppression numbers in the DZ (overall and in the slot) while facing similar quality of competition but Smith did start more in the DZ and did more heavy lifting in that regard on the Sens. They don't defend in the same way, though.

For the record, I don't mind Smith as a defensive specialist who can contribute a bit from the 4th line - I actually like him better than Carpenter in that regard. The issue for me is that they hurt their natural center position a bit - like do you really want Smith playing with Cat or Kane if Toews or Strome are hurt? I know Shaw can play center but his improvement in play came with his switch to wing and I'd love for Dach to be the answer but that's a lot to put on a kid.

So anyway, I just hope they have a plan for 3C because I don't want it to be Kampf, Smith, or Carpenter (esp since the latter two have historically played better at wing).

Nothing. He sucks. Smith was waived last year and nobody picked him up. The only reason he ended up in the NHL was because they had a mini revolt amongst players when they tried sending him down.
- BINGO!

No one picked him up because he was coming off some injuries and his salary was 3M+.

It was in September when rosters are - for the most part - set.

Also, the players revolted because it was the wrong move. The coach even thought it was.

It's ok if you think he sucks, but him getting waived should never have even happened. Especially considering Pageau had just gone down long-term with an achillies injury. They were short up front.

https://www.hockeyfights.com/fights/141048

The meathead in me likes this.
- TYDALE

You don't have to be a meathead to appreciate it. It simply happens to be a man's sport, as Doc Emrick hammered home throughout the playoffs. An inevitable byproduct of zeal and passion. If it's offensive, watch elementary school 6th graders compete in badminton tournaments instead.

Yeah, except he's not very good.

Even relative to the other players on Ottawa he was subpar.
- BINGO!

Curious why the players he was subpar to revolted!

I understand what you are saying, but, I'm not sure how it helps Ottawa with their cap. Yeah, the Hawks paid the signing bonus, but Ottawa is still on the hook for the entire cap hit.
- Tanuki

It helps because the Sens need the cap hit to reach the cap floor. Paying less salary for a high cap hit is ideal for a team that is just trying to reach the absolute minimum for cap requirements.

Just saw the trade now, not having a chance to catch up ... am I the only one asking what the (frank)? We got 1 plus mil in cap space for someone who is a weaker player in comparison to Arty.

Yeah, except he's not very good.

Even relative to the other players on Ottawa he was subpar.
- BINGO!

Agreed, Bingo. He's not a superstar. He never has been. Smith has always been a role player.

The fact of the matter was Anisimov didn't fit in Chicago anymore and he was also not a superstar.

The Hawks also were determined to move AA's salary for cap flexibility.

The move makes sense... even if you think Smith sucks. Ha.

You do understand it's not at all unusual for 18-19 year-olds to step right into the NHL, especially top 5 picks right?

Look at Andrew Shaw, he stepped right into the NHL as a 5th round pick at the age of 19 and he's not even that big of a guy..

Dach is a supremely skilled, smart 19-year-old two-way player that stands 6'4 with tremendous hockey IQ..... I think he will be fine..

When a kid says "I see the game 2-3 steps ahead of most other players", then prides himself on his 200-foot game - that kid is NHL ready...

Look, Dach is absolutely going to get his first 9 NHL games this October, if the Hawks staff feel he's not ready they will send him back to juniors...

The Hawks are very good at developing players, they give these kids all the time they need... I have never seen them rush a player once -- if anything they give some kids too much time..

I have absolutely no issue with starting Dach at 3C, the kid is a two-way player, he wont be out of his element at all playing that role.. Besides, I'm sure he will get quite a few games in this season playing in the top 6..... I would love to see him on the left side of Toews and Kane, and yes - I understand Dach is a center, but centers can play wing too - I mean Dach played wing at the WJC........ You see, all centers can play wing, but not all wings can play center ...... So yea, I would expect to see Dach see time on the 1st, 2nd & 3rd line(s) - as well as the PP and PK....

Look, and if he's not ready for the NHL after his 9 games, they will send him back to juniors - the Hawks WILL ABSOLUTELY NOT throw this kid to the wolves...

The kid has to be challenged to get better, and it's clear juniors aren't going to challenge him, so sending him back to juniors would be a wasted year of development..... The only way the kid is sent back is IF it is 100% clear he is not ready for the NHL -- as in playing in the NHL would mentally damage him, or his skills aren't even close to NHL caliber...... I don't see that at all - the kid is NHL ready and I'm excited to see him...

The Hawks took Dach for a reason, and one of those reasons was because he is NHL ready.... Believe me, they want him in the NHL learning from Toews, and you can bet Dach will be Toews protege, and Toews knows this - Toews knows Dach is his replacement..
- Savard2Secord

He's never seen the game at the NHL speed. That takes some getting used to.

And Kane used to call Shaw a 19th round draft pick as he was passed over his first two years of eligibility.

Really, because I don't remember typing how that is the only difference? Oh, that's right, because I didn't.

These supposed holes in the roster are always overblown by fans. Unbelievable how much it becomes the same story year after year. The tune doesn't change when the team is winning or losing.

1) We have a number of options at forward.
2) The off season isn't even over.
3) The Hawks can make more trades in camp, or in season if team actually has a need.
- breadbag

“I remember a lot of fans being upset that this team lacked a 2C for years, but it worked out okay. I think at the end of the day, we have more than enough players who can take faceoffs.

Toews, Strome, Smith (#3 in total face-offs for Ottawa last year), Kampf, Shaw, Carpenter, plus a list of other potentials from the young guys.”

Show me where you mentioned anything but centers and how they relate to face offs?

I understand what you are saying, but, I'm not sure how it helps Ottawa with their cap. Yeah, the Hawks paid the signing bonus, but Ottawa is still on the hook for the entire cap hit.
- Tanuki

It helps them stay at the cap floor I should have stated while paying out less dollars.

Ottawa May be the worst run team in the 4 major us sports.

How the NHL continues to let this happen blows my mind.

Curious why the players he was subpar to revolted!
- walleyeb1

He stood up for them. Ask Crawford about that.

They're pretty similar there, honestly. Anisimov was better in transition because he's just a better passer and Anisimov has slightly better shot suppression numbers in the DZ (overall and in the slot) while facing similar quality of competition but Smith did start more in the DZ and did more heavy lifting in that regard on the Sens. They don't defend in the same way, though.

For the record, I don't mind Smith as a defensive specialist who can contribute a bit from the 4th line - I actually like him better than Carpenter in that regard. The issue for me is that they hurt their natural center position a bit - like do you really want Smith playing with Cat or Kane if Toews or Strome are hurt? I know Shaw can play center but his improvement in play came with his switch to wing and I'd love for Dach to be the answer but that's a lot to put on a kid.

So anyway, I just hope they have a plan for 3C because I don't want it to be Kampf, Smith, or Carpenter (esp since the latter two have historically played better at wing).
- L_B_R

Great insight LBR.

This last part is bang on.

I don't nind the deal however the C position did just get a little weaker.

The Hawks must have a plan for their 3C.

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.
- EnzoD

Yes YES yes to Zack Smith. was lucky to meet him last year very nice guy.

(frank) Perlini. Don’t want him.
- Ogilthorpe2

I agree. The only way Chicago should sign Perlini is if he takes a salary of 750 and is on a 2 way contract otherwise trade him

Curious why the players he was subpar to revolted!
- walleyeb1

From all accounts, Smith is a great person who is extremely liked by his teammates and other players around the league. Doesn't mean he wasn't subpar relative to his teammates on a bad team in a lot of ways.

Let's just hope that he can good in whatever role the Hawks put him in for the next year or two. I think if he's a defensive specialist on the 4th line with a player who can transition well (Kampf), he could carve out a nice niche that is important to successful teams.