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.
- Tyler Cameron

It should have happened, and they never should have brought him back on the roster. Regardless of what the players and Guy Boucher thought, the team was never going to win anything anyway. You could easily find a guy on your farm team capable of putting up the same kinds of numbers Smith did with similar minutes, and you'd be better off for it because they'd actually have a chance of getting better.

He is, at best, a competent 4th liner/PK specialist right now.

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
- Taylorst1

Why would being on a two-way contract matter? That just means he would be paid one salary amount in the NHL and a different one in the AHL. It has nothing to do with waivers.

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.
- L_B_R

Yeah sure would hate to have to waive him!

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.
- Tyler Cameron

Makes zero sense. I would’ve rather traded him plus a 3rd for a 6th round pick, because then at least the cap savings would have been meaningful.

Now there’s a gaping hole at 3C and not enough $ to fix it.

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.
- ImThatGuy

What does that say about the Sabres? out of the playoffs 10 out of the last 12 years and not winning a playoff series the other 2?

Makes zero sense. I would’ve rather traded him plus a 3rd for a 6th round pick, because then at least the cap savings would have been meaningful.

Now there’s a gaping hole at 3C and not enough $ to fix it.
- Ogilthorpe2

True. Dach or smith certainly a HUGE downgrade to AA.

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.
- Tyler Cameron

Imo I think Stan and co when they drafted Dach they in their minds felt he was NHL ready . I do believe Dach makes the team and will centermthe 3rd line with saad and Shaw riding shotgun.

In hind sight the Blackhawks should have had Ottawa retain $1m of Smith’s salary.

AA for Smith is a good trade. AA didn't fit here anymore and we got a reliable bottom 6 guy that can slot higher if needed. Smith played up in the top 6 if i remember right during the sens run to the eastern conference final a few years back. Plus he can hit and plays defense, whats not to like.

“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?
- Ogilthorpe2

Still waiting for the part where I claimed there is zero difference between them.
This "gaping" hole is probably going to be pretty small in the grand scheme considering the number of guys who can play wing and centre. Like I pointed out, we won a lot of hockey when a large number of fans claimed he had some huge hole at C.

Makes zero sense. I would’ve rather traded him plus a 3rd for a 6th round pick, because then at least the cap savings would have been meaningful.

Now there’s a gaping hole at 3C and not enough $ to fix it.
- Ogilthorpe2

I'm sure the Hawks would have liked to moved AA for picks but it wasn't in the cards.

They were having a hell of a time finding a trade partner.

I agree it's not the most ideal but they didn't have to add a sweetener to move his contract so I'm ok with it.

It will be interesting to see who fills that 3C.

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.
- I Am The Breadman

KIRBY DACH

How about not subjecting an 18 year old (until next January) to the NHL grind until he has learned how to be a pro in a lower league.
- StLBravesFan

He can't play in the AHL this season so unless the Hawks are prepared to wait 2 years for Dach to play in the NHL - he won't get pro experience in a lower league before playing in the NHL.

In hind sight the Blackhawks should have had Ottawa retain $1m of Smith’s salary.
- walleyeb1

Ottawa retains NO MONEY!!

Ha.

Yep. And with the addition of Shaw, AA was going to lose a lot of his PP time. Also, if Dach makes the team than he was never seeing PP time.

People are looking at AA like the AA that played with Kane two seasons ago. He was not going to put up many pts centering our 3c this season and losing most/if not all of his PP time.
- Bhawks35

I never thought that AA even fit this team, he was like a misfit..

That's not saying he's a bad player, he just didn't fit the Hawks style.. Not only that but I really don't think Anisimov ever hit is full potential, with his frame he could have been a much better player than what he was... AA was just way too soft and didn't use his frame correctly, I suppose he wasn't aggressive enough and lacked drive... I mean he had/has his moments/flashes but they didn't last long..

IMO, the only reason why AA is in the NHL is because of his size, but other than that his skill is "meh" at best .... But the thing is he could have been a great player if he worked harder, but to me he seems to be a player that got by on "talent" and size alone - and when I say "talent" I mean enough "talent" just to get by in the NHL... I mean I'm not going to call him lazy, I think he did just enough to get by and "getting by" was good enough for him... But had Anisimov worked hard to perfect his skills and utilize his talent to the highest level, worked really hard of faceoffs, worked on using his size and being more aggressive and physical - Anisimov could have been one heck of a power-forward or big center that can consistently win draws and score goals...

But if you ask me, I think AA is one of those players that hit the basement of their potential... Maybe not the "basement" but perhaps the first floor of a 3 story house.

I mean, he is still a useful player, he's a adequate 3rd line center that can kill penalties and get you 35 points a season - his actual salary is 2.5 per with a cap hit of 4.55, and with some teams struggling to hit the cap floor, I really think the Hawks could have got more for AA than just Zach Smith... When I read the headline I was like "Zach Smith.... And what else?".... Bowman could have at least got a decent prospect or a conditional draft pick, like a 3rd round pick that becomes a 2nd round pick if Anisimov scores 50 points or more, something like that..

And this plus cap savings is why they made the deal.
- Return of the Roar

Roar, IMO Smith is a better bottom 6 player, AA a better top 6 player. Hawks need to address the bottom 6, they ranked 8th in GF and 30th in GA.

Smith Ozone starts last 5 yrs starting with last yr. 41%, 45, 49, 42, 44.
AA Ozone starts last 5 yrs. 54%, 53, 65, 67 (all as a Hawk) 45 (CLB).

Smith pts per game 5 yrs with the above zone starts. .40, .28, .43, .48, .08.
AA pts per game last 5 yrs, heavy Ozone starts as a Hawk. .47, .43, .70, .55, .52

Last 3 yrs fancy comparison between the two: http://www.naturalstattri...&td=&tgp=410&lines=single

Plenty of more fancies out there but to me the above speaks to usage. Smith has been used as a shutdown and AA a top 6 scoring line. ........ And from what I remember of Smith, don't watch too much OTT except for fantasy, is more fleet of foot, more dynamic, definitely more physical.

They had to address the bottom 6 and did this with Carpenter and Smith. They had to replace AA with a center and did so although it seems some don't think so on the internets. They had to improve at the dot and give Toews less Dzone draws, did that. Had to reduce the high danger chances and looks as though they did. Added another experienced body that can take a draw for a horrid PK.

Addressed needs as best they could without killing the cap and what they do with the mil and a half space has to be factored in.

Anisimov was also a regular on the penalty kill and played in a shutdown role late in games, Smith did neither. If AA and Smith have the same cap hit do you think Bowman pursues this trade? I don't there is any chance. AA is the better and more valuable of the two players, and not by a little.
- paulr

Factually incorrect. Smith had more PK TOI/gm than Anisimov had. He also played a shutdown role.

I'm sure the Hawks would have liked to moved AA for picks but it wasn't in the cards.

They were having a hell of a time finding a trade partner.

I agree it's not the most ideal but they didn't have to add a sweetener to move his contract so I'm ok with it.

It will be interesting to see who fills that 3C.
- Tyler Cameron

See you on Twitter saying Smith is not a C anymore. You going by eye, word of mouth or is there a stat you're reading, Tyler?

Few times I see OTT Smith always played C.

I'm sure the Hawks would have liked to moved AA for picks but it wasn't in the cards.

They were having a hell of a time finding a trade partner.

I agree it's not the most ideal but they didn't have to add a sweetener to move his contract so I'm ok with it.

It will be interesting to see who fills that 3C.
- Tyler Cameron

Yeah cap space is at a premium at this point.

New asst. coach Marc Crawford raved about Zack Smith from his time Ottawa's interim coach and confirmed what #Blackhawks scouts already liked about him as a player. Bowman says they’ve had their eye on him for some time now.
- walleyeb1

Why didn't they claim him off waivers for nuthin'?

Why didn't they claim him off waivers for nuthin'?
- mohel

Because of the cap.

Yea, but Dach wasn't drafted to be a 3rd line center... I know he's capable, he's a 200 foot player, but ideally you would like to get him into the top 6 from time to time to focus on his offensive side. No doubt if he centers the 3rd line, they'll have him on the 2PP unit if not the 1PP unit for sure just to make sure he gets some offense in.

I just don't want Dach to get too used to defense or playing a shutdown role while neglecting his phenomenal offensive talents...

Then again tho, the Hawks could really run 3 scoring lines and use the 4th line as the shutdown line.... It's hard to match up against teams that have that type of depth and can do that, and IMO that's how the Hawks won their Cups...
- Savard2Secord

I believe you can't suppress talent, unless the player themselves try to do too much. With Dach playing 3rd line center or wing all he has to focus is on defense, no pressure to produce offensively which would be an ideal way to come up in the NHL if he's talented and man enough. Fwiw many didn't think DCat would last playing against men

True. Dach or smith certainly a HUGE downgrade to AA.
- Bhawks35

Smith is for certain, and Dach hasn’t done poop yet.

KIRBY DACH
- SoftServe

Idk about that, my friend.

Yeah but in this case, I recall JJ saying the same thing a few years ago. Granted Smith was younger then but it might differ from the Jurco joke.
- Popsghostly

Oh well, if JJ said it.......