So....I’ve had time to digest this move, my emotions have settled, and I’ve listened and understood the people who really believe this was a good move.



I still hate it.
- Ogilthorpe2

It's a pure hockey trade. Smith brings something back. A dump for picks simply leaves another hole to fill. You knew he was gone. Was just a matter of time.

So....I’ve had time to digest this move, my emotions have settled, and I’ve listened and understood the people who really believe this was a good move.



I still hate it.
- Ogilthorpe2

Yeah...not a good move at all

AA was a better player and smarter

Hawks PK sucks and they added a guy that's like top 10-15 in minors

Schools in session!!

You're coming in here with just Mohel to back you up?? Not the rest of the fellas? ........... Bottom 3 guy that skated 6th most minutes for forwards for OTT last yr?

Get the fellas, plan a response and I'll check back in a bit.
- Mr Ricochet

Hmm idk if the best argument is that the guy is good because he played top 6 minutes on a team with a depleted roster. I mean, they lost 3 of their top 4 players in terms of TOI at one point, not to mention they had a predominantly AHL supporting cast in their b6. To me, where a player should slot should be based on their skill set and ability, not because they were one of a few options on their previous team.

Ideally, Smith would slot on the 4th line in a checking line role - it plays to his strengths as a player who is defensively capable but offensively limited in terms individual play driving. Bottom 3 typically means 4th line, yes? I'm not sure why that was a point of contention. If the Hawks decided to go to a more predominant 3rd line checking situation with a bumslaying 4th, I could see Smith still being on that checking line and thus 3rd line minutes, but teams that role that scheme typically have highly offensive top line who is also decently good defensively and I'm not sure the Hawks qualify - would need to see how the lines shake out and all that.

So....I’ve had time to digest this move, my emotions have settled, and I’ve listened and understood the people who really believe this was a good move.



I still hate it.
- Ogilthorpe2

It's ok to be wrong Ogil, we still respect you.

So....I’ve had time to digest this move, my emotions have settled, and I’ve listened and understood the people who really believe this was a good move.



I still hate it.
- Ogilthorpe2

It's ok to be wrong Ogil, we still respect you.

Patrick Sharp available for 3C?

It's a pure hockey trade. Smith brings something back. A dump for picks simply leaves another hole to fill. You knew he was gone. Was just a matter of time.
- z1990z

This trade leaves a gaping hole. There is no proven 3C on the roster. He brings nothing valuable that AA didn’t.

Makes the meatball redass loving crowd happy though.

So now the 4th line has Smith, Kampf, Carpenter and Caggulia

If JC even thinks Kampf is a third liner...this team is in trouble

This trade leaves a gaping hole. There is no proven 3C on the roster. He brings nothing valuable that AA didn’t.

Makes the meatball redass loving crowd happy though.
- Ogilthorpe2

Yep.

If Toews goes down...the C depth goes

Strome as 1c, Kampf 2, Smith 3 and Carpenter 4

Maybe Tanner is right about lottery sniffing ...

Yep.

If Toews goes down...the C depth goes

Strome as 1c, Kampf 2, Smith 3 and Carpenter 4

Maybe Tanner is right about lottery sniffing ...
- PatShart

Tanner is never right, don't say that ever again.

Good luck to AA though

Unappreciated guy played hard, did whatever was asked from him, even when JC came in. For a rusky, never heard him gripe and the guys on the team always seemed to like him.

Started watching yesterday. Attended the first day of prospect camp and got hooked.
- AEL_Fox

Colliton played Kampf in more roles than 4C and I recall thinking that Colliton must see more in Kampf than I do. I know Colliton had Kampf in Rockford in 2017/18 so I figured he must think he has more of an offensive game than he's shown with the Hawks ... but no matter because he'll eventually end up playing 4C and that will be fine.

But now there is a real possibility that Kampf takes over 3C on a more permanent basis for the 2019/20 season ... and ... paint me skeptical. I like Kampf's size/speed and he skates well and plays with determination, but, it seems he isn't very offensively gifted and will not help the 3rd line score those "depth goals" that winning teams get from their 3rd line.

Hopefully Stan does another move or two or Dach proves to be ready to jump right into the NHL.

Stop the bickering guys.

It's hockey.

Stop the name calling and fighting.

It's hockey.
- Tyler Cameron

Are you fighting?

There’s no fighting....

There’s no fighting in hockey....

I've been known to make people laugh

Here is the side-by-side comparison

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

I need LBR to explain this to me, but it looks pretty good for us if I'm reading it correctly.

It's a pure hockey trade. Smith brings something back. A dump for picks simply leaves another hole to fill. You knew he was gone. Was just a matter of time.
- z1990z

But there simply is a hole to fill - 3C - not sure there was a hole that Smith fills.

This trade leaves a gaping hole. There is no proven 3C on the roster. He brings nothing valuable that AA didn’t.

Makes the meatball redass loving crowd happy though.
- Ogilthorpe2

Smith is a 50% career face off guy. AA was 45%. Smith plays with a great motor and wore the "A". Prolly a half step quicker too. Im okay with it. The added edge he brings is bad? In case you forgot that redass, edge, get after it style kinda helped the Blues win a title. How many times were the Hawks simply pushed around in games and did nothing. Its not like Stan signed Ryan Reeves. Smith plays a solid all around game. You need a mix of skill and edge.

But there simply is a hole to fill - 3C - not sure there was a hole that Smith fills.
- StLBravesFan

Lets see how the pre season shakes out. Maybe Dach can hold that down.

Smith??? Motor??? Lol

If people thought AA was too slow....he could get to the net and score 20

Smith will have to work to keep up with Strome

But there simply is a hole to fill - 3C - not sure there was a hole that Smith fills.
- StLBravesFan

Kampf

Kampf
- DarthKane

3rd line in Chicago or Rockford?

Smith is a 50% career face off guy. AA was 45%. Smith plays with a great motor and wore the "A". Prolly a half step quicker too. Im okay with it. The added edge he brings is bad? In case you forgot that redass, edge, get after it style kinda helped the Blues win a title. How many times were the Hawks simply pushed around in games and did nothing. Its not like Stan signed Ryan Reeves. Smith plays a solid all around game. You need a mix of skill and edge.
- z1990z

When that edge results in lots of penalties taken, it’s useless...almost as useless as faceoff stats.

And if we have to imitate the goddamn (frank)ing Blues to win another cup...pass.

I am a proud advocate of trading anismov. I felt he didn't produce offensively, weak on FO bounced around from 2c to 4c soft on hits .

If Stan and co did excellent job of scouting Dach than I don't see how , Ansimov is a improvement.

Let's say the third line is

Saad-Dach-Shaw that's a pretty stable lineup to infuse a rookie into and if Dach ends up with 15 to 20 plus goals and plays solid defensively and improves each game than it's a win win.
- Taylorst1

Why do you keep saying AA was 4C? When did he ever play 4C?

I'm ok with this trade because I think Smith will fine playing with better players than he did last year, but AA is a quality 3C who can play up to 2C if needed.

What I'm going for, and the usage the last 5 yrs makes it clear, is that Smith has been (is) a shutdown forward (bottom 6) and AA has been (is) a top 6 forward. Not sure how close the quality of competition would be between the two players with the stark difference in zone starts.

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).

If I need a top 6 player I want AA. If I want a bottom 6 player with grit, can win a draw, get in on the forecheck, knock someone down with some nasty I want Smith.
- Mr Ricochet

Well zone deployment and quality of competition do not inherently impact each other - there can be all kind of combinations of usage/deployment. Like just because a player is deployed more in the DZ does not mean they faced 1-2 line quality of players and just because a player is deployed predominantly in the OZ does not mean they faced low quality of comp. Kane obviously saw much more OZ deployment than Smith or Anisimov, but he still faced the highest QOC of the 3. Even when Kruger was getting the lion's share of DZS with the Hawks, Toews saw the highest QOC.

As for zone deployment numbers themselves, to get a more detailed snapshot, it's more useful to look 3 zone split. Here are Anisimov and Smith's zone start % for the last 3 seasons:

Anisimov
2018-19: 33.33 OZ%, 30.76 DZ%, 35.91 NZ%
2017-18: 35.33 OZ%, 33.69 DZ%, 30.99 NZ%
2016-17: 39.23 OZ%, 21.42 DZ%, 39.35 NZ%

Smith
2018-19: 24.05 OZ% 33.77 DZ% 42.18 NZ%
2017-18: 27.00 OZ%, 32.06 DZ%, 40.94 NZ%
2016-17: 33.16 OZ%, 32.33 DZ%, 34.51 NZ%

So as we can see for the last two seasons, Anisimov and Smith were deployed in the DZ a similar amount - 1-3% difference year - but Anisimov did get more OZS and Smith more NZS. The 2016-17 season is when their deployment splits more - Anisimov was skewed more heavily in the OZS then thanks to be partnered with Panarin/Kane. Their QOC TOI% for all 3 seasons was 2L with little to no difference except that Anisimov faced the highest with Pan/Kane.

But here's something to think about: Chicago got typically 3-5% more OZS as a team than Ottawa (they're just better at getting stoppage in a OZ which is systematic), so the difference on a relative level shrinks when you factor this in.

Anyway, I'm not actually disagreeing that Smith is a b6 forward (4th line) and Anisimov skews more top 6 (though ideally 3rd line), but there is nothing to suggest that Anisimov would be worse than Smith in a b6 role. Smith actually wasn't playing in a shutdown role on the Sens either - he was made to play higher than his ability in a 2/3L role and he did poorly at it in many key areas (transition, passing, slot shot suppression).

However, if Smith is used predominantly as a checking line player facing mid-tier comp overall and with the right linemates, he could definitely be serviceable - preferably 4th line with someone who can drive possession for him as that's not his strength (he's fine with maintenance and puck recovery is just below average but again lower QOC could help with that).

Stop the bickering guys.

It's hockey.

Stop the name calling and fighting.

It's hockey.
- Tyler Cameron