Maybe they go both games against non-conference teams in the same building - Hawks play two in Detroit, Rangers come into Chicago for two, etc….

They could then play the two as a series.
- StLBravesFan

That's not a bad idea. Then maybe the following year flip the teams you play home and away.

Yeh I thought I was agreeing with that ...

However, defencive forwards on losing teams are not exactly a hot commodity - they are moreso on a winning team -which is more about it not making a load of difference one way or the other.
- SC116

Losing either Kampf or Gaudette won’t break the team, but Gaudette has the higher upside and 4Cs are easily replaced.

That’s one benefit of having such a bad team, the Hawks won’t lose anyone of real value in the expansion draft.

I would expect the Kraken to take Zadorov, then the Hawks will make a bevy of trades to reshape the team. One way or another I expected both Zadorov and de Haan to start the season on new teams this season. Maybe Stan keeps de Haan and moves him at the TDL, but we all know the extent of Stan’s timing issues with it comes to trades and signings.

That's not a bad idea. Then maybe the following year flip the teams you play home and away.
- boilermaker100

The fact that we are debating/lamenting the team losing either Kampf or Gaudette sort of tells you the state of hockey in Chicago at the moment. The key is the ultimate ceiling for the many prospects they have in the system as well as the ones they will be adding later this week.

I suspect that Seattle will choose not to help the Hawks solve their deHaan or Zadorov problems, which will lead to a logjam of meh on the blue line, at least for now.

The fact that we are debating/lamenting the team losing either Kampf or Gaudette sort of tells you the state of hockey in Chicago at the moment. The key is the ultimate ceiling for the many prospects they have in the system as well as the ones they will be adding later this week.

I suspect that Seattle will choose not to help the Hawks solve their deHaan or Zadorov problems, which will lead to a logjam of meh on the blue line, at least for now.
- jrsamu

DeHaan is not a problem. He is on expiring contract and is not a liability when healthy. Zadorov is not a problem either. He is not signed and can go back to KHL if he does not accept a qualifying offer.

It is a long season and injuries happen. Having 7-8 quality NHL defensemen is essential to even sniffing playoffs.

I see the discussion on protecting Kampf or Gaudette continues. Honestly if either one was exposed and selected would the other have turned this club into a playoff bound team sooner than later?

The fact that the Hawks had a protection slot available to protect either one of these players tells you how little forward talent this team has.
- boilermaker100

💯 agree. I’m not concerned with bottom 6, until we “fix” the top 6 in quality/depth and our Dmen. ELITE players are normally drafted high or via trade which you overpay. We’ll see in a few days if we’re still “rebuilding” with 1 year trade deadline flips for picks…. Or if SB uses the cap space for any long term players. Whatever does happen, I think this year will be a lot more active on the trade front.

💯 agree. I’m not concerned with bottom 6, until we “fix” the top 6 in quality/depth and our Dmen. ELITE players are normally drafted high or via trade which you overpay. We’ll see in a few days if we’re still “rebuilding” with 1 year trade deadline flips for picks…. Or if SB uses the cap space for any long term players. Whatever does happen, I think this year will be a lot more active on the trade front.
- DrewDawg

Top 6...if healthy...is not terrible.

Can you go...???

Kubalik Toews Dach
D'Cat Strome Kane

Leaving...Suter and Kampf as lines 3&4 centres....

Then additions and mixtures of Kurachev, Hagel, Connelly...etc.

2 good solid adds on the wings, maybe RW....and the forward group is kinda OK....BUT...I know health of Toews changes things a lot. But just looking at a "Best-case" scenerio...

💯 agree. I’m not concerned with bottom 6, until we “fix” the top 6 in quality/depth and our Dmen. ELITE players are normally drafted high or via trade which you overpay. We’ll see in a few days if we’re still “rebuilding” with 1 year trade deadline flips for picks…. Or if SB uses the cap space for any long term players. Whatever does happen, I think this year will be a lot more active on the trade front.
- DrewDawg

It might be a long shot, but if he’s healthy, which it sounds like he finally is, Gaudette has top 6 potential, or at the very least top nine. Kampf most definitely does not. So if by your reasoning we need to fix the top 6 before worrying about the bottom 6, wouldn’t it have made more sense to keep the guy with the higher upside?

Losing either Kampf or Gaudette won’t break the team, but Gaudette has the higher upside and 4Cs are easily replaced.

That’s one benefit of having such a bad team, the Hawks won’t lose anyone of real value in the expansion draft.

I would expect the Kraken to take Zadorov, then the Hawks will make a bevy of trades to reshape the team. One way or another I expected both Zadorov and de Haan to start the season on new teams this season. Maybe Stan keeps de Haan and moves him at the TDL, but we all know the extent of Stan’s timing issues with it comes to trades and signings.
- DarthKane

Agree with you , I would have protected Gaudette
at least there is a chance of improvement .
Kampf has 0 offence n you can find someone who is good at face offs if you think that's a priority or need
Also looking at the protected lists of defenceman around the league , the Hawks list is my far the worst and I don't think anyone else is close. We may have a long way to go .

Losing either Kampf or Gaudette won’t break the team, but Gaudette has the higher upside and 4Cs are easily replaced.

That’s one benefit of having such a bad team, the Hawks won’t lose anyone of real value in the expansion draft.

I would expect the Kraken to take Zadorov, then the Hawks will make a bevy of trades to reshape the team. One way or another I expected both Zadorov and de Haan to start the season on new teams this season. Maybe Stan keeps de Haan and moves him at the TDL, but we all know the extent of Stan’s timing issues with it comes to trades and signings.
- DarthKane

At the end of the day I would be surprised if Gaudette is picked.

At the end of the day I would be surprised if Gaudette is picked.
- NamedSources

Agreed, but I think it would have been even more unlikely that Kampf would have been picked. Apparently Stan disagrees. Oh well.

Agreed, but I think it would have been even more unlikely that Kampf would have been picked. Apparently Stan disagrees. Oh well.
- Ogilthorpe2

From asset management, Kampf is an easy flip for Seattle at the deadline due to his defensive prowess. His is also the only person besides Toews who is above 50% in faceoffs. Gaudette may have higher potential, but it has not been realized. The fact that he was traded for Highmore should tell you something

Agree with you , I would have protected Gaudette
at least there is a chance of improvement .
Kampf has 0 offence n you can find someone who is good at face offs if you think that's a priority or need
Also looking at the protected lists of defenceman around the league , the Hawks list is my far the worst and I don't think anyone else is close. We may have a long way to go .
- HamiltonHawk

Yes, our protected list is the worst, but that is because we really only have 3 NHL dmen who are eligible to be drafted by Seattle. Of those 3, de Haan and Zadorov can go because de Haan can't stay healthy, and Zadorov is going to cost too much for a #4 (at best) dman.

Our defense will be made up of players from the last 3 or 4 drafts...Mitchell, Boqvist, Beaudin, Kalynuk (I know he wasn't a draft pick of ours), Kaiser, Vlasic, maybe Regula and Phillips. Also, Stillman and Jones may work out ok, but I'm not too optimistic (I like Stillman much more than Jones, but they're still young).

The point is that no one that needed to be protected will be an impact player for us in 3 to 4 years when we may be competing for the cup again.

My prediction. Ron Francis and the Kraken sign Vinny Hinostroza for something reasonable like $1.2mm/3 years. The Kraken get a guy with a decent motor to play 3/4 line, kill penalties and spot duty in their top 6. Doesn't break the bank, no long term commitment and can probably be flipped pretty easy or buried in the minors.

That fulfills the Hawks expansion pick and we are left debating the merits and faults of Kampf, Gaudette, Zadarov and deHaan.

From asset management, Kampf is an easy flip for Seattle at the deadline due to his defensive prowess. His is also the only person besides Toews who is above 50% in faceoffs. Gaudette may have higher potential, but it has not been realized. The fact that he was traded for Highmore should tell you something
- CSKA1981

Yes, but that was before his health issues were supposedly fully resolved.

The Hawks are basically just into their second (possibly third) year of a rebuild. They've only just this year have been able to get some notable salary cap relief. Their top two centers were out for most or all of last year (a pandemic disaster year at that). They had by far the most games played by rookies and were the youngest team in the league.

What did everyone expect their protected list to look like? They were a bad team last year. Everyone expected it, and that is exactly what they got, and now people are surprised/upset that they are exactly what we thought?

This will likely take at least 2-3 more years before they are truly competitive. I was intrigued by Gaudette as well, but if the Hawks lose him over Kampf I don't care one bit. What is this team's biggest issue. Defense. What is the one thing that Kampf provides? Defense. It is not his fault that 70% of the rest of the team sucks at it. The Hawks have about 6 other guys that look just like Gaudette right now. He is just a bit further along. The quicker that they can get to playing better overall defense the quicker they are competitive.

Is Kampf the be all-end all there? Absolutely not, but he's better than most on this team.

My prediction. Ron Francis and the Kraken sign Vinny Hinostroza for something reasonable like $1.2mm/3 years. The Kraken get a guy with a decent motor to play 3/4 line, kill penalties and spot duty in their top 6. Doesn't break the bank, no long term commitment and can probably be flipped pretty easy or buried in the minors.

That fulfills the Hawks expansion pick and we are left debating the merits and faults of Kampf, Gaudette, Zadarov and deHaan.
- Rota's Rooter

I heard this morning that the Kracken are looking to sign UFA's Goodrow and Coleman, and draft Gourde out of Tampa and recreate the third line of Tampa.

I heard this morning that the Kracken are looking to sign UFA's Goodrow and Coleman, and draft Gourde out of Tampa and recreate the third line of Tampa.
- LAHawk

I thought if they signed a UFA, that counted as their pick.

I thought if they signed a UFA, that counted as their pick.
- tvetter

Not if they sign the UFA after the expansion draft. Also Goodrow's rights were traded to the Rangers.

My prediction. Ron Francis and the Kraken sign Vinny Hinostroza for something reasonable like $1.2mm/3 years. The Kraken get a guy with a decent motor to play 3/4 line, kill penalties and spot duty in their top 6. Doesn't break the bank, no long term commitment and can probably be flipped pretty easy or buried in the minors.

That fulfills the Hawks expansion pick and we are left debating the merits and faults of Kampf, Gaudette, Zadarov and deHaan.
- Rota's Rooter

Vinnie is a UFA. If Francis is smart he still picks someone like Carpenter, deHaan, Connolly, Gaudette, etc. He can then sign Vinnie during the regular free agency period. Why waste one of his picks for a week of negotiating rights to a player that no-one is clamoring to sign.

I heard this morning that the Kracken are looking to sign UFA's Goodrow and Coleman, and draft Gourde out of Tampa and recreate the third line of Tampa.
- LAHawk

That would be a nice move if they can pull it off. I wonder how effective they'll be without the rest of the talent they played with in Tampa.

I liked Gourde in the playoffs. A real PIA to play against and dirt cheap too.

That would be a nice move if they can pull it off. I wonder how effective they'll be without the rest of the talent they played with in Tampa.

I liked Gourde in the playoffs. A real PIA to play against and dirt cheap too.
- Rota's Rooter

Gourde makes over 5M/season. That isn't that cheap for a third line center

Vinnie is a UFA. If Francis is smart he still picks someone like Carpenter, deHaan, Connolly, Gaudette, etc. He can then sign Vinnie during the regular free agency period. Why waste one of his picks for a week of negotiating rights to a player that no-one is clamoring to sign.
- TheTrob

Okay that makes too much sense. The Kraken could make handshake deals for 72 hours with UFA's and still get more players on top of that.

I would think the NHL would have accounted for that situation to occur but, it is the league that can't decide what offsides, cross-checking and goalie interference is.

At the end of the day I would be surprised if Gaudette is picked.
- NamedSources

Same. Everyone here is much higher on Gaudette than the rest of the league

Gourde makes over 5M/season. That isn't that cheap for a third line center
- GPHawksfan

You're right. My mistake. I saw his salary from 2016. $600k.

The Hawks are basically just into their second (possibly third) year of a rebuild. They've only just this year have been able to get some notable salary cap relief. Their top two centers were out for most or all of last year (a pandemic disaster year at that). They had by far the most games played by rookies and were the youngest team in the league.

What did everyone expect their protected list to look like? They were a bad team last year. Everyone expected it, and that is exactly what they got, and now people are surprised/upset that they are exactly what we thought?

This will likely take at least 2-3 more years before they are truly competitive. I was intrigued by Gaudette as well, but if the Hawks lose him over Kampf I don't care one bit. What is this team's biggest issue. Defense. What is the one thing that Kampf provides? Defense. It is not his fault that 70% of the rest of the team sucks at it. The Hawks have about 6 other guys that look just like Gaudette right now. He is just a bit further along. The quicker that they can get to playing better overall defense the quicker they are competitive.

Is Kampf the be all-end all there? Absolutely not, but he's better than most on this team.
- Chunk

Also Hawks had many Dmen and forwards that DID NOT require protecting due to their "rookie" status. Mitchell, Boqvist, Beaudin, Suter, Dach, Kubalik, Kurachev, Reichel. That is quite a few good "potential" young players. Better than most NHL teams for sure. If those guys were EXPANSION ELIGIBLE our list would have been stocked with players we surely DID NOT want to lose!