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

Gourde is a 2C on most NHL teams. Tampa 3rd line is a 2nd line on 50% of NHL teams.

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

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...
- hawk35

Dach needs to play center and play it well. And no, as Ogi has said, I don't expect him to be CLOSE to fully developed at 20. But I think he needs to play center. Due to being rushed to the NHL he's in the final year of his entry deal

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?
- Ogilthorpe2

I like my third line to be as good as most teams second line, you know the way it used to be...

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

You know they played "Rock Paper Scissors" with the entire list.

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.
- tvetter

I expect a good part of the '21-22 Defense to be made up of players not yet on the team or in the system.

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

Second year they were NOT rebuilding the year they signed Lehner and those other vets.

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.
- Rota's Rooter

You forgot "illegal hits."

Second year they were NOT rebuilding the year they signed Lehner and those other vets.
- rpeters01

I only added that in there as it seemed as though Stan was making a number of moves to reshape the roster. They were not necessarily getting younger (or better), but there seemed to be a high number of moves made to reimagine what the roster should look like.

Since Blowman has given the Russian oaf a QO, does anyone know the following:

- has the oaf filed for arbitration? (if he does/has -- then he cannot sign another offer from another club, he is restricted to re-signing with the Hawks)

- if the oaf has filed, IMO then Blowman is screwed as the new deal is likely to be under the amount where Blowman can simply walk away. Only player-elected arbitration comes with walk-away rights for the team. Last year, awards higher than $4,538,958 carry walk-away rights in this offseason. Under that amount, team was screwed and had to pony up. I don't see an arb award of over $4.5M so Blowman would be forced to keep and pay up -- with no ability to trade him either based on the reports that he was being shopped.

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.
- Rota's Rooter

They did account for it, sort of, they gave the Kraken 3 days of exclusive negotiating rights, and if they are able to make a deal, that player counts as the choice from their previous team.

So you look at UFA's like Ovi, while its unlikely, say the Kraken convince him to sign, the Caps took a chance and lost. Or look at Price, waives his NMC and MTL takes a chance that his contract will make his choice by the Kraken unlikely allowing them to in effect "protect" two goalies. If the Kraken say f-it, we don't care what he costs and grab him, MTL's gamble fails.

Since Blowman has given the Russian oaf a QO, does anyone know the following:

- has the oaf filed for arbitration? (if he does/has -- then he cannot sign another offer from another club, he is restricted to re-signing with the Hawks)

- if the oaf has filed, IMO then Blowman is screwed as the new deal is likely to be under the amount where Blowman can simply walk away. Only player-elected arbitration comes with walk-away rights for the team. Last year, awards higher than $4,538,958 carry walk-away rights in this offseason. Under that amount, team was screwed and had to pony up. I don't see an arb award of over $4.5M so Blowman would be forced to keep and pay up -- with no ability to trade him either based on the reports that he was being shopped.
- savvyone-1

It's only one year Stan may not care.

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

You're right though, he is a good player i'd like to have

They did account for it, sort of, they gave the Kraken 3 days of exclusive negotiating rights, and if they are able to make a deal, that player counts as the choice from their previous team.

So you look at UFA's like Ovi, while its unlikely, say the Kraken convince him to sign, the Caps took a chance and lost. Or look at Price, waives his NMC and MTL takes a chance that his contract will make his choice by the Kraken unlikely allowing them to in effect "protect" two goalies. If the Kraken say f-it, we don't care what he costs and grab him, MTL's gamble fails.
- TheTrob

I would not be surprised if there were deals in advance with Seattle to not take Price or Ovi. That way Montreal and Washington could protect an additional player knowing what Seattle would do.

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?
- boilermaker100

I really this related to Gaudette's stomach illness (overgrowth of Candida in his stomach) while Kampf is healthy, long and decent in the dot.

Carey Price Shea Weber and a host of the marquee named (unhealthy, skating wounded, planning surgery, penis extension and possible retirement to use the new- found lease on life...you have think they ploy is to make Seattle think fast in other directions due to age and quick name recognition.
(and sure Gaudette is less "hurt" than the big fish.)

I am truly curious just how many established teams made side deals.

and maybe gaudette is protected under the table?

and you are correct, sir, neither brings us the Cup.

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

Why wouldn't they sign him after the draft, and pluck either Z or de Haan to trade at the deadline?

Dach needs to play center and play it well. And no, as Ogi has said, I don't expect him to be CLOSE to fully developed at 20. But I think he needs to play center. Due to being rushed to the NHL he's in the final year of his entry deal
- rpeters01

I am certain that although Dachs tow report cards say incomplete, that the hawks like the size, smart, defensive zone exits, and play in the offensive side. He is no where shown scoring a hard shot, and that might limit him a high grade.

and who knows? Maybe they feel that his value is highest now, and he COULD be traded, heresy of not.

Seattle to likely take Zadorov per Andy Strickland. The Hawks were unsuccessful in their attempts to move him prior to yesterday.

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

I could see the Kraken selecting Zadorov and flipping him for picks. They'd be less motivated to get a big return than Stan so I think Z could be easily moved.

I could see the Kraken selecting Zadorov and flipping him for picks. They'd be less motivated to get a big return than Stan so I think Z could be easily moved.
- DarthKane

If Stan is smart he’ll trade for Zadorov after the Kraken select him.

Seattle to likely take Zadorov per Andy Strickland. The Hawks were unsuccessful in their attempts to move him prior to yesterday.
- TommyHawk

Think it saves us somewhere in the 3-5 M range capwise so this is good even if we didn't get anything for him but would have liked at least a 4th.

Seattle to likely take Zadorov per Andy Strickland. The Hawks were unsuccessful in their attempts to move him prior to yesterday.
- TommyHawk

They are likely picking Subban.

On Z, wouldn't the Kraken be wary of the same thing Stan is concerned about - his arbitration award could be unpalatable?

Seattle to likely take Zadorov per Andy Strickland. The Hawks were unsuccessful in their attempts to move him prior to yesterday.
- TommyHawk

ASF

They are likely picking Subban.

On Z, wouldn't the Kraken be wary of the same thing Stan is concerned about - his arbitration award could be unpalatable?
- mohel

Sportsnet's mock draft has Seattle taking Gaudette for what it is worth.

Sportsnet's mock draft has Seattle taking Gaudette for what it is worth.
- hpk90

I've seen two bloggers here pick Delia as the Kraken pic. It's great to have no name players exposed where people pick names from a hat.