Tyler Cameron: Anisimov traded for Smith; What's next?
Stan Bowman finally made the move we were all waiting for. Well, kinda.

I have been hearing that it was only a matter of time that Artem Anisimov was dealt.

Let's look at the trade, what Smith is... and what Smith isn't.

Appears Stan has a plan and he is sticking to it.
It is an awful lot of new faces tho, need to mesh quickly

Appears Stan has a plan and he is sticking to it.
It is an awful lot of new faces tho, need to mesh quickly
- dpard

Meh. He's only turned over half the team...still so much more to do.

I think that the sweaters hanging in the lockers image is a bit overblown if only to the point where there is another common theme with all of those sweaters -- Toews, Strome, and Dach - they were all #3 overall draft choices...

"He was a good soldier for Chicago and slide into the 2nd line nicely and played his best hockey with Patrick Kane and Artemi Panarin. I mean, who wouldn't play their best hockey with those guys though."

The answer I think might have been Marcus Krueger? I am pretty sure that they tried a few other guys there and nothing really worked .. in fact Toews didn't work in that slot ... so it is a bit of a loaded observation --- conventional wisdom says that you're right - who wouldn't play their best - but in actuality it was one of the highest paid guys in the NHL - and they did try him there ... didn't work - no idea why - but it was as dud.

I have to go back and read the rest now, though ...

I like the moves made to date. I'm hoping the adds of DeHaan and Maatta help the PK on the blue line. Also hoping guys like Shaw, Carpenter, Smith help the PK from the forwards. We know both Crow and Lehner will hold the fort, PK-wise.
But most of all, I hope one (or possibly two) young'ens force their way onto the team and it ends up making the bottom 6 ready to go. Like when Shaw did so when he made the show.

So now that Stan seems to be nearing an end of the off season changes, I have one question. Who will we complain about this year? Quenneville, Schmaltz, Kahun, Anisimov, Jokiharju, Rutta, Forsling, Martinsen, Manning, Hayden, and Forsberg are all gone. Who will be this years top complained about player? Here is my list:
Bowman
Colliton
Gustafsson
Keith
Seabrook
Murphy
Quenneville
Nylander
Shaw
Kampf
Saad
Sikura
Maatta
de Haan

Any others that I missed?

Oops, forgot to add Crawford, Lehner, and Delia.

Bottom 6 grinder, yes please. We need guys that will hit and win faceoffs in this Central Division.

Riley Sheahan. Perhaps that is your 3rd line center. Still on the FA market.

So is Oscar Lindberg. Both have the versatility Stan seems to be targeting. Just early morning ideas

Appears Stan has a plan and he is sticking to it.
It is an awful lot of new faces tho, need to mesh quickly
- dpard

True...but, let's break it down a little.

Compared to last year.....

Total offense: Lost nothing appreciable. Added some depth. Should score much the same.

Power Play. Still have Gus. Shaw for net-front. Kane, Toews, saad....should be as good or better than last year.

Team defense: Should be massive upgrade. Better D-men in own zone with additions of Maatta and Dehaan. Shaw and Carpenter and now Smith all add some grinding to bottom 6. Team defense should be...almost HAS to be better.

Penalty Kill. Add Smith, Carpenter, DeHaan....PK will be improved a lot!!

Goaltending. Crawford/Lehner miles ahead of any duo last year.

Overall Stan did a great job, and not to be lost in all of this....NO LONG TERM KILLER CONTRACTS. Anybody who doesn't work out can be gone in one or two years. Lot's of room to add and delete over the next couple of years. KEY, with D-Cat and Strome contracts coming.

Good job Stan. I give you a solid B+

This deal only opened enough cap space to ice a 23-man roster (including a Perlini) - not enough to go get a true 3C without sending out as much cap space as they get back.

Smith signed his $3.25MM contract in the middle of the second of his only two good-scoring seasons - he’s had only 14 goals in 138 games the past two seasons. It’s a lot of money for a fourth line wing (and I’m guessing we’ll be happy with his play at that level).

True...but, let's break it down a little.

Compared to last year.....

Total offense: Lost nothing appreciable. Added some depth. Should score much the same.

Power Play. Still have Gus. Shaw for net-front. Kane, Toews, saad....should be as good or better than last year.

Team defense: Should be massive upgrade. Better D-men in own zone with additions of Maatta and Dehaan. Shaw and Carpenter and now Smith all add some grinding to bottom 6. Team defense should be...almost HAS to be better.

Penalty Kill. Add Smith, Carpenter, DeHaan....PK will be improved a lot!!

Goaltending. Crawford/Lehner miles ahead of any duo last year.

Overall Stan did a great job, and not to be lost in all of this....NO LONG TERM KILLER CONTRACTS. Anybody who doesn't work out can be gone in one or two years. Lot's of room to add and delete over the next couple of years. KEY, with D-Cat and Strome contracts coming.

Good job Stan. I give you a solid B+
- hawk35

Enough to pass Blues, Avs, Preds, Stars and Jets to get into the tournament?

Enough to pass Blues, Avs, Preds, Stars and Jets to get into the tournament?
- StLBravesFan

Possibly? Probably?
Time will tell. Stan has addressed areas of weakness that prevented them from playoffs last year. Plus, he has provided multiple contenders for annual whipping boy....he's a genius

Enough to pass Blues, Avs, Preds, Stars and Jets to get into the tournament?
- StLBravesFan

Enough to compete with them. I think Avs have a chance to make a leap, especially reg season. So Avs and Blues may be anotch above. But, Jets will take a step back. A lot of tinkering to do there yet. Dallas is good, but Hawks can be as good. Preds are no big shakes. Yes. Hawks CAN make the dance and finish Top 5. And I think that's all it will take, because I only see 3 getting in from the Pacific.

Enough to compete with them. I think Avs have a chance to make a leap, especially reg season. So Avs and Blues may be anotch above. But, Jets will take a step back. A lot of tinkering to do there yet. Dallas is good, but Hawks can be as good. Preds are no big shakes. Yes. Hawks CAN make the dance and finish Top 5. And I think that's all it will take, because I only see 3 getting in from the Pacific.
- hawk35

lol. That said. A couple injuries...couple guys bust. 7th in Division and lottery team. Parity...Good luck predicting much in this league!!!

I still believe if Smith and AA are making the same salary there is no way Stan does this deal. AA is the better and more versitile player however Smith does bring some jam that AA doesn't. My interest is in why that $1.3M cap savings is so important? Is it for a slush fund for later in the season? Is it to sign Perlini? Is it the first salary savings for another move to come?

The trade is done. I hope Smith can be regular contributer and doesn't just take a spot on the roster that a better younger prospect should have. I've always said at the end of the day I trust Bowman and his staff because they have more inside knowledge that me. But this move to acquire Smith and the last move for Nylander are very curious.

Why did the hawks want to move on from Anisimov ?

I noticed in Smith's statement him thanking a scout for giving a tall lanky kid from Sask a chance. Sounded a bit familiar as the Hawks just drafted a tall kid who played in Sask. I know there is supposed to be a huge gap in expected talent, but perhaps the Hawks see Smith as a kind of mentor for Dach, like AA might have been for Panarin off the ice.

>>>Is there a chance that the Hawks move on from Perlini? Yes. Bowman did not mention his name once in his interview with the media. He just mentioned the cap flexibility. The more the summer goes on, the less leverage Perlini has with the Hawks. He is also staring down the barrel of the forward logjam and will need to fit for everyday playing time on the Hawks. <<<

yep..perlini should sign a 1-2 year deal for no more than 1.5 with incentives and be happy with it...

this should be one of the more interesting and competitive preseason camps in years...

I noticed in Smith's statement him thanking a scout for giving a tall lanky kid from Sask a chance. Sounded a bit familiar as the Hawks just drafted a tall kid who played in Sask. I know there is supposed to be a huge gap in expected talent, but perhaps the Hawks see Smith as a kind of mentor for Dach, like AA might have been for Panarin off the ice.
- 6628

I think you may be overthinking the trade. Are there better guys in the league to mentor Dach than Toews and Seabrook and even Patrick Kane (imagine saying that 7 years ago)? A mentor doesn't have to come from the same Province or state or country, so long as they can communicate. I believe the only reason for the trade was $1.3M is cap savings.

Why did the hawks want to move on from Anisimov ?
- spazzbot

well...tyler explained it pretty well...

not 3rd line kinda guy
he does not have a role
other than net presence he doesn't add that much
hawks wanted to move the last two years of his 4.5 mil cap hit

This deal only opened enough cap space to ice a 23-man roster (including a Perlini) - not enough to go get a true 3C without sending out as much cap space as they get back.

Smith signed his $3.25MM contract in the middle of the second of his only two good-scoring seasons - he’s had only 14 goals in 138 games the past two seasons. It’s a lot of money for a fourth line wing (and I’m guessing we’ll be happy with his play at that level).
- StLBravesFan

very true...but unless smith really shines he won't be here next year..as has been well documented hawks will need to come up with about 13 mildo in additional cap space to pay adb and strome

I still believe if Smith and AA are making the same salary there is no way Stan does this deal. AA is the better and more versitile player however Smith does bring some jam that AA doesn't. My interest is in why that $1.3M cap savings is so important? Is it for a slush fund for later in the season? Is it to sign Perlini? Is it the first salary savings for another move to come?

The trade is done. I hope Smith can be regular contributer and doesn't just take a spot on the roster that a better younger prospect should have. I've always said at the end of the day I trust Bowman and his staff because they have more inside knowledge that me. But this move to acquire Smith and the last move for Nylander are very curious.
- paulr

Signing perlini has the potential to block a prospect that deserves to make the team.
I just don't see the prospect that fills the role smith does

A bit off topic, but have you guys watched the Dach mic’d up video? Kid is hilarious, slightly goofy (in a really good way), super encouraging to the rest of the kids, and has a fun personality (judging from that 60 seconds anyway ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ )

I dubbed him Captain Not So Serious. And, so far I really like him. "Good work, FELL-ELL-AS!"

https://twitter.com/nhlbl.../1151217899060809729?s=21

very true...but unless smith really shines he won't be here next year..as has been well documented hawks will need to come up with about 13 mildo in additional cap space to pay adb and strome
- bogiedoc

He’s got 2 years left on this expensive (for a 4th liner) Deal - How moveable will he be?