Then you can dress brookbank and play him on the wing....
- TrueGrit

To show Gus how to do it.

Yeah, figured that. While some of the things you suggest, make it sound like it's not out of the realm of possibility, I was reading an article in the Herald that seems to feel some recent events make it less likely. I think there was one in the Athletic too.

If they are targeting a top 4 dman they may need to go the trade route and I wouldn't have any issue with it, if it was similar to the Strome for Schmaltz swap.
- HawkintheD

Hjalmarsson for Gustaffson. Hawks get a veteran top 4 D for two more years at a reasonable 5M cap hit. ARI gets Gus at 1.2M for one year then can flip him at next year's TDL or resign the defenisve liability for 4 or 5M.

Joki to QB the PP for the Hawks next year.

If we are going to address the back end it can only be done through hockey trade. No one in FA is worth over paying for. If they are going to make a serious splash, that will most likely be in the top 6 up front in UFA market.

Add Panarin. Use Saad and a defensive prospect to acquire a 3-4 d-man.

P.S. caught a game at BU this weekend and Chad Krys is filthy good.

Thoughts on offer sheeting Kevin Fiala at 2.3 per for 3 years?
- nickmo2699

Nice player but Nashville would match, no?

Great post.

Saad is going no where, and the Hawks would be shooting them selves in the foot by moving their best two-way winger in order to try to plug another hole.

Forget Panarin, this team needs to spend money to shore up the third line desperately. As I’ve alluded to recently, if you bring in a guy like Eric Staal (two-years), and Jakob Silfverberg (four-years) to slot into your third line with Saad, you’ve got a very dangerous third line (better than anything you’ve ever had during the dynasty days) that can play both ways.

Caggiula, Kampf, and a veteran addition for the fourth line, and you’ve got a much deeper and tougher to play against lineup.

The best defense is a good offense. It’s extremely difficult to improve your defense from outside the organization. The team is going to have to build from within and hope that experience can alleviate some of the issues going on right now. But having great goaltending (Craw) can help mask it as well. If Joker takes a big step next season, Murphy continues to play well, and Seabs/Keith don’t completely plummet even further in play, the defense will be much improved.
- TommyHawk

Not sure about Staal, but Silfvrrberg yes and hope they take a run at Dzingel

Trotz would be an interesting story getting to the finals. They are my first preferred choice; not saying they are the best in the east.
- Spec41971

My preferred choice also. Could easily see them dispatching a team or two at the dance. Trotz probably could have done it in Nashville, given some more "O."

Nice player but Nashville would match, no?
- Justin Lowe

Idk, they have some solid young talent coming up and he was drafted in 14' I believe and still hasn't cemented a top 6 spot. He could be a guy they take the draft picks for and move on.

Hjalmarsson for Gustaffson. Hawks get a veteran top 4 D for two more years at a reasonable 5M cap hit. ARI gets Gus at 1.2M for one year then can flip him at next year's TDL or resign the defenisve liability for 4 or 5M.

Joki to QB the PP for the Hawks next year.
- boilermaker100

I'd rather the PP not go back to 31st place. The PP is in a good place, Gus seems like the only and best option we got and things have been clicking. I'd much rather package Forsling and Sikura for Hammer as opposed to trading our PP QB to AZ for essentially a rich man's Connor Murphy. Also, I don't think Joki's capable of QB'ng our PP1, but that's just me.

Hjalmarsson for Gustaffson. Hawks get a veteran top 4 D for two more years at a reasonable 5M cap hit. ARI gets Gus at 1.2M for one year then can flip him at next year's TDL or resign the defenisve liability for 4 or 5M.

Joki to QB the PP for the Hawks next year.
- boilermaker100

I love hammer Still have a jersey but the last thing we need is Vets that are slowing down. we have 2 of those all ready we cannot move. I would add a forward and then trade from our depth. the only way we return a good young D is shipping off Kieth IMO

Not sure about Staal, but Silfvrrberg yes and hope they take a run at Dzingel
- LAHawk

Staal is having a down year and is still on pace for 25+ goals and 50+ points.

He’s 6’4” and wins 51% of draws. He’s a pretty big upgrade over Anisimov, and considering the fact that he’s 34, he’s not going to get a long-term deal in free agency. Having him at the rate we are paying AA (two-years, ~$4.5 mil AAV) would be a very good investment.

I like Dzingel, but he’s looking for a long-term deal at a rate I wouldn’t feel comfortable paying.

My preferred choice also. Could easily see them dispatching a team or two at the dance. Trotz probably could have done it in Nashville, given some more "O."
- gabriel

could have been an interesting alternative for the hawks if they had decided to cut bait with Q after last season.

I like the idea of Saad driving the 3rd line and if they can get him a center for next season, it would help with the overall depth.

Everything I've read recently says the optics are actually not good in terms of Panarin coming back to Chicago, and I'm hoping they are accurate.
- HawkintheD

Good, I trust your optics more than mine on panarin. I am agnostic when it comes to signing him.

Would be great to find a Brian Campbell, that is a top 4 guy in his prime to come in and anchor the blue line, from the information shared here, does not appear to be many candidates this off season.

Hjalmarsson for Gustaffson. Hawks get a veteran top 4 D for two more years at a reasonable 5M cap hit. ARI gets Gus at 1.2M for one year then can flip him at next year's TDL or resign the defenisve liability for 4 or 5M.

Joki to QB the PP for the Hawks next year.
- boilermaker100

I don’t know how much you have seen Hjalmarrson this year, but he is not close to the player he was with the Hawks. Please, let’s keep one more shift for the retired, not for players from the glory years that are past their shelf life. We kept 2 defenseman in Keith and Seabrook who we have seen the decline, we brought back Oduya, he was done. Sorry, Hjammer at $5 mil. Is a pass for me

To show Gus how to do it.
- Spec41971

Well played

I like the idea of Saad driving the 3rd line and if they can get him a center for next season, it would help with the overall depth.

Everything I've read recently says the optics are actually not good in terms of Panarin coming back to Chicago, and I'm hoping they are accurate.
- HawkintheD

Evan Barratt?

Staal is having a down year and is still on pace for 25+ goals and 50+ points.

He’s 6’4” and wins 51% of draws. He’s a pretty big upgrade over Anisimov, and considering the fact that he’s 34, he’s not going to get a long-term deal in free agency. Having him at the rate we are paying AA (two-years, ~$4.5 mil AAV) would be a very good investment.

I like Dzingel, but he’s looking for a long-term deal at a rate I wouldn’t feel comfortable paying.
- TommyHawk

I see your point, was looking at a younger alternative. Do you think he would sign a 2 year deal? Why wouldn’t Minnesota sign him short term?

Hjalmarsson for Gustaffson. Hawks get a veteran top 4 D for two more years at a reasonable 5M cap hit. ARI gets Gus at 1.2M for one year then can flip him at next year's TDL or resign the defenisve liability for 4 or 5M.

Joki to QB the PP for the Hawks next year.
- boilermaker100

So let me get this straight, Everyone is ready to jettison Keith who has a cap hit only slightly more that Hjalmarssons 5M, and is still a better player but has no problem bringing him back at that price point?

I love Hjalmarsson and hated when they moved him, but when suggestions on here are Keith + a sweetener like Sikura or Kahun to return only a 2nd round pick you realize how ridiculous bringing back Hjalmarsson sounds.

I love hammer Still have a jersey but the last thing we need is Vets that are slowing down. we have 2 of those all ready we cannot move. I would add a forward and then trade from our depth. the only way we return a good young D is shipping off Kieth IMO
- kmw4631

Please enlighten us, exactly who is taking one of your "vets who are slowing down" in Keith and returning you a "good young D". Please, who is that good young D that a team is willing to trade for Keith, and if he is actually good and Keith is declining, why would they do it?

I see your point, was looking at a younger alternative. Do you think he would sign a 2 year deal? Why wouldn’t Minnesota sign him short term?
- LAHawk

That’d be the extent that I’d be willing to go. Maybe he’s looking for term over annual value, which if true doesn’t make much sense for the Hawks. But if he’s looking for a short-term contract with a little bit of a raise (currently making $3.5 mil this year), I really like him as a fit here.

As far as re-signing with the Wild, I could see that happening. But at the same time, they recently got a new center in Rask, their potential “bust” Eriksson Ek has been looking better of late and is an RFA (so they could be looking to hold onto him), and of course they’ve still got Koivu for another year as well (not taking guys like Granlund and Coyle who could also play center). So maybe they just decide to let him walk and decide to blow it up? They’ve teetered on mediocrity for far too long.

https://www.1stohiobatter...-the-blue-jackets-tonight

I wouldn't mind bringing the Duke back for the bottom 6. Now with JC coaching, he might connect with the young forward.

That’d be the extent that I’d be willing to go. Maybe he’s looking for term over annual value, which if true doesn’t make much sense for the Hawks. But if he’s looking for a short-term contract with a little bit of a raise (currently making $3.5 mil this year), I really like him as a fit here.

As far as re-signing with the Wild, I could see that happening. But at the same time, they recently got a new center in Rask, their potential “bust” Eriksson Ek has been looking better of late and is an RFA (so they could be looking to hold onto him), and of course they’ve still got Koivu for another year as well (not taking guys like Granlund and Coyle who could also play center). So maybe they just decide to let him walk and decide to blow it up? They’ve teetered on mediocrity for far too long.
- TommyHawk

Well reasoned. I guess it depends on which direction the Wild want to go, if they keep Boudreau or not. My thought was Staal resurrected his career after he signed with the Wild, that he would prefer to stay.

So let me get this straight, Everyone is ready to jettison Keith who has a cap hit only slightly more that Hjalmarssons 5M, and is still a better player but has no problem bringing him back at that price point?

I love Hjalmarsson and hated when they moved him, but when suggestions on here are Keith + a sweetener like Sikura or Kahun to return only a 2nd round pick you realize how ridiculous bringing back Hjalmarsson sounds.
- TheTrob

Well I'm not advocating trading Keith + for a 2nd round pick. That is ridiculous. Keep him.

Several posters think the Hawks need to improve their defense next year. Trade Hammer for Gustaffson was my idea.

Some posters pointed out that Hammer has slowed down and that Gus is too valuable to move since he is the PP QB. Okay. Some other move will have to be made.

If the Hawks go into next year with the same defense corp as this year, they will remain a mediocre team.

I'm half joking about Panarin and I agree that money could potentially be spent elsewhere like on Defense. But, there are no real smart Top Pair signings on Defense this summer and I just have this funny feeling that the stars are aligning for a Panarin-Kane reunion. Hawks will have Cap Space for the 1st time in a decade, and the fan-base obviously loves Panarin given his warm reception on Saturday night at the UC. They have a hole in the top 6 forwards too... McDonagh would love the opportunity to make a big splash on both the local and national level as he will be the #1 UFA talked about in hockey this summer.
- EnzoD

The problem signing Panarin isn't the available cap space in 2019/20 - it's the lack of available cap space in 2020/21 when DeBrincat, Strome and Kahun will need to be re-signed.

We need defense. Guys who can clear the front of the net. Did yo see how Boston scored their goals. The future stars in Rockford are not the types to do it so you need to get guys who can and keep the kids of the future for offense. I am all for trading Gustofson (I am sure I'm spelling that wrong) because he has no clue how to play defense.

Well reasoned. I guess it depends on which direction the Wild want to go, if they keep Boudreau or not. My thought was Staal resurrected his career after he signed with the Wild, that he would prefer to stay.
- LAHawk

Very well could be the case of getting comfortable and not wanting to move. But at the same time, as an expiring contract he’s a likely trade candidate as well who could be moved in the coming days. In that case, him hitting the market becomes even more likely.

Guess we’ll have to see how it plays out, but either way, I’m still keeping an eye out on that possibility.

Improving the third line (depth scoring in general) is a glaring need for the Hawks, so I’d rather see money allocated there (two good upgrades) rather than a luxury like Panarin who does not solve any of the current Hawk issues.