If you're talking UFA I hope the Hawks steer clear of the big names and go after a solid mid range defenseman.
- paulr

Unfortunately I do not see a mid-tier UFA D available

Funny you mention that, because the Hall for Larsson trade crossed my mind too. Totally agree about stocking the prospect pond and law of averages and good scouting would likely have some of them pan out.

If they could get a guy on a decent deal I wouldn’t mind a legit stopgap that can give the draft picks time to grow, or a player they trade for that fits in to how they are viewing the long game.
- HawkintheD

As Ty said, a top 4 guy is probably gonna cost Saad or similar. If the guy is a reach for the top four, no thanks. If you do a deal like that, Ty's premise - that the top six looks set - is gone. After the swap , now you'll need a top six wing.

- paulr

Too generous?

Nice trade for Sharp. Drafted Johnny and Kaner. He had hits and misses, but overall his record is what it is..... mediocre at best.
- mohel

I appreciate Tallon for his time here, but he had more first round misses than Bowman and is lauded for making the right picks when he had the 1st overall and 3rd overall (the second time), while Bowman often gets no credit for picking Saad or Terabyte; because “they fell to him”, and he was just doing what every other GM would do.

Too generous?
- mohel

Dale is the best.

Is Cody Ceci a legit top 4? He is an RFA, and I don't see Ottawa wanting to pay him, maybe trade Anisimov and a mid draft pick for him, as AA's actual cash outlay is less than his AAV is after this year.

I appreciate Tallon for his time here, but he had more first round misses than Bowman and is lauded for making the right picks when he had the 1st overall and 3rd overall (the second time), while Bowman often gets no credit for picking Saad or Terabyte “they fell to him”, and he was just doing what every other GM would do.
- HawkintheD

Totes, bruh.

Dale is the best.
- paulr

Is Cody Ceci a legit top 4? He is an RFA, and I don't see Ottawa wanting to pay him, maybe trade Anisimov and a mid draft pick for him, as AA's actual cash outlay is less than his AAV is after this year.
- LAHawk

That Strome and Perlini for Schmaltz trade was pretty creative, appears to be successful and came right out of left field. I'd love to see if he can pull another trade similar to that out of his sleeve.

As Ty said, a top 4 guy is probably gonna cost Saad or similar. If the guy is a reach for the top four, no thanks. If you do a deal like that, Ty's premise - that the top six looks set - is gone. After the swap , now you'll need a top six wing.
- mohel

That’s the conundrum and I would hate to part with Saad. Need more of those players not less. Would all depend on the trade but like some have mentioned I would hope it wouldn’t be for someone they hope or suspect can be top 4 but actually is.

I do think they’ll get a bit of an upgrade with Joker likely assuming a full time role next year. According to the Herald he obviously wasn’t happy about getting sent to the Rock but sounds like he’s making the most of it.

I think Sikura gets moved this summer. I do not know where he fits in honestly. Maybe Anisimov, Sikura, + for a defenseman? Spit balling ideas. Trading Saad in my opinion hurts the depth of the top 6. Don't know if Perlini is a legit top 6, I am hoping a light went off for him and he is starting to get it. As for the bottom 6, I think we are starting to see some real possibilities that can help this team by providing very solid depth. I think #91, #64, and #24 are real nice bottom six depth players. I would like to see the Hawks look to add a 3rd line center, because I think a third line of the new center with #91 and #24 would be a very nice line. Kamph in my opinion would provide this team with an excellent 4th line center that can help kill penalties. A Brock Nelson type and a nice shutdown defenseman would be on my wish list for this organization this summer.

Place potpourri in all the restrooms.
- paulr

And lavender.

Unfortunately I do not see a mid-tier UFA D available
- LAHawk

I may be in the minority on this but every time I've watched Winnipeg this season Ben Chiarot looks like he might fit the bill.

That Strome and Perlini for Schmaltz trade was pretty creative, appears to be successful and came right out of left field. I'd love to see if he can pull another trade similar to that out of his sleeve.
- paulr

Ottawa just brought Branstrom up, and they have Chabot, I do not see them wanting to pay Ceci around $5 mil. a year. He is a former #1, drafted before the Hawks took Teuvo.

That’s the conundrum and I would hate to part with Saad. Need more of those players not less. Would all depend on the trade but like some have mentioned I would hope it wouldn’t be for someone they hope or suspect can be top 4 but actually is.

I do think they’ll get a bit of an upgrade with Joker likely assuming a full time role next year. According to the Herald he obviously wasn’t happy about getting sent to the Rock but sounds like he’s making the most of it.
- HawkintheD

Yep, and that's why I think it useful to identify some names. I suspect that would cause a hissy fit among those desperately seeking a top four guy.

Is Cody Ceci a legit top 4? He is an RFA, and I don't see Ottawa wanting to pay him, maybe trade Anisimov and a mid draft pick for him, as AA's actual cash outlay is less than his AAV is after this year.
- LAHawk

He's way worse than Murphy

Let's face facts, when Delia came out to start the third, that gave the officials every excuse to let Toronto back in the game. I do not know what the refs were watching, but when Marner didn't get up off of Delia, a penalty should have been called. In fact the last 3 miutes or so (when Tor pulled the goalie), there were about 3 or 4 times GI should have been called. Props to Delia for holding on and preserving the "W".

To me the challenge in acquiring a top four D guy (or UFA bottom six guys for that matter) next year will be the money.

If SB (1) leaves room to pay ADB and Strome, (2) only comes back with their RFAs at the minimum qualifying offer and (3) makes no other changes beyond launching the dead weight UFAs, they are only going to have about $2-4MM to spend in pure cash for any new acquisitions.

So who can/should/would agree to be moved to make up for the difference or can be traded for equal cap value next season?

Does AA get you a top 4 D guy?....likely not.

Will/can Keith or Seabrook be moved?....likely not.

Do they move any of the productive pieces like 19/88/20/12/17?....likely not

Honestly I don't see any room to move much, or get much in return without creating an equal to greater hole elsewhere. So it boils down to player development, and from what the reports seem to be alluding to is that their best prospects are at least another year away from getting a taste, let alone a roster spot, and a guy like Boqvist might actually not be the D guy they wanted, but rather, a forward.

The status quo is not sustainable either as the defense and the roster are still very much in flux. Unless they are still going to run the team as a quasi-developmental roster (seems to me that is what Rockford is for but....)

Again - why not go for the high draft pick and get a much higher chance of signing an NHL ready guy?

Another consideration is protecting who they need/want/have to keep in the upcoming expansion draft - don't want to sign guys they need who they have to then expose to selection.

Eight years of basically zero player development has delayed healthy regrowth of the roster. Even the recent crop of acquisitions, while undeniably better than past years, are primarily defensemen who are basically the same guy - puck moving, non-physical, very raw, and thus unknown potential at this point.

I am just not seeing the flexibility others do when I do just the basic math. At the end of the day, if ADB and Strome are keepers, they are looking at what...$13-17MM in cap between them, so where is the room for FAs?

And lavender.
- EbonyRaptor

They've been pumping lavender into the UC for years, which is why there's no more huge brawls in the crowd.

It's The Great Lavender Conspiracy.

Let's face facts, when Delia came out to start the third, that gave the officials every excuse to let Toronto back in the game. I do not know what the refs were watching, but when Marner didn't get up off of Delia, a penalty should have been called. In fact the last 3 miutes or so (when Tor pulled the goalie), there were about 3 or 4 times GI should have been called. Props to Delia for holding on and preserving the "W".
- powerenforcer

Fact!

I think Sikura gets moved this summer. I do not know where he fits in honestly. Maybe Anisimov, Sikura, + for a defenseman? Spit balling ideas. Trading Saad in my opinion hurts the depth of the top 6. Don't know if Perlini is a legit top 6, I am hoping a light went off for him and he is starting to get it. As for the bottom 6, I think we are starting to see some real possibilities that can help this team by providing very solid depth. I think #91, #64, and #24 are real nice bottom six depth players. I would like to see the Hawks look to add a 3rd line center, because I think a third line of the new center with #91 and #24 would be a very nice line. Kamph in my opinion would provide this team with an excellent 4th line center that can help kill penalties. A Brock Nelson type and a nice shutdown defenseman would be on my wish list for this organization this summer.
- ChicagoHope

Unless Sikura lights the world on fire in these last 12 games, and maybe not even then, Sikura isn't going to have the trade value to get back much of anything the Hawks need. Even packaging him as a throw in isn't going to raise the value for the trade partner all that much. If he establishes himself as a good top-9 winger next season - then other teams would value getting him in a trade but he's not there yet.

Unless Sikura lights the world on fire in these last 12 games, and maybe not even then, Sikura isn't going to have the trade value to get back much of anything the Hawks need. Even packaging him as a throw in isn't going to raise the value for the trade partner all that much. If he establishes himself as a good top-9 winger next season - then other teams would value getting him in a trade but he's not there yet.
- EbonyRaptor

Yes - and this is the problem with the players who are expendable to the Hawks - they are expendable because they are not NHL-level players.

They've been pumping lavender into the UC for years, which is why there's no more huge brawls in the crowd.

It's The Great Lavender Conspiracy.
- mohel

Well that explains why my loafers always feel a little lighter after leaving a game.

I would love Chiarot from Winnipeg.

Yes - and this is the problem with the players who are expendable to the Hawks - they are expendable because they are not NHL-level players.
- Return of the Roar

I think a legit top pair guy is impossible to get this summer. A 3/4:guy could happen, but to get a young one that would really help is likely to cost Saad. What's your opinion on that? I'd consider it, but then there's a hole in the front.