He's not Hossa, but Saad has a lot to like on the PK. Fast, big, can generate short handed scoring chances. I'd take a long look at Saad on the 1st forward pair PK.
- scottak

Hossa's hockey IQ was off the charts good. Datsyuk was the same way. Not many that smart that also have all of the other tools.

Saad could be ok on the PK. Hossa was special.

Speaking of Datsyuk he is 41 and scored 41 points in 52 games in the KHL. There was a rumor that he wanted to comeback to the NHL. He could be a pretty decent 3C even at his age.

The Hawks HAVE to take the best available player regardless of size. If that happens to be Cozens great! If it happenes to be Caufield, great! If two players are considered to be equal then you can possibly go for the bigger player.
- paulr

I don’t know about any of you guys, but I feel something coming way out of left field with this Number three overall pick. I am sure he’s going to get a lot of good trade proposals also

I don’t know about any of you guys, but I feel something coming way out of left field with this Number three overall pick. I am sure he’s going to get a lot of good trade proposals also
- wonthecup10

Chicago's scouts have made some surprising draft choices, Joki was forecast to go later in the second round and the Hawks took him in the first. I won't be surprised if the Hawks are targeting someone who isn't in the top 10 and trade out of the 3 position to get their targeted player.

Chicago's scouts have made some surprising draft choices, Joki was forecast to go later in the second round and the Hawks took him in the first. I won't be surprised if the Hawks are targeting someone who isn't in the top 10 and trade out of the 3 position to get their targeted player.
- paulr

Would love to see what else they would get back in addition to that proposal. In my mind never trade a top three pick. Especially when you have at least a half a dozen guys who potentially could go number one.

Plenty of hawk players block pucks. Murphy blocked 91 shots, Toews 44, Keith 144 and Seabs 180.
- paulr

Hjammer blocked 187 but scored zero goals
Edit Seabrook playing 4 less games blocked 180. I'd argue he is better than Hammer

Would love to see what else they would get back in addition to that proposal. In my mind never trade a top three pick. Especially when you have at least a half a dozen guys who potentially could go number one.
- wonthecup10

Hakws #3 to the Kings for #5 and Derek Forbort

I don’t know about any of you guys, but I feel something coming way out of left field with this Number three overall pick. I am sure he’s going to get a lot of good trade proposals also
- wonthecup10

Caufield won’t be from left field, at least not for me.

Caufield won’t be from left field, at least not for me.
- DarthKane

Not left field, maybe shortstop?

Chicago's scouts have made some surprising draft choices, Joki was forecast to go later in the second round and the Hawks took him in the first. I won't be surprised if the Hawks are targeting someone who isn't in the top 10 and trade out of the 3 position to get their targeted player.
- paulr

And it was a solid pickup. Plus they got Altybarmakyan by trading down from 26 to 29.

Would love to see what else they would get back in addition to that proposal. In my mind never trade a top three pick. Especially when you have at least a half a dozen guys who potentially could go number one.
- wonthecup10

Idk, it seems like there are a lot of good options after the consensus top 2 players. Because there isn't a consensus 3, 4, and 5, moving down a few spots and possibly still getting your guy doesn't sound like a horrible option.

Too bad the Hawks didn't trade the 3rd pick instead of handing in the envelope at the podium with Barker's name in it.

I see there's been a bit of rehash of the Hammer/Murphy trade. I won't get into what the valuations of each player should have been, what they are now, or what they will be in the future, but I can at least offer a possible thought process.

With Hammer, I am thinking there were a couple of likely scenarios they considered. One is he remains a stud, and they can't afford to pay him on his new contract. The second was he starts a decline due to the wear and tear, and they no longer have a top four guy. Neither scenario would be good.

With Murphy, they assigned a valuation, and believed it was a more stable valuation. They chose to go for more certainty for a longer duration. The injuries are a bad break of sorts. That happens. It would be interesting to see what Murphy does over a full season.

What we need is a Hossa-like player. Saad 2.0 isn't it.
- StutzBlackhawk

Vegas already got him - Mark Stone.

Hossa's hockey IQ was off the charts good. Datsyuk was the same way. Not many that smart that also have all of the other tools.

Saad could be ok on the PK. Hossa was special.

Speaking of Datsyuk he is 41 and scored 41 points in 52 games in the KHL. There was a rumor that he wanted to comeback to the NHL. He could be a pretty decent 3C even at his age.
- -Doh-

Absolutely. He was one of my favorite players to watch, unbelievable instincts at both ends of the ice. I'd take him in a second, no matter what his age. He'd probably still be useful at 45.

Idk, it seems like there are a lot of good options after the consensus top 2 players. Because there isn't a consensus 3, 4, and 5, moving down a few spots and possibly still getting your guy doesn't sound like a horrible option.

Too bad the Hawks didn't trade the 3rd pick instead of handing in the envelope at the podium with Barker's name in it.
- HawkintheD

There are 8 weeks left until the draft.

The U18 must still finish, and then the interviews and testing and....

The consensus may not hold - the rest may solidify.

It may all look a lot different come June 21.

While I respect your opinion, Hammer is still better than Murphy, and will be next season too.
- scottak

Yep and he played for the poopty Yotes team I'm sure that had some bearing on his less than stellar stats

matheson is worse but he is 25 and should get better over the next years at 1 mil less per season. Keith is going to get worse every year over the next 5 and you have Seabs who is also getting worse every year can we afford 2 old D men over the next 5 years? I say no.

Boquist I would be OK moving if his return was very good and we draft Bowen. We are loaded at RD were is Mitcell, murph, Joki, Seabs Boquist going to play?
Darling is broken but in Chicago with his support system in place he was great. Signing him for League Min that all can be buried in the AHL is a smart move. Delia is the starter in 2020 and 2021 right now.

I should have put an amount on perlini. something like 3 years at 1.5. Its kind of like Panik he showed some signs of life and we gave him a 1 year deal 1mil. like you want with Perlini. if Perlini scores 20+ goals (which I think will happen) you are going to have to pay him 3 mil per year the same year CAT and Strome will have new deals.

kampf is never going to put up points so doing 1 year deals has little upside or downside.

Hayes for 6 mil is because if we go Bowen and Trade AA who do we have to play 3rd line center. he would make only 1.45 mil more then AA is 3-4 years younger and is better at the DOT.
- kmw4631

Matheson is what he is at this point. Keith will always be better. Perlini sucks. He is nothing but an IF. I don't care about the DOT. You are paying Hayes more money to bring the same things AA does but is a little younger. Its a waste of 1.5M to me. There should be better options.

Kampf's job won't be to put up points. I would lock him up for 2-3 and know that my 4th line center is set. Give him some wingers to work with and he will excel in that role.

The Hawks have a good track record of finding goalies. So I pass on Darling.

Darling is not necessarily broken. He is what he has always been. He's a backup, who once given a full-time starting role wilts under the pressure. The league is littered with goalies who have earned contracts based off of short hot-streaks and/opr playing time when a starter goes down.

Darling had a great run as a backup for the Hawks but he has always had the hot/cold of a backup and not the steadiness of a starter. Same with guys line Talbot, Hutton, Elliot, etc.

Darling was a great story, local kid, local team, overcame issues to make it, etc. I would have taken him as a backup over Ward, but he is just a backup.
- TheTrob

He continued to struggle even after going down to the A. They just sent him home. I think the Hawks need to find out what they have in the goalies in the system without Darling as a project.

I hope the kid finds his way back to the league. He really is a great kid. I just want someone else to fix him. Though, it wouldn't surprise me if the Hawks did take a shot with him because that is the lind of organization they have become.

While I respect your opinion, Hammer is still better than Murphy, and will be next season too.
- scottak

we will have to agree to disagree. I still would choose Murphy at this point in their careers.

There are 8 weeks left until the draft.

The U18 must still finish, and then the interviews and testing and....

The consensus may not hold - the rest may solidify.

It may all look a lot different come June 21.
- StLBravesFan

Yep and he played for the poopty Yotes team I'm sure that had some bearing on his less than stellar stats
- BetweenTheDots

That finished better than the Hawks.

That finished better than the Hawks.
- Elbows15

Yes. All because of Hammer.

(frank)ing Lucic and wtc. Lucic blows donkey balls at this point. Edmonton would be thrilled if someone took his slow ass and bloated contract off of their hands.

Yes. All because of Hammer.
- HawkintheD

Of course.

Would love to see what else they would get back in addition to that proposal. In my mind never trade a top three pick. Especially when you have at least a half a dozen guys who potentially could go number one.
- wonthecup10

Would you you trade:

3 for 7 and 20

or
3 and 43 for 5, 23, and 33

Would you you trade:

3 for 7 and 20

or
3 and 43 for 5, 25, and 33
- walleyeb1

That one would make me think. Of course it comes down to who the Hawks value at 3 and if they could still get him or someone else they like at 5.

The first one isn't possible. It has conditions on it as part of the Montour trade for Buffalo. With the Blues advancing I think it now becomes a property of the Ducks. Well, the Ducks can choose between that and the SJ pick whichever is higher.