I can't wait for everyone on this board to lose their poop when Sikura is used as a sweetener to move AA.

If it comes to that, I’m sure he can use Eli as a solid reference.
- Ogilthorpe2

Someone other than I will need to make that introduction as my last pm to Barney was none too flattering and extended my ban significantly

I don't really understand what you mean about them not being good for their new teams because they have? Like Drouin just hit over 50 points at 22 (on a mediocre offense team) and his underlying passing/shot contribution metrics suggest he'll get even better while Sergachev was excellent in a #5 role at only 19/20 with the likelihood that he'll be top 4 next season when he's 21 (only reason he wasn't already is due to how stacked TBL's defense is).
- L_B_R

It was a passing "comparative" thought. You are looking at stats, I was thinking more in general as to what the GMs were doing/thinking when they made the trade.

Drouin was a 3rd overall pick by TB and couldnt crack their lineup and get much playing time, and eventually got sent to Syracuse and then got PO'd and quit. Yzerman made him sit there until he could engineer a trade he liked. He insisted on Montreal's best D prospect Sergachev. The Habs gave him up and were thrilled to get Drouin to play center. He has been underwhelming at best - Bergevin has since traded for Max Domi and made him a center; drafted the Finnish kid #8 last year as a center and just recently tried to offer sheet Aho (a center).

Sergachev - I guess you didnt watch the BJ's sweep Tampa and expose their defence when Hedman was out and Cooper to use Sergachev in a higher slot than he was ready for. That exposed him. But, like Joki he has great potential.

I see similar with this trade - 2 GMs trading for potential and positional needs. Joki will be in the Sabres lineup in October because they dont have any better. Then we can assess whether he is a top 4 talent in the making going up against good teams in the East every night.

Nylander - who knows? Stan must think he has pulled a real player. He bettet be correct.

I can't wait for everyone on this board to lose their poop IF Sikura is used as a sweetener to move AA.
- SoftServe

Fixed

I don't follow Twitter all that closely, but had to check out whatever that bottle cap challenge was ( and it was basically like ..planking ... stupid) ... Nylander's account looks like he has had a serious man crush on Kane for quite awhile ...
- SC116

Ya, so much Kane content ! Hopefully, they get to play on the same line!

Someone other than I will need to make that introduction as my last pm to Barney was none too flattering and extended my ban significantly
- dpard

I was protected from being banned because Bob was my friend.

Fixed
- paulr

I can't wait for everyone on this board to lose their poop when Sikura is used as a sweetener to move AA.
- SoftServe

Or worse...AA is kept on and no fun trade happens.

You get run and see how you handle it.

Talk trash all you want on the "experts" and support hockeybuzz bloggers, that's way better.

Unless you're in scouting dept or one or two guys nhl users to break news, you're throwing darts.
- ge1002

I have been the runnee and runner many times a million years ago. I was close to the game for 50 years and had a real good look when I wasn't playing. Most people involved in the game in whatever capacity are real solid people. But it's pretty obvious when someone on the media side of things gets an assignment to cover a hockey team because "someone's got to do it" and they are better off using their ears more than their yap for a few years at least while they learn the game. That's not always the case.

As for this blog site, everyone chucks darts. Some are just a little closer to the target than others. But there is some solid logic that happens here now and then.

- SoftServe

Oh my!! You have a source do you? Gotta love sources!

LOL .... The fact is Joki and Nylander are in exactly the same boat. Two first round picks who have failed to establish themselves to their first teams. You criticize Bowman for the trade in part because Nylander MIGHT become a minor leaguer while in a previous point you say Joki is just a fill in for an injury. If you approach every move Bowman makes as a bad one then guess what? Every move he makes is dumb. Why not wait and see what happens to two former first round picks and see how it all plays out?

As for "this organization no longer values grooming defensemen to actually play in Chicago." who exactly are you referring to? Seems to me they are grooming Boqvist and being patient with Mitchell, Krys and Beaudin to allow them to develop.

Let's see what happens. Maybe you're right and this is a bad trade. On the other hand maybe it was a steal for Chicago. We won't know for a couple of years.
- paulr

You could have used some critical thinking and said you dont like Alex Nylander because Willie Nylander plays for the Leafs and is overpaid. That rationale would have made sense to me.

Oh my!! You have a source do you? Gotta love sources!
- paulr

A source is a source, of course of course
and no one can speak to a sourse, of course
unless, of course, the source, of course
is the famous Mr. Ed

Ohhhhh Wilbur.

Oh my!! You have a source do you? Gotta love sources!
- paulr

Haha

Injuries aside, we know DeHaan and Mattaa are NHL calibre defensemen.
- paulr

I do not think you watch Penguins much. Unlike his first year, Matta has not been better than Seabrook last year or two and has been consistently benched. Unless they have insider knowledge he recovers from injury next year and plays better this will be another anchor.
I also do not understand "ship Murthy out" calls to come under cap, this defense will be way worse with Maata for Murthy swap.

You could have used some critical thinking and said you dont like Alex Nylander because Willie Nylander plays for the Leafs and is overpaid. That rationale would have made sense to me.
- RickJ

When I read the headline about the trade this morning I thought it was for Willie. I'm sure Daddy Nylander will be pulling the same stunt for Ale as he did for Willie. Hopefully the Hawks use their leverage in contract negotiations unlike Toronto.

I would think if Mitchell was having doubts, they wouldn't have traded Jokiharju because they'd be down to just one RD prospect left without Mitchell.
- L_B_R

By the logjam that would occur by Jokiharju's presence, I think Ian Mitchell the captain ion his college team, might figure maybe there would be better options elsewhere.

I thought this trade was a clear indication thatthey knew they were going logjam and I just might have helped stir Ian Mitchell towards second Indianhead, but after Kevin Hayes each and every early pick that goes to college makes me insecure of that player not taking advantage to a loophole I don't think they CAN close.
(And with Mitchell a second rounder, you don't get a compensation second rounder if he chooses to go...just what you can obtain on the market as Calgary and subsequently Carolina did when they found a very interested and bare cupboard in New York Rangers.

I do not think you watch Penguins much. Unlike his first year, Matta has not been better than Seabrook last year or two and has been consistently benched. Unless they have insider knowledge he recovers from injury next year and plays better this will be another anchor.
I also do not understand "ship Murthy out" calls to come under cap, this defense will be way worse with Maata for Murthy swap.
- vshun

I don't have to watch the Pens, I know for a fact, as you do, that Mattaa plays in the NHL while Joki doesn't. That was my point and my only point.

Time will tell, but on the surface based on the relative trajectory of each player so far, since defensemen are harder to come by than forwards, it is hard to understand, at a minimum, why this was a one for one deal.

To the unseasoned eye, and I am definitely one, Ruuta was very good for about three months also, about the same amount of time that we saw Joker. So sure, he may not have been all he seemed.

The Hawks have clearly transitioned back to "win now" mode. Hopefully it will pay off, because my gut tells me we'll be looking back at this in a couple of years and realize that Jokiharju was the best of this crop of young defensemen.

And if it is "win now," is Nylander's style of play going to translate into "valuable asset for a playoff team?" We can hope.
- jrsamu

Joki was very good for 3 months? Where were the Hawks in the standings during that period of time?

I like the kid and he may turn into a very good NHL defenceman. Or the critical eyes in Hockey Ops may have decided that they have as good or better coming soon or are in the system now and didnt rate Joki above them. So they opted to acquire a forward who may be capable of playing on their top 2 lines.

Bingo...that Danault trade was hot garbage...complete waste.
- ArlingtonRob

I was just wondering...

is Danault tearing up the league and missed it?, or has he actually settled in at the centre position?

To me, the biggest loss involved here was having to shed the cap space of Troy Brouwer in the first place.

When I read the headline about the trade this morning I thought it was for Willie. I'm sure Daddy Nylander will be pulling the same stunt for Ale as he did for Willie. Hopefully the Hawks use their leverage in contract negotiations unlike Toronto.
- paulr

The fiirst thing I thought when I heard the trade was what he's going to want on his next contract. Perhaps the hawks should play Alex with a couple of slugs once in a while and see if he helps elevate their game. If he does, ok. But if he doesn't, then I would take that into consideration next time a contract comes up. There's always a trade option if necessary.

Exactly this. What was the rush? If Joker wasn't going to play in the NHL this year, why force the trade? It's not like Nylander has some instant opening to an NHL top 6-9 spot, which he'd need given his skill set. And it's not like the Hawks are short on talent in their top 6 that they'd need a player like this so badly..
- Budi1782

The players forced the issue I believe, and the window to acquire closes once the league gets winds and have conversations on the reclamation guy the hawks had targeted. u strike when the iron is hot...
the nice thing is Jason Botterill gets positive press NOW and in all likely hood it wouldn't be overnight that either his acquisition or discard make great leaps in their to be impact NHLers.

BtW, are originally from hawk website the guys from Canada that we all frequented?

I for one like the trade. Deal from an area of strenght to get pieces you are lacking. Alex Nylander is a big skilled forward, seeing a trend here with the last few deals. He may have had a knock against him for lack of effort but look at the situation he was put it, how many kids his age tear up the AHL? Put him in a room with kane, toews and keith and i think we might just be saying we have a steal a few months into the season.

The fiirst thing I thought when I heard the trade was what he's going to want on his next contract. Perhaps the hawks should play Alex with a couple of slugs once in a while and see if he helps elevate their game. If he does, ok. But if he doesn't, then I would take that into consideration next time a contract comes up. There's always a trade option if necessary.
- 6628

Let's see if Alex plays both sides of the puck unlike his brother Wille, who like the groundhog he's named after, is afraid of his own shadow, or however that story went.

I don't have to watch the Pens, I know for a fact, as you do, that Mattaa plays in the NHL while Joki doesn't. That was my point and my only point.
- paulr

Kyle Okposo also plays in the NHL. We will gladly trade you him, if you want “NHL-ers”

The Chicago Pro Hockey League games start tonight. One game has a team with Beaudin and Boqvist playing a team with Kane, DCat and Murphy. Another game has Alex Vlassic against Toews and Strome. I think they play once a week on Wednesdays.