You missed Rasmus Dahlin.

Bagosian will somehow be placed in a barrel and sent over Niagara Falls never to be heard from sgain.
- RickJ

I was just listing right shooting defenseman, left side is Scandella, Dahlin, and McCabe

This sounds like the kind of thing that could become a board fact, like the one that had Stan passing on two second rounders for Sharp.
- HawkintheD

No D! You just don't get it! You start with Stan is a fool, then go from there. The board narrative, not his actions, dicates Stan's foolishness.

I’m not going to try to defend Stan too much here because while I have been banging the “Joki will be traded” drum for some time now, I think they definitely sold low, but the fact of the matter is, the upside is undeniable.

However, in a vacuum, Nylander easily becomes the most talented forward in our pipeline outside of Dach. Every young forward in our pool of prospects we’ve been clamoring for months about is bottom-six material. If the front office sees an opportunity for arbitrage (for lack of a better word), then I trust this transaction.

At the end of the day we can pout and moan all we want, but what’s done is done and the organization is clearly high on this kid.

Giving him a chance to succeed at the NHL level in a top-six role to start instantaneously gives him a better shot to succeed than he has ever had rotting away in Buffalo (who hasn’t had a successful prospect develop outside of their two #2 overall picks in Eichel and Reinhart).

Nylander was the 8th overall pick for a reason. The talent is there, and he’s only a year older than Joki. Hopefully the Hawks can maximize it.

If their was a deal to be had with Toronto and if Chicago would have been able to acquire Kap, would that have really been a awful deal considering his salary and skill and point production?
If that deal could have happened and Stan passed then he is a fool.
- Taylorst1

I can't believe there was a trade offer from Toronto involving Kapanen. He signed a team friendly deal. He wanted to stay in Toronto, and Toronto wanted to keep him.

Here is a quote from Nylander after the trade.

"Buffalo, that kind of stuff, that's in the past. Obviously thought maybe I would be in the NHL sooner than I have been, but I'm just really excited, looking forward to being part of the Blackhawks organization," Nylander said. "Really good with development players, so they actually know what they're doing."

Kind of a barb back towards the Sabres as he implies they aren't good at developing players. Maybe a bit more than he should have said but also probably not completely off the mark either with how poorly managed the Sabres have been over the years here. Not meant as offense to Sabres fans, but the rebuild of that team hasn't exactly gone as planned. It could come down to Chicago being a better fit. Time will tell.
- breadbag

Tim Murray royally fracked the Sabres franchise up.

Wasted so many assets on ROR, E Kane, Bogosian and Lehner.

He was also a supposed drunk. Spent way to much time at local pubs.

Drafted Nylander and sent him straight to the A when he should have stayed in Sweden.

He was, so, so bad.

Tyler Cameron: Blackhawks trade Henri Jokiharju for Alex Nylander. Why?
- Tyler Cameron

Stan has assembled himself quite a list of young forwards looking to make the NHL team:
Strome
Debrincat
Nylander
Dach
Kubalik
Perlini
Kuraschev
Entwistle
Highmore
Hagel
Sikura
Quenneville
Caggiula

Competitive training camp for sure.

Hope Marc Crawford is up to mentoring young kids and the coaching staff in Rockford is into player development.

I’m not going to try to defend Stan too much here because while I have been banging the “Joki will be traded” drum for some time now, I think they definitely sold low, but the fact of the matter is, the upside is undeniable.

However, in a vacuum, Nylander easily becomes the most talented forward in our pipeline outside of Dach. Every young forward in our pool of prospects we’ve been clamoring for months about is bottom-six material. If the front office sees an opportunity for arbitrage (for lack of a better word), then I trust this transaction.

At the end of the day we can pout and moan all we want, but what’s done is done and the organization is clearly high on this kid.

Giving him a chance to succeed at the NHL level in a top-six role to start instantaneously gives him a better shot to succeed than he has ever had rotting away in Buffalo (who hasn’t had a successful prospect develop outside of their two #2 overall picks in Eichel and Reinhart).

Nylander was the 8th overall pick for a reason. The talent is there, and he’s only a year older than Joki. Hopefully the Hawks can maximize it.
- TommyHawk

Did we sell low? What would Joki's market value be if he spent all this year at the Rock?

You missed Rasmus Dahlin.

Bagosian will somehow be placed in a barrel and sent over Niagara Falls never to be heard from sgain.
- RickJ

Bogo is hurt, again.

Will miss a bunch of time, again.

Honestly he may spend most of the season on LTIR.

There was a few on the Sabres board speculating that Sabres and Hawks were talking Crawford.

Since the Hawks signed Lehner.

Maybe it was something around CC for Hutton with other pieces going each way.

A lot of speculation to be had, I guess.

Tim Murray royally fracked the Sabres franchise up.

Wasted so many assets on ROR, E Kane, Bogosian and Lehner.

He was also a supposed drunk. Spent way to much time at local pubs.

Drafted Nylander and sent him straight to the A when he should have stayed in Sweden.

He was, so, so bad.
- ImThatGuy

Don't worry, Kim Pegula is getting all of this fixed just like she is fixing the Bills.

Stan has assembled himself quite a list of young forwards looking to make the NHL team:
Strome
Debrincat
Nylander
Dach
Kubalik
Perlini
Kuraschev
Entwistle
Highmore
Hagel
Sikura
Quenneville
Caggiula

Competitive training camp for sure.

Hope Marc Crawford is up to mentoring young kids and the coaching staff in Rockford is into player development.
- RickJ

How many are top-6 this coming season - or prospective top-6 ever?

Nylander maybe this season, maybe ever (giving him the "not-having-seen-him-here" benefit of the doubt) - Dach potentially ever - anyone else stand out as other than middle-6 at best?

In some ways the Nylander/Jokiharju deal reminds me of the Granlund/Shinkaruk deal Vancouver made. Canucks fans were livid and felt they should have got a lot more than Granlund for Shinkaruk but their GM came out and said that was the best deal he could do. In the long term neither side did great, but Vancouver did better.

There was a few on the Sabres board speculating that Sabres and Hawks were talking Crawford.

Since the Hawks signed Lehner.

Maybe it was something around CC for Hutton with other pieces going each way.

A lot of speculation to be had, I guess.
- ImThatGuy

I doubt that Crawford would have Buffalo on his 10-team list.

Just listened to “The-Rink” podcast about the trade. Take it for what it is, but they said that the Hawks were very impressed with what Mitchell has done. He’s apparently added about 10 pounds and has shown that he can handle pressure.

May just provide some insight as to why they were open to moving Joki.

In some ways the Nylander/Jokiharju deal reminds me of the Granlund/Shinkaruk deal Vancouver made. Canucks fans were livid and felt they should have got a lot more than Granlund for Shinkaruk but their GM came out and said that was the best deal he could do. In the long term neither side did great, but Vancouver did better.
- DarthKane

Their GM needed a better mcmeddling mcmarketing department

Just listened to “The-Rink” podcast about the trade. Take it for what it is, but they said that the Hawks were very impressed with what Mitchell has done. He’s apparently added about 10 pounds and has shown that he can handle pressure.

May just provide some insight as to why they were open to moving Joki.
- Chunk

Then they must still be very sure that he will sign here after his season in Denver.

I will suggest another team for you to think about - Winnipeg.

They have lost Trouba, Meyers and Chariot off of their NHL roster. For zero return.

Wouldnt you think they'd have interest? Joki fits their criteria - low salary, Fins are willing to play in a market like Winnipeg, RH shot Dman.

Who might have Stan asked for in return? Jack Roslovic maybe? Or did Winnipeg decide Joki isnt that good or wouldnt help short term?

Or maybe Stan decided he like the big upside to Nylander.
- RickJ

Or he didn't want to trade within the division.

Injuries aside, we know DeHaan and Mattaa are NHL calibre defensemen. We also know Joki is not an NHL calibre defenseman, at least not yet. I know in the last few weeks Joki had, in the eyes of a number of posters here, over taken Keith as the Hawks best defenseman but that never was, and isn't, the case. All the best to Joki in a new environment, hopefully he puts it all together and has a great NHL career but I hope Nylander's career ends up better more successful.
- paulr

That wasn't the case....Joki statistically and visually was the best D man
until he was sent down.

Niklas Lidstrom didn't play in the NHL until he was 21, Joki was 19.

Chelios didn't play in the NHL until 21 also

To think Dahlstrom, Forsling, Seabs and to some extent Keith, Joki
was by far the best Hawk Dman until JC, Keith, Seabs maybe got
po'd.

How many are top-6 this coming season - or prospective top-6 ever?

Nylander maybe this season, maybe ever (giving him the "not-having-seen-him-here" benefit of the doubt) - Dach potentially ever - anyone else stand out as other than middle-6 at best?
- StLBravesFan

You are kidding, right??....D-Cat...Strome. Both Top 6 right now. And should be going forward.

Nylander played as ann18yr old his whole first year in the AHL, when he should have been in Sweden or Jrs still. And averaged .42ppg versus men.

The next year, improved to .52ppg

Then .63ppg

Now I haven't watched him play every game or anything, but he improved his production each year when the organization didnt do him any favors and probably put a spotlight on him too soon...and didn't help his game and probably his ego.

It's why if/when Dach gets sent back to the WHL, he's "forgotten about" in the sense no one is asking if/when he will get called up during the season, because at that point - he cant

Where as Big Al, being in the AHL, probably had people there in Rochester and in BUFF consistently pushing for him to be called up too soon, because they needed something/anything to hitch their wagon to

Now, he's 20. The same age ADB started in the NHL. Strome's first full shot was when he came over at 21.

Let's see if his mental maturity caught up to his physical skills. He apparently has the skills/talent and I'm sure guys like Seabrook, Keith, Kane, Toews will show him what it takes if he wants to stay in the NHL.

Or he didn't want to trade within the division.
- boilermaker100

Makes no sense to me; we arent talking about Kane for Scheiffle or something like that. These are undeveloped kids that make sense in a trade if the conditions work.

Toronto and Ottawa trade frequently; St. Louis and Winnipeg (Stastny); Vancouver and Calgary. Pittsburgh trades with anybody, so does Nashville.

Here is a quote from Nylander after the trade.

"Buffalo, that kind of stuff, that's in the past. Obviously thought maybe I would be in the NHL sooner than I have been, but I'm just really excited, looking forward to being part of the Blackhawks organization," Nylander said. "Really good with development players, so they actually know what they're doing."

Kind of a barb back towards the Sabres as he implies they aren't good at developing players. Maybe a bit more than he should have said but also probably not completely off the mark either with how poorly managed the Sabres have been over the years here. Not meant as offense to Sabres fans, but the rebuild of that team hasn't exactly gone as planned. It could come down to Chicago being a better fit. Time will tell.
- breadbag

He's blaming someone else for his poor performance, not a good sign.

That wasn't the case....Joki statistically and visually was the best D man
until he was sent down.

Niklas Lidstrom didn't play in the NHL until he was 21, Joki was 19.

Chelios didn't play in the NHL until 21 also

To think Dahlstrom, Forsling, Seabs and to some extent Keith, Joki
was by far the best Hawk Dman until JC, Keith, Seabs maybe got
po'd.
- gazza53

There is no way Hawk Management first demoted then dealt away the team's best defenseman for a reclaimation project. I can only assume there was something in Joki's game that the team didn't like.

As for Joki being better than Keith and Seabrook .... ummmmm NO!

Question for Wiz or anyone, really:

Did DeBrincat’s shot improve since being drafted? He was always putting up video game numbers, but did he have as lethal of a shot, or is that something that has developed over the course of the past couple seasons?

When I see Nylander shoot the puck (and both of his goals this season were one-time lasers past the goalie), I immediately think of how natural of a fit he would be opposite of Kane who set up DeBrincat and Panarin for one-timers countless times.

There is no way Hawk Management first demoted then dealt away the team's best defenseman for a reclaimation project. I can only assume there was something in Joki's game that the team didn't like.

As for Joki being better than Keith and Seabrook .... ummmmm NO!
- paulr

They see Mitchel coming up next year which makes the Right side even more crowded. So they decided to move Joki now for a possible elite forward.

If Mitchel is the real deal then I don't see any problem with this trade.