Theo Fox: Mailbag, Trades & Draft Predictions
Readers mailbag Q&A plus review of the Maatta-Morrison and Sikura-Pirri trades, pending transactions, and draft day predictions.

Uno

Question- If deHaan were traded for a draft pick, does that assume Seabs will definitely be a part of the top 6 rotation?

Question- If deHaan were traded for a draft pick, does that assume Seabs will definitely be a part of the top 6 rotation?
- RaleighHawk

Possibly a decision on deHaan won't be made until the end of training camp and the start of next season. By that time a decision on Seabrook's health and ability would be known. Some teams may suffer an injury to a D in training camp or not be satisfied with their D complement. deHaan could be moved then.

Question wad not summit in your mailbag:
First is Murphy and saad part of the future for the hawks? If not then trade them and get younger cost controlled players and picks. Your thoughts? Personally i would trade them both for the right deal what that is don't know.

Theo Fox: Mailbag, Trades & Draft Predictions
Readers mailbag Q&A plus review of the Maatta-Morrison and Sikura-Pirri trades, pending transactions, and draft day predictions.
- Theo Fox

Zach Smith had back surgery March 6th. (So 6+ months ago). On a scale of 1 to 10 for each option (with 1 being the most likey) how do you see the Zach Smith situation playing out:
A) Buyout
B) Traded for a career minor leaguer
C) part of a trade package (as a throw-in)
D) On the Hawks active roster going into training camp
E) Put on LTIR either during the summer or on Day 1 of next season and staying their all year.

If Smith is still unfit to play, I do not think they can buy him out.

By all reports, you cannot buy out an injured player without their permission. There is nothing explicitly about this in the buy-out rules in the CBA, but it's something that has been widely reported over the years from multiple, reputable sources, so if there's smoke there is probably fire. It is very likely linked to the waiver requirements.

Leafs GM Kyle Dubas says his first-round pick in tomorrow's NHL Draft (15th overall) is "on the table"

Lots of rumours swirling about Habs could acquire Saad.
Wouldn’t that drop some cap situation?

Lots of rumours swirling about Habs could acquire Saad.
Wouldn’t that drop some cap situation?
- MONSTERSofMETALZ

Montreal might like to have Saad. I am not sure that there is anything Montreal has to offer than might induce us to trade him...

Per capfriendly Hawks now with 11.1M in cap space after the Maatta trade. Buying out Smith will raise that to about 13.2M which includes Seab's and Shaw's salaries.

Assume Shaw and Seabrook return to the lineup, Hawks will have 10 F, 6D and 1G (Delia). Assume Carlsson replaces Seeler on the capfriendly roster, basically at the same AAV.

4M for Crawford or a starting goalie, 2 x 2.5 for Strome, 2 x 3.5M for Kubalik eats up 10M with 1D and 2F to fill.

Suter at 925K, Mitchell at 925K, Caggs at 1.2M (if you want to keep him) gives you a full roster close to the cap.

4K and Subban could be qualified and signed cheap to replace either Mitchell and Delia, or both

Besides a possible Smith buyout, I think Stan makes one more move to shed a couple more million to have some wiggle room.

The above results in almost the same roster coming back with Carlsson taking Maatta's spot, Suter replacing Smith and possibly Mitchell on the team.

Pens buying out Jack Johnson

Graham Knott, John Nyberg, and Dominik Simon will not receive QOs and will become UFAs on Oct 9.


Dominik Simon may look good in a bottom 6 role

Per capfriendly Hawks now with 11.1M in cap space after the Maatta trade. Buying out Smith will raise that to about 13.2M which includes Seab's and Shaw's salaries.

Assume Shaw and Seabrook return to the lineup, Hawks will have 10 F, 6D and 1G (Delia). Assume Carlsson replaces Seeler on the capfriendly roster, basically at the same AAV.

4M for Crawford or a starting goalie, 2 x 2.5 for Strome, 2 x 3.5M for Kubalik eats up 10M with 1D and 2F to fill.

Suter at 925K, Mitchell at 925K, Caggs at 1.2M (if you want to keep him) gives you a full roster close to the cap.

4K and Subban could be qualified and signed cheap to replace either Mitchell and Delia, or both

Besides a possible Smith buyout, I think Stan makes one more move to shed a couple more million to have some wiggle room.

The above results in almost the same roster coming back with Carlsson taking Maatta's spot, Suter replacing Smith and possibly Mitchell on the team.
- boilermaker100

Something like this could very well be what the end result looks like. If so, is there any reason to think last place in the division is not probable?

if it was me I would try and not buy out smith and just bury him and get him off the books next year and not have a dead cap hit in 21-22. I think we are close to having enough money to get everybody signed.

Yeah, I think Quinton Hughes was ranked higher by most teams, based on the skating and what he showed he could do with the puck when going on offense. As the draft was happening I added this to his skinny after Vancouver took him: "No defender in the class is faster, or able to hit the open man in a split second."

So I doubt the Hawks had him higher, but the Michigan native should have gotten a clear look from the Wings, eh?

I think from early on every teams scouting staff thought that Adam Boqvist had super high end attack skills as an individual and as a team guy, but he was a player that was more of a project because he need to get bigger, stronger and become a reliable defensive defender.

In some of the first draft reviews I thought TSN's Craig Button was gonna pee himself, as international scouts were saying he looked like he had a higher offensive threshold than Dalhin the Defenseman Darling, but that would be a later pay-off where Dahlin was plug n play.

I just wanted to say that, and I looked at The Athletic Blackhawk mock draft, and their last two picks aren't in my top 220.

Looks lie I am banned from posting there, they got third of me saying they had it wrong and mt DraftSite mocks said.....

You are going to see a lot of buy-outs and trade activity right now - some teams like to work the draft in to their trades before the draft (duh!).


And this years draft has a Boqvist type who I rank as even a higher bust or boom prospect in Jérémie Poirier,, who was a forward for really along time, and he simply has no clue of how to be defender in my humble opinion. I don't think he gains insight to be one.
But teams have chubbies...I just don't can't seem to play GM and reconcile select g him as first rounder , ver a second unless it is a team like Ottaa with a gazillion picks, unless you think at some point you tell I'm you want him to he's a forward again?
Wingers are now being asked to carry bigger responsibilities in the same way theCentres have been fir while. Can he adjust to that? If he cannot be aware =and able to play at defense? Dunno.

Yeah, I think Quinton Hughes was ranked higher by most teams, based on the skating and what he showed he could do with the puck when going on offense. As the draft was happening I added this to his skinny after Vancouver took him: "No defender in the class is faster, or able to hit the open man in a split second."

So I doubt the Hawks had him higher, but the Michigan native should have gotten a clear look from the Wings, eh?

I think from early on every teams scouting staff thought that Adam Boqvist had super high end attack skills as an individual and as a team guy, but he was a player that was more of a project because he need to get bigger, stronger and become a reliable defensive defender.

In some of the first draft reviews I thought TSN's Craig Button was gonna pee himself, as international scouts were saying he looked like he had a higher offensive threshold than Dalhin the Defenseman Darling, but that would be a later pay-off where Dahlin was plug n play.

I just wanted to say that, and I looked at The Athletic Blackhawk mock draft, and their last two picks aren't in my top 220.

Looks lie I am banned from posting there, they got third of me saying they had it wrong and mt DraftSite mocks said.....

You are going to see a lot of buy-outs and trade activity right now - some teams like to work the draft in to their trades before the draft (duh!).
- wiz1901

Very insightful as usual Wiz. Thanks for sharing and sorry for the ban

Lots of rumours swirling about Habs could acquire Saad.
Wouldn’t that drop some cap situation?
- MONSTERSofMETALZ

Saad Montreal for 16th overall pick or poheling and 2 2nd rounders then take those 2 2nd rounders use to move up or in a trade.

Friedman states that the Sabres are interested in Nick Schmaltz of the Coyotes. If that is the case, should Bowman approach them about Dylan Strome whose cap hit should be a lot less?

Friedman states that the Sabres are interested in Nick Schmaltz of the Coyotes. If that is the case, should Bowman approach them about Dylan Strome whose cap hit should be a lot less?
- 67hawks

Couldn't hurt to see what they have to offer in regards to draft picks. Not much they would be willing to trade that would interest me in Chicago

Friedman states that the Sabres are interested in Nick Schmaltz of the Coyotes. If that is the case, should Bowman approach them about Dylan Strome whose cap hit should be a lot less?
- 67hawks

Maybe Buffalo is trying to reach the cap floor in which case a higher salary will benefit them.

Possibly a decision on deHaan won't be made until the end of training camp and the start of next season. By that time a decision on Seabrook's health and ability would be known. Some teams may suffer an injury to a D in training camp or not be satisfied with their D complement. deHaan could be moved then.
- boilermaker100

For what it's. What if they could get Fleury, McNabb for Dehaan and Smith?. Fleury could be a vet goalie to mentor whoever they bring in for the net. McNabb is solid, physical, and healthier than Dehaan. Adds 2M-ish to the cap and gives Vegas some wiggle room. Vegas could even buy Smith out

Something like this could very well be what the end result looks like. If so, is there any reason to think last place in the division is not probable?
- RaleighHawk

No more probable than making the playoffs.

There are still too many unknowns about this team and the health of key players. That being said, the scenario you commented on is the likely (and perhaps) the only one that Bowman can reasonably execute.

When does the season start anyway?

From a Sean McIndoe article in 'The Athletic':

In 1977, coming off a Stanley Cup win, with Ken Dryden as their 29 year old goalie, Sam Pollock (best GM ever) drafted 7 (seven!) goalies in the 15 round draft. The Canadiens had 27 picks over those 15 rounds, and used 7 for goalies.

Of those 7, the best was Richard Sevigny, who played parts of 5 seasons in Montreal. Robert Holland (4th rounder) played 2 NHL seasons, neither with MTL, and Mark Holden played 4 NHL games. The other 4 goalie picks never made the NHL.

From the blog:

Yes, Nylander has one more season left on his affordable ELC but even $863,333 can make a difference to retain the difference makers on the team.

Every roster spot has a baseline cost to it. The cheapest forward in the system, the newly acquired Morrison, is $743,333. Next is Q at $750K. So the most savings they can get is $120K. And if Nylander stinks up the place this season, he can be sent down to Rockford (he is still waiver exempt, tho not sure how many more games he has before the exemption is gone), and his entire salary gets buried as a result. Whatever we think of Nylander, this season is essentially a free roll, assuming the brass still believes he can come around. I'll let the others argue over what kind of draft pick or other former 1st round project he could net in return.

Question- If deHaan were traded for a draft pick, does that assume Seabs will definitely be a part of the top 6 rotation?
- RaleighHawk

Good question. I'd like to think they are mutually exclusive decisions given they play opposite sides but losing both plus Maatta means 3 openings so Bowman does need to tread carefully with roster management.

Carlsson should take Maatta's spot. Koekkoek could possibly take de Haan's spot if he's re-signed. Mitchell could take Seabrook's spot but that might put undue pressure on him so quickly.

Even if Mitchell is kept in Rockford to develop, there are other options like Gilbert who can play either side.

Or sign an affordable UFA for 1-2 years.

Then there's always Franson as a last resort (need to sign him to an NHL deal first).

I know, not the strongest blueline yet the Hawks were presented with this possible scenario given de Haan and Seabrook having injury issues so it is uncertain if they could last a full season even if both are retained.