Actually Marc Crawford loves Zach Smith from their time in Otawa
- LAHawk

Can we get rid of both of them

Unless he's one of those Russians with 14 letters in his last name.
- boilermaker100

My grandparents on my mother's side, the only vowel in their name was a "y."

NEWS: #CBJ have signed newly acquired C @maxdomi to a two-year, $10.6M contract through the 2021-22 season. Domi will earn $4.6M in 2020-21 and $6.0M in 2021-22.

Options for Smith

1. Keep him on the roster, play him or sit him, and pay him 3.25M and no cap savings. 3.25M total cash outlay.
2. LTIR him, pay him 3.25M and a ELC replacement player at 925K max. 4M or so cap hit, but you may have some LTIR cap space flexibility. 4.1M total cash outlay.
3. Bury him in the minors,, saving about a million on the cap. Still pay him 3.25M and a replacement player 925K. Cap hit 2.25M and 925K a wash. 4.1M cash outlay.
4. Buy him out, pay him 1.1M this year and a replacement 925K for a cap savings of 1M. Also pay him 1.1M next year at a cap hit of 1.1M. 1.1M+ 1.1M + 925K equals about a 3.1M cash outlay.
5. Trade him but you may have to add a sweetener or get salary in return. Not worth it IMO.

Option 4 looks the cheapest to me unless I missed something.
- boilermaker100

Except that presumably, they would replace him by spending the cap hit savings, not with a minimum-salary player - unless they are going to become a budget team.

I am still in disappointed shock. I thought we would miss out on the two I had pegged for our best pick...Holloway and Mercer. But, the reason I thought we wouldnt get either, is because I thought they would both be gone. When the Leafs and Habs left Mercer on the board I was elated.....

....just to be smacked in the face by Hawks passing on him....

Jersey must have been giddy. Took them no time to snatch up Mercer.

Now, for years to come, gonna have to watch Mercer flourish, and sigh, groan and weep as I think about the "Pick that wasn't"...

Well Stan taking Commesso in the 2nd not really his MO illustrates to me he understands the goalie pipeline is more then dry it is parched .I also believe this shows Stan would have chosen Askarov at 10 if he had the chance .That little flirtation with playoff hockey probably cost us the best goalie for the next 13 years .I hope our young players grab a huge amount of playoff experience from that tournament .
Askarov will haunt the Hawks for years to come in two was A. Playing without him .B Playing against him a lot .

LeBrun: Interest in Saad

The Blackhawks have garnered interest on Brandon Saad over the past few weeks which isn’t surprising since he’s got one more year on his deal and those players are in demand these days. Several teams have checked in with Chicago on him, I hear.
- walleyeb1

Hopefully the person driving the bus (Stan?) is not conflicted about what the plan going forward is - is it to make the playoffs in 2021 or get better prepared to be competitive in 2022? If it's the latter, then get something for Saad now and even retain 50% of the salary to make it happen. If you wait until the TDL to trade him (whenever that might be), you'll end up paying more the 50% of his cap hit anyway. Make it an incentive for a team with contending aspirations to get a whole year of Saad for only $3M. The Hawks could get a prospect that may be ready to contribute by 2022.

Except that presumably, they would replace him by spending the cap hit savings, not with a minimum-salary player - unless they are going to become a budget team.
- StLBravesFan

Whatever happens, we assume they will be spending (in total) to the $81MM cap with active players - what they pay to buy out a player would be on top of that - so additional cash out.

Hopefully the person driving the bus (Stan?) is not conflicted about what the plan going forward is - is it to make the playoffs in 2021 or get better prepared to be competitive in 2022? If it's the latter, then get something for Saad now and even retain 50% of the salary to make it happen. If you wait until the TDL to trade him (whenever that might be), you'll end up paying more the 50% of his cap hit anyway. Make it an incentive for a team with contending aspirations to get a whole year of Saad for only $3M. The Hawks could get a prospect that may be ready to contribute by 2022.
- EbonyRaptor

Saad to Colorado for yost and Timmons or comper maybe not now but at tdl if hawks out of the playoff picture. A package like that or now zadorov and yost for saad byram takes zadorov place and avs have Timmons also in the pipeline.

Take it for what it's worth, but this is a comment that another poster on HB made in regards to Lukas Reichel:

"I also like Lukas Reichel going to the Hawks at #17. I have a friend with direct information about the DEL, (he's played, coached, and scouted there), and he called him the BEST prospect in Germany. Quite an endorsement considering Stuetzle's status."

My initial reaction was - just like you guys - underwhelming, but the more I've dug into him, his skillset and projectability, and his hockey senses, I'm confident that it was the right pick regardless of if he was picked at 17 or at 30. No one remembers where a player was picked. They remember what kind of impact that player makes. If Reichel turns out to be a top-six forward, no one will care that he was considered a "reach".

Besides, from what I've read, if the draft occurred later and he had more time/more games, he likely would have been picked even higher. He was going up draft boards.

Saad to Colorado for yost and Timmons or comper maybe not now but at tdl if hawks out of the playoff picture. A package like that or now zadorov and yost for saad byram takes zadorov place and avs have Timmons also in the pipeline.
- Scott1977

Interesting, maybe Yost, Compher and Frncouz if the Av's are going to sign Crawford?

If Saad is to be traded, do they get more for him now or at the TDL? It helps to know how many other comparable forwards are potential rentals this year. There are only so many trading partners for a guy like Saad at a $6MM cap hit. I don't see him taking a pay cut to stay here, given the history.

If Saad is to be traded, do they get more for him now or at the TDL? It helps to know how many other comparable forwards are potential rentals this year. There are only so many trading partners for a guy like Saad at a $6MM cap hit. I don't see him taking a pay cut to stay here, given the history.
- 333inthe3rd

I think much more now. Another point is that with a shortened season, teams will not be accruing as much cap space (less games and less days) at the trade deadline, which will make it harder for teams to acquire rental players.

with all the RFA that are not being qualified and all the buyouts. getting out from under MAATA at $750 retained looks like a really good deal. looks like Cash is king. with that in mind I might buyout smith and use the space to get something good and young for cheap.

Saad to Colorado for yost and Timmons or comper maybe not now but at tdl if hawks out of the playoff picture. A package like that or now zadorov and yost for saad byram takes zadorov place and avs have Timmons also in the pipeline.
- Scott1977

Next few days will be interesting around the nhl and let's see what the hawks do to improve this roster. Previous post I made with saad going to Colorado other assets might have be added in the hawks side. But it was more of base of trade at tdl

If Saad is to be traded, do they get more for him now or at the TDL? It helps to know how many other comparable forwards are potential rentals this year. There are only so many trading partners for a guy like Saad at a $6MM cap hit. I don't see him taking a pay cut to stay here, given the history.
- 333inthe3rd

That's one way to look at it. Another way is there's a new normal, look at Lehner, and past events do not guarantee future outcomes it's written on every stock prospectus.

Hopefully the person driving the bus (Stan?) is not conflicted about what the plan going forward is - is it to make the playoffs in 2021 or get better prepared to be competitive in 2022? If it's the latter, then get something for Saad now and even retain 50% of the salary to make it happen. If you wait until the TDL to trade him (whenever that might be), you'll end up paying more the 50% of his cap hit anyway. Make it an incentive for a team with contending aspirations to get a whole year of Saad for only $3M. The Hawks could get a prospect that may be ready to contribute by 2022.
- EbonyRaptor

Or God forbid they could extend him at a number that works for everybody?

The Sun Times has a picture of a Blackhawks Reichel jersey with the number 20 .... Just saying, probably his old number.

I am still in disappointed shock
- hawk35

If the hawks lose out on Dufour in a pick...LOL

He was drafted in 2020

The Sun Times has a picture of a Blackhawks Reichel jersey with the number 20 .... Just saying, probably his old number.
- rpeters01

Probably 20 for 2020, draft year

That's one way to look at it. Another way is there's a new normal, look at Lehner, and past events do not guarantee future outcomes it's written on every stock prospectus.
- rpeters01

One thing is saad's not kicks in Friday so that another factor but gm's can get around that

The Sun Times has a picture of a Blackhawks Reichel jersey with the number 20 .... Just saying, probably his old number.
- rpeters01

2020

Just like last year the players got 19

TOR does not qualify Bracco, Gauthier, Rodrigues or Veronneau


Bracco used to be a decent prospect

Or God forbid they could extend him at a number that works for everybody?
- rpeters01

Based on the history, I didn't consider that a realistic possibility.