Theo Fox: Free Agency: Madness A look at the Blackhawks trades for Marc-Andre Fleury and Tyler Johnson on the eve of today's NHL free agency period.

Plus, thoughts on what could go down with more Hawks transactions to continue reshaping the roster and direction of the franchise.

First! Getting interesting this off-season. Will be interesting to see what else Stan has up his sleeve.

if it is the case of gunning for a playoff berth and deep run this season, then is Jeremy Colliton the right head coach to lead the team? Being impatient with the player personnel in this new context but not with the coaching staff doesn't make sense

This. Really curious if/how Colliton adjusts and if he had any say in this change of direction? If there is need to replace Colliton soon, can we expect Bowman will be still there to make the new appointment? It looked to me like Bowman aligned himself with Colliton and when one is fired, the other one will follow to allow fresh start for the club.
Interesting times ahead of us for sure.

Theo writes:

Something that could handcuff the Hawks is the rest of the league knows Bowman doesn't have as much cap space to work with than he did a week ago. So if he's looking to trade to free up space, other teams aren't going to help thus leading to less than optimal returns.

This surely can't be true. I recall two trades made just yesterday where a GM helped other teams free up cap space without getting better returns.

Way to stay on top of things Theo!! You are da bomb!

It is incredible all the complaining in the comments though. I know everyone here could of landed Jones with Delia and 2 seconds, and extended him at 7 x 6.5. But, still....look at the overall picture so far.

We don't know what the picks amount to, so focus on the actual roster for a moment.

Out: Keith, Boqvist, Seabrook contract.
In: Fleury (if he reports), Johnson, Jones.

We are miles better since the moves began.

Cap trouble? Not a bit, Fleury either doesnt play and we get space back. He plays and we move at deadline....gaining assets and space. Or we keep all year, space back for next year.

Johnson a great add of speed in top 6, or 3rd line dynamo. Multi-cup winner. Good stuff!

Let it play out guys. The team we would put on the ice as it sits RIGHT NOW, is much better than any point last year, and I am sure we add a D-man or two yet.

I would say right now, this group would have a legitimate shot at a wild card. And with a couple of more moves, may actually be an OK group.

Hang tight, let it play out. Not near done yet.

I liked the Johnson trade a lot better than Fleury as well. Congrat Stan you are now Batting .052

Way to stay on top of things Theo!! You are da bomb!

It is incredible all the complaining in the comments though. I know everyone here could of landed Jones with Delia and 2 seconds, and extended him at 7 x 6.5. But, still....look at the overall picture so far.

We don't know what the picks amount to, so focus on the actual roster for a moment.

Out: Keith, Boqvist, Seabrook contract.
In: Fleury (if he reports), Johnson, Jones.

We are miles better since the moves began.

Cap trouble? Not a bit, Fleury either doesnt play and we get space back. He plays and we move at deadline....gaining assets and space. Or we keep all year, space back for next year.

Johnson a great add of speed in top 6, or 3rd line dynamo. Multi-cup winner. Good stuff!

Let it play out guys. The team we would put on the ice as it sits RIGHT NOW, is much better than any point last year, and I am sure we add a D-man or two yet.

I would say right now, this group would have a legitimate shot at a wild card. And with a couple of more moves, may actually be an OK group.

Hang tight, let it play out. Not near done yet.
- hawk35

I’m right there with you. Do I wish that we didn’t trade next year’s first? Sure, do I wish we would have received a sweetner from Vegas? Yes, but the bottom line is that they are better than last year. The young guys have a year under their belt, besides Jones, Fleury, and Johnson they should have Dach and hopefully Toews for the whole year, these are five quality players that we didn’t have last year. Let’s see who gets shipped out and who else comes aboard, more offseason left….

wtf is going on?
Anyone have an up to date roster that shows potential lines ? This is wild

wtf is going on?
Anyone have an up to date roster that shows potential lines ? This is wild
- mrpaulish

I have no clue, but it makes me anxious to go to sleep, as when I wake up, I have no idea who is still on the roster

wtf is going on?
Anyone have an up to date roster that shows potential lines ? This is wild
- mrpaulish

Here's a possible depth chart from cap friendly.
https://www.capfriendly.c...m/depth-charts/blackhawks

I have no clue, but it makes me anxious to go to sleep, as when I wake up, I have no idea who is still on the roster
- AusHawk

Yea. I don't know what's happening either. I come out of a meeting yesterday, break for lunch, and the Hawks "traded" for MAF. Wake up this morning and we have Tyler Johnson.

Truly bizarro world on west Madison the past 10 days.

I have no clue, but it makes me anxious to go to sleep, as when I wake up, I have no idea who is still on the roster
- AusHawk

Noon should be interesting

🤣🤮🤮🤮
McKenzie :

Ryan Suter and DAL; Zach Parise and NYI; Michael Bunting and TOR; David Savard and MTL; Jaden Schwartz and SEA; Tony DeAngelo and CAR; Jaro Halak, Luke Schenn and VAN; Jake McCabe and CHI; Andrew Cogliano and SJ; Zach Hyman and EDM; David Rittich and NSH. Many more to come.

All three adds, IMHO, are good NHLers, based on what I've seen over the years as they played against the Blackhawks.
The cost has been significant. (I hope NONE of these moves were in any way affected by the court issue the organization is facing.)
We will see how the rest of the off season plays out.
As of now, best-case scenario is they have significantly improved team chemistry, which will reflect positively in the won-lost column.

Lost in all of this also is the fact that the Hawks only have a handful of experienced NHL players under contract for 2022-2023. I count only 7 players that have at least 1 full season under their belts. It was 6 before the Johnson trade. That's also assuming the captain is good going forward. Stillman really doesn't even qualify under that standard currently.

Bowman will have to get Kubalik, Dach, Kurashev, Murphy, C Jones, Lankinen, and Kalynuk contracts at some point or let some of them go because they would all get raises. Plus figure out who is going to fill out the remaining 9 roster spots. I assume Mitchell, Beaudin, and Reichel will be 3 of them.

There are definitely some more moves to be made.

Three thoughts:
Weaponizing cap space is more difficult now than 5 to 10 years ago. Twelve teams have more than $20 mil in cap space. So much more competition when taking on bad contracts.
Now it is all about moving players, the returns will not be much. Some of Zadorov, deHaan, Strome, Suter, Nylander, Connolly, Delia. I doubt you get more than a 3rd round pick for any of them.
If MAF plays for the Hawks great! If he retires, even if he waits a month to retire, great! The Hawks get cap space. I would not rule out him forcing a trade to Pittsburgh. But if the return is not acceptable we can say “Hell no, go ahead and retire we will use the cap space in other ways.”

I could see 5 more moves this month. Possibly McCabe being an addition.

wtf is going on?
Anyone have an up to date roster that shows potential lines ? This is wild
- mrpaulish

via GIPHY

With more moves coming my bowman can get head out of his ass and get assets back that help now and for the future. Fleury has made up his mine yet play for the hawks or retire. If he do want to be hear then shop him and see what happens. Oh look bowman just help another team get out of cap he'll minimal return. And now the league knows we need shed salary so bowman will be put over barrel and fleeced again like always. So lets see what's next.

Sack up Fleury. One more season and if we suck we’ll send you to Pittsburgh at the TDL.

With more moves coming my bowman can get head out of his ass and get assets back that help now and for the future. Fleury has made up his mine yet play for the hawks or retire. If he do want to be hear then shop him and see what happens. Oh look bowman just help another team get out of cap he'll minimal return. And now the league knows we need shed salary so bowman will be put over barrel and fleeced again like always. So lets see what's next.
- Scott1977

I want whatever you had 🤣🤣🤣

I want whatever you had 🤣🤣🤣
- Assman22

He's hitting the brown early for sure.

So unless Toews is not coming back, I would say that the Johnson acquisition means an end to Strome Blackhawks career(not surprised). Good riddance, Strome and his $3M cap hit should be easy to move.

I liked the Johnson trade a lot better than Fleury as well. Congrat Stan you are now Batting .052
- Ging72

Stan has become hockey's version of the Mendoza Line.

Three thoughts:
Weaponizing cap space is more difficult now than 5 to 10 years ago. Twelve teams have more than $20 mil in cap space. So much more competition when taking on bad contracts.
Now it is all about moving players, the returns will not be much. Some of Zadorov, deHaan, Strome, Suter, Nylander, Connolly, Delia. I doubt you get more than a 3rd round pick for any of them.
If MAF plays for the Hawks great! If he retires, even if he waits a month to retire, great! The Hawks get cap space. I would not rule out him forcing a trade to Pittsburgh. But if the return is not acceptable we can say “Hell no, go ahead and retire we will use the cap space in other ways.”

I could see 5 more moves this month. Possibly McCabe being an addition.
- Ztra

What's the story on this guy. Just a cheaper version of Zadorov? Only played 13 games for the Sabres last season. Injured I assume?

🤣🤮🤮🤮
McKenzie :

Ryan Suter and DAL; Zach Parise and NYI; Michael Bunting and TOR; David Savard and MTL; Jaden Schwartz and SEA; Tony DeAngelo and CAR; Jaro Halak, Luke Schenn and VAN; Jake McCabe and CHI; Andrew Cogliano and SJ; Zach Hyman and EDM; David Rittich and NSH. Many more to come.
- mrpaulish

Don’t believe everything Bob says.