2024-25 Roster…too soon?

[dreadpirateroberts]

Blackhawks free agent targets: 12 forward options for this offseason

The forwards are the most interesting question of the Blackhawks' offseason. Here are some intriguing free agent fits.

theathletic.com

I think 2 of either Marchessault, Noesen, Sprong, or Teravainen would be good signings

Blackhawks free agent targets: 7 defensemen Chicago could add this summer

The Blackhawks are expected to make a change or two to their blue line this summer and will likely bring in a veteran upgrade.

theathletic.com

A RHD like Roy, Carrier, or Chatfield would be my defensive target. Not sure they should be signing a LHD since they have guys like Allan, Del Mastro, and Kaiser knocking on the door

 

[BHawk21]

Where's Foligno?

Welllll thats a miss. I guess in Andersons spot.

 

[Chuck Testa]

Welllll thats a miss. I guess in Andersons spot.

It happens... any time I try and forecast future lineups I always seem to forget about a player or two.

 

[EddieTheEagle]

Thoughts on seeing if Kaapo Kakko is available from the Rangers? Would you do a Reichel+ swap for Kakko? He is RFA and Arbitration eligible.

His "prove it" contract hasn't turned out very well for him but the Rangers don't have a ton of room and may look to resign Wennberg or Roslovic if they are fruitful in the playoffs and fit with the team.

Kakko may not put up a lot of points but I think could be a good defensive-minded forward to pair with Bedard and do a bit of the dirty work to win puck battles. Big body with room to fill out.

Yes? No? Tell me to go to hell? Hugs?

 

[Mrfenn92]

Thoughts on seeing if Kaapo Kakko is available from the Rangers? Would you do a Reichel+ swap for Kakko? He is RFA and Arbitration eligible.

His "prove it" contract hasn't turned out very well for him but the Rangers don't have a ton of room and may look to resign Wennberg or Roslovic if they are fruitful in the playoffs and fit with the team.

Kakko may not put up a lot of points but I think could be a good defensive-minded forward to pair with Bedard and do a bit of the dirty work to win puck battles. Big body with room to fill out.

Yes? No? Tell me to go to hell? Hugs?

Sure. Not sure why the rangers do it though

 

[EddieTheEagle]

Sure. Not sure why the rangers do it though

Only logic I could see is that Kakko wants more opportunity and more money than they can afford right now. Reichel+ would enable the Rangers to sign him to a "prove it" contract of his own AFTER next season.

So, they get a guy that still has upside, plus other asset(s?) in order to move on from Kakko, who may no longer be affordable or happy with his situation in NY.

Mostly wishful thinking on my part but stranger things have happened.

 

[Mrfenn92]

Only logic I could see is that Kakko wants more opportunity and more money than they can afford right now. Reichel+ would enable the Rangers to sign him to a "prove it" contract of his own AFTER next season.

So, they get a guy that still has upside, plus other asset(s?) in order to move on from Kakko, who may no longer be affordable or happy with his situation in NY.

Mostly wishful thinking on my part but stranger things have happened.

Understood

 

[Hawkaholic]

We'd have to give up more than reichel to get Kakko

 

[EddieTheEagle]

We'd have to give up more than reichel to get Kakko

Reichel + TB's 1st (20th)? It almost feels like too much. Reichel and our 2nd (34th)?

 

[Hawkaholic]

Reichel + TB's 1st (20th)? It almost feels like too much. Reichel and our 2nd (34th)?

I don't have much interest in trading high end assets for questionable young players.

 

[EddieTheEagle]

I don't have much interest in trading high end assets for questionable young players.

I'll take Kakko's questionability over Reichel's. Just my opinion though.

 

[Hawkaholic]

I'll take Kakko's questionability over Reichel's. Just my opinion though.

But its not just Reichel, its the 1st/2nd you are also taking Kakko over. Kakko has 4 more points than Reichel does, playing with much better talent.

 

[Giovi]

Reichel + TB's 1st (20th)? It almost feels like too much. Reichel and our 2nd (34th)?

A 1st round pick, on it's own, is too much to give up for Kakko, imo.

 

[x Tame Impala]

Depending on where Tampa and NYR finish this year, maybe I'd swap those first rounders in a Riechel/Kakko swap but I wouldn't want to give up much for him.

I still wish we would've traded for Lafreniere however if it was at all possible.

 

[EddieTheEagle]

But its not just Reichel, its the 1st/2nd you are also taking Kakko over. Kakko has 4 more points than Reichel does, playing with much better talent.

There are folks on this board that want to shoot Lukas into the sun regardless.

I think Kakko plays a very strong game along the boards, wins battles, and brings more than just similar point production to the game in comparison to Reichel. I still think there is hope for Lukas but I think Lukas + 34th overall this year is a fair swap given the floor/ceiling of Kakko.

Unlikely that 34th in a relatively muddled draft amounts to much.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Even at his $2.4 million QO, the Rangers won’t be keen to fit him in with their cap while in a cup window. There is no reason to offer good value to win a Kakko bidding war.

 

[Hawkaholic]

There are folks on this board that want to shoot Lukas into the sun regardless.

I think Kakko plays a very strong game along the boards, wins battles, and brings more than just similar point production to the game in comparison to Reichel. I still think there is hope for Lukas but I think Lukas + 34th overall this year is a fair swap given the floor/ceiling of Kakko.

Unlikely that 34th in a relatively muddled draft amounts to much.

People always think a draft is muddled, until a 2nd round player is a star in 3 - 4 years and people ask why did this player go in the 2nd round? (ie/ Stankhoven, Peterka, Evangelista, Faber,, etc)

 

[Ace Card Bedard]

There are folks on this board that want to shoot Lukas into the sun regardless.

I think Kakko plays a very strong game along the boards, wins battles, and brings more than just similar point production to the game in comparison to Reichel. I still think there is hope for Lukas but I think Lukas + 34th overall this year is a fair swap given the floor/ceiling of Kakko.

Unlikely that 34th in a relatively muddled draft amounts to much.

Gavin Brindley
JJ Peterka
Olen Zellweger
Bobby Brink

Some recent #34 picks.

 

[EddieTheEagle]

Gavin Brindley
JJ Peterka
Olen Zellweger
Bobby Brink

Some recent #34 picks.

Some recent #33 (even better!) picks:

• Nico Myatovic (2023 - promising but too early to judge)
• Owen Beck (2022 - promising but too early to judge)
• Prokhor Poltapov (2021)
• Roby Jarventie (2020)
• Arthur Kaliyev (2019 - decent)
• Jonatan Berggen (2018)
• Kole Lind (2017)
• Rasmus Asplund (2016)
• Michael Stephens (2015)
• Ivan Barbashev (2014 - great)

The odds of a second rounder playing in the NHL (more than 200 games) is sub 20%.

I think I'll take Kaapo Kakko.

 

[WarriorofTime]

The odds of a second rounder playing in the NHL (more than 200 games) is sub 20%.

I think I'll take Kaapo Kakko.

This is the wrong way to think about it, imo.

"Someone" is going to play in the games regardless. Whether it's a 2nd round pick, some other draft pick, a free agent signing, a player acquired via trade or some guy picked up from waivers.

Kakko has already played 5 years and based on his current contract, his qualifying offer is for $2.4 million. He also has the ability to elect for arbitration at some point before hitting unrestricted free agency.

For a team in the Hawks position, he's not the worst kind of guy to bring in for nothing, but a high 2nd carries a good bit of upside to get a player that if he really hits can outperform his contract while the Hawks are in a competitive window. If Kakko gets on track, he's likely approaching UFA when the Hawks are in a competitive window and likely to be at least moderately expensive, and at that point, is he noticeably better than filling the roster spot and cap hit with some comparable player (with the added benefit of having a better idea where exactly your true needs are based on what emerges out of your pool of draft picks)? There will always be 2nd round picks to trade away for someone in the future...

Kakko being likely better than a high 2nd is fairly irrelevant unless he's also noticeably better than filling the spot he would otherwise occupy over the next 5-6 years with the next best alternative approach. Or else you just traded something that could carry a high upside for nothing.

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

Kakko is a solid third liner. But like that is it.

 

[Hattrick Kane]

Kakko is a solid third liner. But like that is it.

If Kakko wasn’t a 2nd overall pick, no one would know his name.

You can sign a Kakko in free agency. No more reclamation projects, just keep using the picks we have, team’s going nowhere for awhile yet.

 

[TLEH]

I hope we trade a LD this offseason to pickup a solid forward. With Korchinski, Kaiser, EDM, Allan, Vlasic for three LD spots.. I think we should look at someone like Arizona and see if we can get a forward from them. I like Guenther.

 

[EddieTheEagle]

If Kakko wasn’t a 2nd overall pick, no one would know his name.

You can sign a Kakko in free agency. No more reclamation projects, just keep using the picks we have, team’s going nowhere for awhile yet.

I guess I just see him differently than others. Great defensive-minded numbers, limited PP minutes, still producing well 5-on-5. Only reason he is a third line player at this point it the team he is on, the talent he is behind, and how Gallant utilizes young players. Totally understand the aversion to pursuing but I think he'd be a good fit.

I guess others were also saying things like this last year regarding Alexis Lafreniere and the idea of using two 2nds to sign him to an offer sheet. People were saying he wasn't worth it and well on his way to be a bust, but he certainly looks like he is worth it this season and is part of the reason Panarin has been so successful.

Anyway, looking forward to the offseason to see if/what moves are made in order to improve this roster now and into the future. However, I am starting to feel like we have too many picks to even utilize all of them from a contract perspective, etc.

 

[Giovi]

I guess I just see him differently than others. Great defensive-minded numbers, limited PP minutes, still producing well 5-on-5. Only reason he is a third line player at this point it the team he is on, the talent he is behind, and how Gallant utilizes young players. Totally understand the aversion to pursuing but I think he'd be a good fit.

I guess others were also saying things like this last year regarding Alexis Lafreniere and the idea of using two 2nds to sign him to an offer sheet. People were saying he wasn't worth it and well on his way to be a bust, but he certainly looks like he is worth it this season and is part of the reason Panarin has been so successful.

Anyway, looking forward to the offseason to see if/what moves are made in order to improve this roster now and into the future. However, I am starting to feel like we have too many picks to even utilize all of them from a contract perspective, etc.

Gallant was fired last spring. New coach, same Kakko.