2025 26 Roster…too Soon

[Kevin Musto]

Zawaski has said that he feels very confident the Hawks and Davidson will be very aggressive this summer adding a top 6 forward at the least, maybe 2 if they can, I hope that doesn't mean replace the SJ contract with another SJ contract or trading unprotected 1sts

I don't think they need to touch free agency at all for a top 6 forward.

Just get aggressive with trades.

 

[Toews2Bickell]

I don't think they need to touch free agency at all for a top 6 forward.

Just get aggressive with trades.

If aggressive with trades means unprotected Hawks picks then I'm out unless its a certain type of return, if it means TOR/FLA 1sts and excess prospects at surplus positions like Nolan Allan etc, sure trade all these pieces for forward help now that fits the rebuild...if you need to hit the cap floor give Donato 8m for a year for the lols and keep the youth movement going

 

[Deputy McRizzy]

I don't think they need to touch free agency at all for a top 6 forward.

Just get aggressive with trades.

Opposite for me. Why swap assets vs signing someone who only costs cap space which you have tons of?

 

[Toews2Bickell]

Opposite for me. Why swap assets vs signing someone who only costs cap space which you have tons of?

big ufa deals usually age like milk, and this team isn't ready to win anything in the next few years which is where their best production will probably be

 

[Deputy McRizzy]

big ufa deals usually age like milk, and this team isn't ready to win anything in the next few years which is where their best production will probably be

Even if you don’t go the Marner route I’d rather they overpay someone on a 3 year deal or something.

 

[Hawkaholic]

Opposite for me. Why swap assets vs signing someone who only costs cap space which you have tons of?

Get players younger than 27/28 in a trade, and typically they make less money than a similar player who you are getting as a UFA.

 

[Deputy McRizzy]

Get players younger than 27/28 in a trade, and typically they make less money than a similar player who you are getting as a UFA.

Isaak Howard is the only realistic player I can think of that is available and potentially worth trading for. Who else are you moving picks and/or prospects for?

 

[Beukeboom Fan]

Opposite for me. Why swap assets vs signing someone who only costs cap space which you have tons of?

At some point you run outta cap space. I personally think that we're so far from most prospects needing contracts that it would be worth the risk.

 

[Deputy McRizzy]

At some point you run outta cap space. I personally think that we're so far from most prospects needing contracts that it would be worth the risk.

That’s a problem to worry about in 5 years. Some of these prospects are going to bust. No harm in signing a guy or two for anywhere from 3-5 years really.

If everything does work out then you have the best problem imaginable in figuring out who to get rid of.

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

Isaak Howard is the only realistic player I can think of that is available and potentially worth trading for. Who else are you moving picks and/or prospects for?

To be fair guys become available that surprise people come offseason so saying "Who is available" is a bit of a moot point right now being a month away from draft and major moves around league

For instance if Canes cant get over hump again in CF this year do they make big splash chasing after Marner (Who they have had interest in) thus opening possibility of Svechnikov trade?

If Sabres and Peterka talks get difficult does that open him up as potential trade option to avoid risk of offer sheet?

Do Leafs drop bomb on core and look to move Matthews or Nylander in trade while saying goodbye to Marner?

Lots of things can change once offseason begins after cup final and GM's start shaping rosters before draft and FA

 

[Toews2Bickell]

Even if you don’t go the Marner route I’d rather they overpay someone on a 3 year deal or something.

even mid-tier UFAs usually get some term, any 'aggressive' UFA deals they might pursue would likely command max term to get it done

 

[Toews2Bickell]

That’s a problem to worry about in 5 years. Some of these prospects are going to bust. No harm in signing a guy or two for anywhere from 3-5 years really.

If everything does work out then you have the best problem imaginable in figuring out who to get rid of.

this is how Buffalo ended up capped out and still in the basement...best thing for the long term is to suck and give yourself a 20% shot at McKenna tbh, send Martone or Hagens, Desnoyers, whoever back for a year and just be competitive but still bad enough for a blue chip forward prospect in 26 and stay patient with your cap space

 

[Kevin Musto]

Opposite for me. Why swap assets vs signing someone who only costs cap space which you have tons of?

I personally couldn't care less for the free agent class.

In a trade you can target exactly what you're looking for. Hopefully someone under 27 too.

 

[SimpleJack]

Bedard/Nazar/2025 3OA/Rinzel/Vlasic/Levshunov

“The way of the future…”

 

[ChicagoHockeyFan]

Davidson does not have a lot of leash left and he is gonna start feeling it. He should and probably will be aggressive. Essential to get Bedard a real linemate this summer

 

[HeisenBaez]

Davidson does not have a lot of leash left and he is gonna start feeling it. He should and probably will be aggressive. Essential to get Bedard a real linemate this summer

Maybe to you but I have not seen or heard anything from KD's bosses to suggest that Kyle's leash has gotten shorter.

 

[Toews2Bickell]

Davidson does not have a lot of leash left and he is gonna start feeling it. He should and probably will be aggressive. Essential to get Bedard a real linemate this summer

this is how rebuilds stall

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

this is how rebuilds stall

False and one can look at Hawks pre-cup success as well

Hawks were aggressive in getting Havlat and Handzus (Injury derailed things there) to boost team around kids coming up. They even traded a young player in Calder that many dubbed a part of Hawks core at time

Hawks went and were aggressive to bring in Campbell as FA to improve D group despite "Kids" and to send message around NHL that Hawks were looking to compete

I want to see from KD that type of big move also we should but haven't been looking at guys who needed change of scenery

Patrick Sharp and Andrew Ladd were key cogs of support in Hawks 2010 cup win and both were acquired when they had stalled and needed change of scenery with previous organization (Sharp was also blocked at C in Philly and for some reason they didn't try him in top 9 wing roll instead using him as a 4th liner/13th forward)

 

[Toews2Bickell]

False and one can look at Hawks pre-cup success as well

Hawks were aggressive in getting Havlat and Handzus (Injury derailed things there) to boost team around kids coming up. They even traded a young player in Calder that many dubbed a part of Hawks core at time

Hawks went and were aggressive to bring in Campbell as FA to improve D group despite "Kids" and to send message around NHL that Hawks were looking to compete

I want to see from KD that type of big move also we should but haven't been looking at guys who needed change of scenery

Patrick Sharp and Andrew Ladd were key cogs of support in Hawks 2010 cup win and both were acquired when they had stalled and needed change of scenery with previous organization (Sharp was also blocked at C in Philly and for some reason they didn't try him in top 9 wing roll instead using him as a 4th liner/13th forward)

Theres a big difference between trades for assets and UFA deals for max dollars/term, Campbell contract was bailed on early as was Huet, its usually a disaster formula to start doing these deals when you have an incomplete prospect pipeline, they need more blue chip assets up front...I'm surprised that you're in favor of KD going crazy this offseason, it feels way premature to do so, we're 2-3 more top 5 picks away from a core where you feel like you have something you can win a cup with, right now its not there

 

[ChicagoHockeyFan]

this is how rebuilds stall

You run real risk of building a losing culture by not adding. Why not add a young under 27 top 6 forward? We have made 8 first round picks in the last 3 drafts plus so much more prospects not picked in first round. Now is the perfect time to add. Need a young guy to show kids the ropes. Losing does not do us any good anymore sure Mckenna would be great but chances are that is not happening. It would not be good to have these kids lose a ton more now that they are all in the lineup we have to start building up.

Also, if you add a young top 6 forward that is a sure thing you hedge against some of the prospects inevitably busting which will happen.

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

You run real risk of building a losing culture by not adding. Why not add a young under 27 top 6 forward? We have made 8 first round picks in the last 3 drafts plus so much more prospects not picked in first round. Now is the perfect time to add. Need a young guy to show kids the ropes. Losing does not do us any good anymore sure Mckenna would be great but chances are that is not happening. It would not be good to have these kids lose a ton more now that they are all in the lineup we have to start building up.

Also, if you add a young top 6 forward that is a sure thing you hedge against some of the prospects inevitably busting which will happen.

Perfect example is Sabres rebuild

People here seem outright giddy to embrace that for some reason rather than outrageously try to build better team and get to playoffs

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

Also the Hawks have a glut of prospects in pipeline and plenty of trade chips going forward whether it be young defender or draft picks

At some point you need to take risks and utilize those trade chips to improve team to get from point A to point B than try to get to point C

Some here believe you should go from point A to point A and remain at Point A and hope all improvements from withing get you someday reaching point B

How has that worked out in Buffalo?

 

[Toews2Bickell]

Perfect example is Sabres rebuild

People here seem outright giddy to embrace that for some reason rather than outrageously try to build better team and get to playoffs

Are we trying to build a real cup contender or merely be a playoff team..And Buffalo is capped out and traded away Eichel and Reinhart, signed Okposo and Skinner to stupid UFA contracts etc, they've made a ton of errors in their rebuild years, the two situations are not the same...this teardown started in 2022, Buffalo has been rebuilding for 15 years

 

[Toews2Bickell]

You run real risk of building a losing culture by not adding. Why not add a young under 27 top 6 forward? We have made 8 first round picks in the last 3 drafts plus so much more prospects not picked in first round. Now is the perfect time to add. Need a young guy to show kids the ropes. Losing does not do us any good anymore sure Mckenna would be great but chances are that is not happening. It would not be good to have these kids lose a ton more now that they are all in the lineup we have to start building up.

Also, if you add a young top 6 forward that is a sure thing you hedge against some of the prospects inevitably busting which will happen.

I really don't think we do run any risk of culture rot...you're going to add so many talented kids to the lineup that will have absolutely no idea what preceded them, they will not know any better...we see orgs flip on a dime all the time, it just takes the right players entering...NFL is littered with recent examples...Commanders, Lions, Bengals, Bills, etc...Talent wins out, maybe the teams that are rebuilding in the NHL that have sucked for years just simply didn't land that much talent when they were bad and thats why they're still here among other reasons

And the Hawks have made 1 top 3 pick at forward during this rebuild, it will be 2 in a month, but the upside of the pick remains to be seen...Majority of the 1st round picks have been in the mid-late 1st

 

[TheFridge]

Also the Hawks have a glut of prospects in pipeline and plenty of trade chips going forward whether it be young defender or draft picks

View attachment 1039666

At some point you need to take risks and utilize those trade chips to improve team to get from point A to point B than try to get to point C

Some here believe you should go from point A to point A and remain at Point A and hope all improvements from withing get you someday reaching point B

How has that worked out in Buffalo?

The Hawks have no idea what they have in any of these players yet. Why would you be looking to trade them? Do you know who's going to be better between Rinzel and Korchinski right now? Between Allan and EDM? Between Lardis and Kantserov?

And why is it that you believe 2 years after Bedard was drafted is the right time to start being aggressive and "taking risks"? Again, if the goal is to just get back to where the Hawks were before this process started, be as aggressive as you can be. Rush back to the middle. Makes *a lot* of sense.