Don't know what Chicago is doing. They should be making more deals like Mikheyev, taking cap dumps for picks instead of wasting it on free agents.
Cap has gone up so there are not alot of dumps around
And Hawks already have alot of picks in coming years. In rounds 1-4 in coming drafts the Hawks have
Four 1st rounders
Hawks 1st in 2025
Leafs 1st in 2025 (Top 10 protected)
Hawks 1st in 2026
Hawks 1st in 2026
Seven 2nd rounders
Hawks 2nd in 2025
Stars 2nd in 2025
Hawks 2nd in 2026
Islanders 2nd in 2026
Leafs 2nd in 2026
Hawks 2nd in 2027
Canucks 2nd in 2027
Three 3rd rounders
Hawks 3rd in 2026
Hawks 3rd in 2027
Four 4th rounders
Hawks 4th in 2025
Rangers 4th in 2025
Hawks 4th in 2026
Sens 4th in 2026
Hawks have also made alot of picks from rounds 1-4 in recent drafts right now in system
1st Round (8 prospects)
D Nolan Allan (2021 1st)
D Kevin Korchinski (2022 1st)
C Frank Nazar (2022 1st)
D Sam Rinzel (2022 1st)
C Oliver Moore (2023 1st)
D Artyom Levshunov (2024 1st)
C Sacha Boisvert (2024 1st)
LW Marek Vanacker (2024 1st)
2nd Round (7 prospects)
G Drew Commesso (2020 2nd)
C/W Colton Dach (2021 2nd)
C Paul Ludwinski (2022 2nd)
C Ryan Greene (2022 2nd)
RW Roman Kantersov (2023 2nd)
G Adam Gajan (2023 2nd)
C Martin Misiak (2023 2nd)
3rd Round (11 prospects)
LW Landon Slaggert (2020 3rd)
D Wyatt Kaiser (2020 3rd)
D Taige Harding (2021 3rd)
RW Gavin Hayes (2022 3rd)
LW Samuel Savoie (2022 3rd)
C Aidan Thompson (2022 3rd)
LW Nick Lardis (2023 3rd)
C Jiri Felcman (2023 3rd)
C John Mustard (2024 3rd)
RW A.J. Spellacy (2024 3rd)
RW Jack Pridham (2024 3rd)
4th round (3 prospects)
D Ethan Del Mastro (2021 4th)
C Victor Stjernborg (2021 4th)
RW Alex Pharand (2023 4th)
A team can only sign/have paths to NHL for certain # of prospects
Vet stopgaps to improve NHL roster around kids while rest of kids develop is a sound strategy and better then continuing to be awful and putting kids in awful situation. That is how you end up like the Sabres