At his absolute best, maybe he's a 20min Dman on a lot of teams, but he has always been an oft injured Dman, and last year was garbage on one of the worst defensive teams in the league.
Who cares what he brought to our team? He wouldn't be here 3 years from now anyway, so it is best to trade him for as much as you can get for him, which is exactly what was done here.
Look at the 4 and 5 dmen around the league. Most are much worse, and more expensive if they are as good. It's in that no-man's land of contracts. Gms gamble on 4s or move on if they actually have one on a winner more often than not.
I'm not arguing to keep him. Fans love first, but I see Paradis, Dano, Olsen, Maatta, etc. more than I see a Murphy or Schmaltz (trying to stick with Hawks). Of the late firsts that do turn out as a top 5 d or top 9 fwd, it usually happens at another club.
...and I'm looking at 1st and 2nd round skill guys being buried and wasted in Rockford before dumped for nothing in 26 and 27 at the rate the Hawks are going now. KD is going to be giving up 6th rounders for roster slots soon enough, or drafting NCAA bound players just to buy time.
Hope I'm wrong...or they hit on two HOF top of the draft types which would make my concerns irrelevant. I don't like banking on luck like Tallon had.