Sure, top 4 protected.
- BetweenTheDots

Another team would offer more, Alvin and Rutherford have been around the block a few times.

Peterson is what he is skilled scoring forward who’s softer than a baby’s butt. Is that what Chicago needs? I’d prefer KD steers clear. It would cost Davidson a ton in picks and possibly high end prospects. And I don’t see the universe where another team takes on Jones without sending back and equally bad contract as well as taking on part of Jones’ contract.
- paulr

It sure sounds like the Canucks already regret signing him to that fat contract. Even though we see how bad Jones is, doesn't mean that's how other teams see him.

Peterson is what he is skilled scoring forward who’s softer than a baby’s butt. Is that what Chicago needs? I’d prefer KD steers clear. It would cost Davidson a ton in picks and possibly high end prospects. And I don’t see the universe where another team takes on Jones without sending back and equally bad contract as well as taking on part of Jones’ contract.
- paulr

My main argument for bringing in a guy like Pettersen (or Marner - don't skewer me yet) is that he would be able to provide consistent offense with Bedard. They don't have another guy like that who is close to NHL ready. They need to be able to score a lot more to move up the standings and there is precious little of that available.

Another team would offer more, Alvin and Rutherford have been around the block a few times.
- LAHawk

Not that he'd waive to come to the Hawks, but I think I'd make the trade for JT Miller. He's definitely old for my liking and the duration left on his contract, but big guy with skill and proven producer. Not to mention, he's only $8M per year.

Are you willing to give up next years first overall for him, in addition to Jones you aren't getting Patterson for Jones straight up, even though they both have Brisson as an agent.
- LAHawk

Here's one out of left field. Just a hypothetical. What if Bedard is frustrated enough with the situation here that he has or will express he wants out? Vancouver, being his home town, could be a destination.

Petey for Bedard straight up could be a basis for a trade? If not who adds? Don't know where Jones could fit in especially with his NMC,. Pettersson's NMC doesn't kick in until July 1, so something will have to be done by then.

Edit - Personally I don't want Petey. As others have said, he's soft and probably overpaid.

My main argument for bringing in a guy like Pettersen (or Marner - don't skewer me yet) is that he would be able to provide consistent offense with Bedard. They don't have another guy like that who is close to NHL ready. They need to be able to score a lot more to move up the standings and there is precious little of that available.
- Chunk

Look at the teams that have won the Cup or even in the finals the past few years. Of course they are talented, but they are also big. That is what makes guys like Hertl, and Meier be so coveted when they come on the market. Hawks have no big talented forwards in the system.

I agree, now KD has to improve the team. I think he (frank)ed up last offseason. In hindsight his acquisitions were terrible. TT hasn’t shown much, Bertuzzi has had a few good games recently but overall has been below average. Martinez has played reasonably well when he’s healthy. And Brodie is obviously washed up. Luckily none hamstring the team contractually. I think KD has to improve the on ice product or risk ownership getting impatient and making rash decisions.

I think KD is on the right track overall but he’s got to start showing he can do more than dismantle, accumulate draft picks and draft players. He has to make trades that benefit the short and long term. He has to identify free agents that are difference makers not guys to fill out a roster. Then he has to correctly assess the value and term of each player. I suggest the easy part is behind him. The hard part has already begun.
- paulr

Personally, I think TT and Bertuzzi are exactly what the Hawks envisioned when they signed them. The problem is that is not near enough to get this team out of the basement.

Very few of the prospects are going to be able to come into the NHL and be notable contributors quickly (i.e. Nazar, KK). That's not to say they won't eventually be really good to great, but that it will take a lot of time. They need to be able to be more competitive soon

My main argument for bringing in a guy like Pettersen (or Marner - don't skewer me yet) is that he would be able to provide consistent offense with Bedard. They don't have another guy like that who is close to NHL ready. They need to be able to score a lot more to move up the standings and there is precious little of that available.
- Chunk

They definitely need someone to provide support on Bedard’s line. But that someone needs to have chemistry with Bedard as well as providing a two way game and the ability to win puck battles and retrieve pucks as well as go to the dirty areas of the ice. Other than potential chemistry with Bedard, while Marner is an above average defensive forward he doesn’t fit any of the aforementioned criteria. Peterson May again have chemistry with Bedard but fits none of the other boxes.

They definitely need someone to provide support on Bedard’s line. But that someone needs to have chemistry with Bedard as well as providing a two way game and the ability to win puck battles and retrieve pucks as well as go to the dirty areas of the ice. Other than potential chemistry with Bedard, while Marner is an above average defensive forward he doesn’t fit any of the aforementioned criteria. Peterson May again have chemistry with Bedard but fits none of the other boxes.
- paulr

All good points but this team is void any real top 6 difference making talent besides Bedard, the one man show, bringing Elias in will make that 2, then you can build around them. He would be one piece to a very big puzzle we need to fill out.

Look at the teams that have won the Cup or even in the finals the past few years. Of course they are talented, but they are also big. That is what makes guys like Hertl, and Meier be so coveted when they come on the market. Hawks have no big talented forwards in the system.
- LAHawk

I guess it depends on what you mean by big. Boisvert, Vanacker, and Spellacy could all fit that mold.

Not disagreeing with you on what they need.

Personally, I think TT and Bertuzzi are exactly what the Hawks envisioned when they signed them. The problem is that is not near enough to get this team out of the basement.

Very few of the prospects are going to be able to come into the NHL and be notable contributors quickly (i.e. Nazar, KK). That's not to say they won't eventually be really good to great, but that it will take a lot of time. They need to be able to be more competitive soon
- Chunk

I agree with Chunk here. I think management envisioned them both as 3rd-line wingers who could play as 2nd line wingers. With a healthy Hall, it was expected that even with 3 additional wingers on the lower end of top 6, we'd generate more offense than the dumpster fire last year. Unfortunately, even with Donato scoring more, both Kurashev and Richardson have produced significantly less than last year. Subtract Johnson and you have about the same amount of offensive production as last year.

All good points but this team is void any real top 6 difference making talent besides Bedard, the one man show, bringing Elias in will make that 2, then you can build around them. He would be one piece to a very big puzzle we need to fill out.
- BetweenTheDots

I’d like to see someone with a better fit especially considering the huge cost in draft picks and prospects it would cost to acquire Peterson. For instance I’d hate to see Toronto’s first and Nazar or Rinzel or Boisvert and possibly more. And thinking Jones would go back the other way is extremely unlikely unless Chicago sweeten the deal even more. Personally if Cozens is available and the cost isn’t too high I’d prefer him over Peterson. On a side note I wish KD had grabbed Kakko, I think it would have been a low risk acquisition for minimal return.

They definitely need someone to provide support on Bedard’s line. But that someone needs to have chemistry with Bedard as well as providing a two way game and the ability to win puck battles and retrieve pucks as well as go to the dirty areas of the ice. Other than potential chemistry with Bedard, while Marner is an above average defensive forward he doesn’t fit any of the aforementioned criteria. Peterson May again have chemistry with Bedard but fits none of the other boxes.
- paulr

Yeah, they need everything, but I think you have to start somewhere.

I'm sure that I'm putting the cart far before the horse here, but I'm really liking what I'm seeing out of Slaggert. He's not huge but is very effective. His game reminds me a lot of Hagel's right now. Always moving, always puck hounding, and has decent hands. I'd love to see him get some run at the end of the year after they move out some vets. I think he'd step in right now as a better version of Donato.

I’d like to see someone with a better fit especially considering the huge cost in draft picks and prospects it would cost to acquire Peterson. For instance I’d hate to see Toronto’s first and Nazar or Rinzel or Boisvert and possibly more. And thinking Jones would go back the other way is extremely unlikely unless Chicago sweeten the deal even more. Personally if Cozens is available and the cost isn’t too high I’d prefer him over Peterson. On a side note I wish KD had grabbed Kakko, I think it would have been a low risk acquisition for minimal return.
- paulr

You are not alone on that one. That was a guy who was buried in the bottom 6 in NY and was part of their best line for most of the year. That's the type of player the VGK built their initial team on. Young untapped potential who had shown they can play a responsible game in the NHL.

Hawks bring up Colton Dach. Anderson sent down.


.... and it begins.

You are not alone on that one. That was a guy who was buried in the bottom 6 in NY and was part of their best line for most of the year. That's the type of player the VGK built their initial team on. Young untapped potential who had shown they can play a responsible game in the NHL.
- Chunk

Same here, it's crazy how the Rangers have dropped like a rock. I know losing sucks but I'm glad we aren't a twilight team anymore.

It's also a painful reminder of how long it takes for some kids talent to develop, if it develops

Same here, it's crazy how the Rangers have dropped like a rock. I know losing sucks but I'm glad we aren't a twilight team anymore.
- BetweenTheDots

I think we’re all frustrated with how things are going but we’d be going crazy if the Hawks were in the mess the Rangers are in.

I think we’re all frustrated with how things are going but we’d be going crazy if the Hawks were in the mess the Rangers are in.
- paulr

Brings you back to 2017-18 when the Hawks dropped from 109 pts down to 76.

My main argument for bringing in a guy like Pettersen (or Marner - don't skewer me yet) is that he would be able to provide consistent offense with Bedard. They don't have another guy like that who is close to NHL ready. They need to be able to score a lot more to move up the standings and there is precious little of that available.
- Chunk

Ehlers is a UFA this offseason. Save the picks/prospects to flip for scorers that aren't on a big contract already. Call the Kings and ask what they need for the playoff run and what they want for Spellacy's teammate Greentree. 19 years old and LA is in win now mode so a 19 year old isn't going to help them compete in a run the next two years. Blake is not exactly the sharpest GM in the league either.

Interested to see where Dach slots in and for who. Maybe give Frank a familiar face?

I think we’re all frustrated with how things are going but we’d be going crazy if the Hawks were in the mess the Rangers are in.
- paulr

Safe to say Kyle won't be asking Foligno who to bring in via free agency this offseason? Lol, Kyle's in over his head. Stick to picking up draft picks from the airport Kyle.

Ehlers is a UFA this offseason. Save the picks/prospects to flip for scorers that aren't on a big contract already. Call the Kings and ask what they need for the playoff run and what they want for Spellacy's teammate Greentree. 19 years old and LA is in win now mode so a 19 year old isn't going to help them compete in a run the next two years. Blake is not exactly the sharpest GM in the league either.
- Assman22

Not a bad idea either. Just add some better players any way you can.

Ehlers is a UFA this offseason. Save the picks/prospects to flip for scorers that aren't on a big contract already. Call the Kings and ask what they need for the playoff run and what they want for Spellacy's teammate Greentree. 19 years old and LA is in win now mode so a 19 year old isn't going to help them compete in a run the next two years. Blake is not exactly the sharpest GM in the league either.
- Assman22

Ehlers is 29, he’ll demand well over his current $6M contract at seven years. Is he worth this kind of contract, does he appear to be losing anything in his game and will he still be a viable player in three years? Those are the questions Davidson will have to struggle with.

Ehlers is 29, he’ll demand well over his current $6M contract at seven years. Is he worth this kind of contract, does he appear to be losing anything in his game and will he still be a viable player in three years? Those are the questions Davidson will have to struggle with.
- paulr

Ehlers isn't the point. The point is don't trade all these assets for someone that is very similar to a UFA that's available for free. And while we're talking about money since you brought it up, Kyle will have a war chest to work with and needs to bring in vets that can (frank)ing score. Pay Rantanen whatever it takes to get him to Chicago and sign another UFA scoring forward this offseason as well. Only scorer Kyle has in his precious prospect pool over 3 drafts is Lardis and he's still in juniors.

Not a bad idea either. Just add some better players any way you can.
- Chunk

Maybe KD can be as creative as Armstrong was, and use some of his draft capital for promising RFA's rom cap strapped teams, as opposed to taking on a dead weight overpaid player in a cap dump trade.