OFF-SEASON PLAN OPTIONS
Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2021 3:45 pm
An off-season that, to me at least, is ripe with opportunity for the Hawks. I’ve analyzed the last 10 years and it typically comes down to 15-20 decisions from small ones like deciding or not to offer an ELC to a mid-round pick in Europe or to whether or not to go all-in on a FA or trade. Here is what I would do if GM.
1. Lose Kampf to expansion
2. Deal Zadorov rights to Oilers for a 3rd
3. Trade D Regula, Pick #63 to Sabres for LW Victor Olofsson.
4. Resign Sutter (2/6.75)
5. Resign Hinostroza 1/1.5
6. Sign LD Jake McCabe 1/2.5
7. Resign Gaudette 1/1
8. Hagel gets 3 year extension / 1.65aav
9. Delia / Subban and Hawks part ways
10. Draft C Svechkov at #11
11. Buyout D De Haan
12. Overpay for D Hamilton 6/52.5
13. Sign G Halak 1/4m
14. Draft C Salminen at #43
15. Trade Strome for #97 (Anaheim) and a 2022 5th (4th if he resigns)
16. Draft D Ufko at #83 (Zadorov deal)
17. Draft RW Alarie at #97
18. Draft D Zellweger at #104
19. Trade #171 and #203 to take LW Degrazia at #155
20. Draft G Korhonen at #215
Notes: C Toews rejoins team, RW Nylander participates in TC plays in 30-50 games
Depth:
LW Olofsson , DeBrincat, Hagel, Connolly
C Toews, Dach, Suter, Carpenter
RW Kubalik, Kane, Hinostroza, Kurashev
Reserves: Borgstrom, Gaudette, Hardman, Entwistle, Reichel, Nylander, Barratt, Altybarmakian, Slavin
LD: Kalynuk, McCabe, Keith
RD: Hamilton, Murphy, Boqvist
Reserves: Mitchell, Stillman, Beaudin, Phillips, Galvas
G: Lankanen, Halak
(Rockford: Soderblum, Morris)
Thoughts: Toews health is first and foremost here and I suspect he’ll have some rest days mixed into every 5-7 games. That will give Borgstrom / Gaudette / Kurashev some center work in the season. The D lines must be reworked. Overpaying to get Hamilton is preferred by me over Seth Jones simply because it’d cost too much. Likely price take is #11 and Mitchell and a sweetener and that’s a conservative ask. Jones will command a full 7 or 8 year at around 8m deal and I think Hamilton could be a year or 2 less term and maybe .5-1m per less. I know Hamilton isn’t the best defender but he is a legit #1 PP guy and can really produce. If we can shed Zadorov, De Haan, and maybe even Murphy for space and assets then I’m all in. My new pairings look balanced to me and it places some of our prospects where they should be.
Goalies… Delia and Subban are average backups at best so losing them is not a big deal. Lankanen needs a mentor and I’d love to get in a Rinne or Halak for their last season to see if they can help him. Commesso is still 3 years away so no help is coming soon.
It’s a bold aggressive plan I’ve laid out but it’s doable for Stan. The draft I did was well thought out and maybe Svechkov is a 5-15 pick reach to some but he screams 2way 2nd line center. He will play pro KHL minutes next season and he will be ready quickly. His defensive ability is outstanding already. In the second round there will be some nice center prospects that got pushed down with the Dmen going early. Samu Salminen is another high end Fin prospect I think could go late 1st too. He was the Jrs captain and really produced. He has great size and knows how to take up space and can score. He’d be a still anywhere past 30.
1. Lose Kampf to expansion
2. Deal Zadorov rights to Oilers for a 3rd
3. Trade D Regula, Pick #63 to Sabres for LW Victor Olofsson.
4. Resign Sutter (2/6.75)
5. Resign Hinostroza 1/1.5
6. Sign LD Jake McCabe 1/2.5
7. Resign Gaudette 1/1
8. Hagel gets 3 year extension / 1.65aav
9. Delia / Subban and Hawks part ways
10. Draft C Svechkov at #11
11. Buyout D De Haan
12. Overpay for D Hamilton 6/52.5
13. Sign G Halak 1/4m
14. Draft C Salminen at #43
15. Trade Strome for #97 (Anaheim) and a 2022 5th (4th if he resigns)
16. Draft D Ufko at #83 (Zadorov deal)
17. Draft RW Alarie at #97
18. Draft D Zellweger at #104
19. Trade #171 and #203 to take LW Degrazia at #155
20. Draft G Korhonen at #215
Notes: C Toews rejoins team, RW Nylander participates in TC plays in 30-50 games
Depth:
LW Olofsson , DeBrincat, Hagel, Connolly
C Toews, Dach, Suter, Carpenter
RW Kubalik, Kane, Hinostroza, Kurashev
Reserves: Borgstrom, Gaudette, Hardman, Entwistle, Reichel, Nylander, Barratt, Altybarmakian, Slavin
LD: Kalynuk, McCabe, Keith
RD: Hamilton, Murphy, Boqvist
Reserves: Mitchell, Stillman, Beaudin, Phillips, Galvas
G: Lankanen, Halak
(Rockford: Soderblum, Morris)
Thoughts: Toews health is first and foremost here and I suspect he’ll have some rest days mixed into every 5-7 games. That will give Borgstrom / Gaudette / Kurashev some center work in the season. The D lines must be reworked. Overpaying to get Hamilton is preferred by me over Seth Jones simply because it’d cost too much. Likely price take is #11 and Mitchell and a sweetener and that’s a conservative ask. Jones will command a full 7 or 8 year at around 8m deal and I think Hamilton could be a year or 2 less term and maybe .5-1m per less. I know Hamilton isn’t the best defender but he is a legit #1 PP guy and can really produce. If we can shed Zadorov, De Haan, and maybe even Murphy for space and assets then I’m all in. My new pairings look balanced to me and it places some of our prospects where they should be.
Goalies… Delia and Subban are average backups at best so losing them is not a big deal. Lankanen needs a mentor and I’d love to get in a Rinne or Halak for their last season to see if they can help him. Commesso is still 3 years away so no help is coming soon.
It’s a bold aggressive plan I’ve laid out but it’s doable for Stan. The draft I did was well thought out and maybe Svechkov is a 5-15 pick reach to some but he screams 2way 2nd line center. He will play pro KHL minutes next season and he will be ready quickly. His defensive ability is outstanding already. In the second round there will be some nice center prospects that got pushed down with the Dmen going early. Samu Salminen is another high end Fin prospect I think could go late 1st too. He was the Jrs captain and really produced. He has great size and knows how to take up space and can score. He’d be a still anywhere past 30.