Hawks trade Gustafson and Lehner

[GRADEN]

Deadline has passed and Stan made 2 deals with their UFA status players.

Good news: We keep Saad and Boston doesn't get stronger. Yes we were almost assured of a deal that was a 1st and a decent prospect. But is that better than another year with a legit top 6 winger? No. He has played well and I happy to keep a new dad in his home as well.

We move Gus for a 3rd (better of their 2 3rds) to Calgary. Could we have gotten a 2nd if he was traded 2 weeks earlier? Probably. Thats Stans fault all the way. There were 5-6 worse players traded earlier that got a better return.

Then the big one:

Lehner to VGK for career backup and rebound artist Malcolm Subban, Pitts 2nd rounder (mid 50s), and 2018 #99 pick D Slava Demin. We also retain 1/2 of Lehners pro-rated salary. 40mins after the trade Mark Lazerous says Lehner was willing to take less money on a 3yr deal???? If he was willing to do a 3/23 type of deal and you trade him? I don't know, all this seems fishy.

First off a funny thing to point out.... Gustafson and Lehner basically got you Andrew Shaw. We recouped what we gave away for Shaw. Hilarious.

We are back to 7 picks and 5 in the top 100 (7,56, 68, 80, 100 currently). That is good because this draft is amazing. The top 50 is where it is all at though.

This is year to swing for the fences on a trade up. We will likely pick 7-11 and then I'd like to combine 56, 68,100 to move into the early 2nd for a goalie. That is the range that Commesso will likely be taken. I think he is a legit 3 year to the league guy. There are only 3-4 legit goalies this draft. We need one! Want to take Askarov top 10, go ahead but in my view you can't pass up those top 10 guys for him. They are too good!

1. Lafrienere 2. Byfield 3. Drysdale 4. Stutzle 5. Rossi 6. Raymond 7. Sanderson 8. Perfetti 9. Lundell 10. Holtz 11. Askarov

After that guys start having questions with high reward risks: Lapierre, Zary, Schneider, Mercer, Holloway, Mysak, Amirov
Then you also have lower risk, but not as high ceiling guys: Quinn, Perrault, Jarvis, Guhle
Some injury risk guys too: Smilanic, Barron

Lundell is a guy that just looks like a solid #2 center... He doesn't make mistakes, he also doesn't wow you at all. He projects as a solid hard working center with good size. He always is steady from what Ive seen. IF the hawks take him in that 7-11 position id be just fine with it.

Make no mistake though: those top 4 picks are set and they are all difference makers! Drysdale looks like Makar in every way. Stutzle has just skyrocketed in all center responsibilities. Alexi is a super star scorer. Byfield is a massive center but also shows good speed and steady hands... he is also one of the youngest prospects.

Draft is June 24 I believe... Predictions is they fire Collition for Laviolette hire. Bowman stays. I think we resign Strome 2/10 bridge. That is his value. I think we resign Kubalik 3/14... He was once a 2mil player but he has played way beyond it. We likely do a 1/800k partial for subban and give Delia / Lankanen / Subban all an equal chance to back up Crow. Crawford should get 3/15 with 3rd year vesting team.

Draft Lundell and trade up to 30s and draft G Drew Commesso. Id trade down a round from 80 to 110ish and take on a vet D in final year to dump Mattaa. Find small deals / releases for Kampf / Smith. Try and get Slater a 1yr deal around 1-1.5m. Let go or do small 1 for 1 deals for Sikura, Wedin, Quenneville, Reese, Gilbert, and Fortin.

It wouldn't be a sexy offseason, but we need some stability.

2020-2021 opening day

LW Saad C Toews RW Kubalik
LW DeBrincat C Strome RW Kane
LW Caggulia C Dach RW Nylander
LW Hagel C Carpenter RW Highmore

Guys to get some games: Kurashev, Hakkarainen, Barratt

D Kieth - Boqvist
D De Haan - Murphy
D Koekkoek - Mitchell

Carlsson / Seeler / Brennan / Beaudin all get looks

G Crawford - winner of Sub - Delia - Lankanen

Is that a super team? No! But our base is better stabilized I feel. If a big time LW scorer becomes available then by all means lets go after him. Has Laine worn out his welcome already? Saad expiring deal will be with us all year as a nice starting point mind you.

Biggest thing is the numbers again... get into the top 4 then you get an NHL ready guy, anything outside then you have to wait on him.

Go Hawks.

[GRADEN]

Add Nylander to the release list... he just doesn’t get it. He clearly is way too much in his head, never makes a quick decision it seems.