Blackhawks Trade Ville Pokka To Ottawa
Before Thursday’s game against the Anaheim Ducks, the Chicago Blackhawks announced a trade.
For the second time in eight years, the Hawks acquired forward Chris DiDomenico.
Yes, that Chris DiDomenico.
Chicago (finally) traded defenseman Ville Pokka to the Ottawa Senators for DiDomenico five days before the forward turns 29.
In his first meaningful NHL season, DiDomenico has six goals and four assists in 24 games with the Sens.
DiDomenico was also part of the trade in 2010 that sent Kris Versteeg and Billy Sweat to Toronto for Viktor Stalberg and Philippe Paradis. He split two seasons between Rockford and Toledo, then the Hawks’ ECHL affiliate, before heading to Europe. He returned to North America with Ottawa at the end of the 2016-17 season. He was claimed off waiver earlier this season by Tampa, but was re-claimed off waivers by the Sens a week later.
DiDomenico was originally drafted by Toronto in the sixth round (164th overall) of the 2007 NHL Draft.
Pokka, who turns 24 of March 6, was the 34th overall selection in the 2012 NHL Draft by the New York Islanders. He was acquired by the Blackhawks in the trade that sent Nick Leddy to the Isles in 2014 but never appeared in an NHL game for Chicago.
Oh no! Not Pokka!
I wanna Pokka
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Zro4CfP9wY&w=854&h=480%5D
https://youtu.be/1Zro4CfP9wY
Glad he is getting an opportunity to go somewhere in the NHL and play. Hopefully he makes it.
The only reason it took this long was Stan was hoping and praying that in the end he wouldn’t have gotten a big fat ZERO from everything that came back in the Leddy trade he mishandled. Now, the ZERO is complete.
Hopefully the lesson learned here is if you don’t have cap space for a guy, don’t wait till October, the eve of the regular season, to find a trading partner, because there won’t be any. Or if they are, they will know they have you over a barrel.
Doesn’t he have an MBA? Every MBA curriculum has a section on negotiation. Someone must have been partying during those classes.
well now we have another former Sea Dog in DiDomenico to add to Jurco, Highmore and Noel.
Mike, Stan was bent over that barrel well before October that year.
The bigger issue here is we’re arguing over which 4-6 defenseman needs to be playing like a 2 or 3 because the Hawks have a collection of bottom pair guys who we like in brief stints but seem to too-frequently make critical mistakes.
I like the development I’ve seen from Murphy this season. Long term, the Hawks might have done well in the Hjalmarsson deal. But, again, he’s a 4 at best and shouldn’t skating with a guy like Kempny imo. The gap between the NHL and the kids coming who many – including me – are excited about is the hard place we find ourselves in. Need to hit the fast forward button to the second half of next year when, hopefully, Henri is skating in the NHL regularly.
Meanwhile, what to do with Gustav Forsling…. #tradebait?
I agree 100% with those thoughts Tab.
Dean, my point was, as soon as the 2014 playoffs were over, and we lost to LA in overtime of game 7, the one decision to make for the roster was Leddy or Oduya, which one were we gonna keep. They were the only 2 players we were gonna move that made enough to get us under the cap.
The fact that we waited until October to trade one of them is a mismanagement of the team’s assets, in my opinion. The Hawks could have done a lot better moving either of them in the summer, at the draft, etc.
Tab, I think you still have blinders on when it comes to Keith. In this case, you’re assuming Keith is still a number 1.
I believe we are missing a legitimate #1. In otherwords, Keith is no longer in the top 30 D-Men in the league and will probably drop out of the top 60 in a year or two.
We certainly have depth on the blueline but getting a legitimate #1 will take some time.
Tab unless they believe Forsling can develop into a legitimate top 4 defenceman, he is still only 21 yet, definitely should look at what they can get for him. Either a package deal or a prospect/picks. Definitely need top 4 help, but wouldn’t say Keith is done yet, with a legitimate partner he still likely got alot of hockey left yet. Just needs to clean up his game and lose the mistakes.
Wonder if Soderlund signs an elc before next season and gets a look in training camp. Not likely be a big offensive threat but could be a bottom 6 buzz saw, pk specialist type player.
I would not give up on Forsling so fast. At least he can skate, unlike Murphy.
One thing to think about with Jokiharju is he is only 18 and he will be to young for AHL next season, I believe and he would either have stay with Blackhawks or go back to juniors for the year. He could possibly have also a European clause too.
Debrinkat is still that young as well. That’s 3 really good players (with top 10 pick) and 8 is there as well. So 4 studs with upside. Need to make sure we have a full roster by the time these guys are good.
Soderlund just turned 20 too Mo, looks like alot to like about him too. Super fast compared to Ardvidson.
Decision needs to be made on Rutta. I for one think they should let him walk. He has not been the same player since he got corked and was out with a concussion. He lost his confidence and looks like the second coming of Rundblad.
Murphy has a chance to be a # 4 but it will never happen under Quenneville. And you cannot pay Murphy 3.8 Million to play 15 minutes a night or sit in the press box. Not in this salary cap era. Bowman remarked last week that he thinks Murphy has done an excellent job adjusting his game from one of backing up to moving forward defensively (big difference). This is going to be an off season flashpoint between Bowman and Q.
Kempny is as good as gone.
That leaves Keith, Seabrook, Oesterle, Gustafsson, Dahlstrom likely returning.
Forsling = ? Doesn’t seem to be a full season NHLer. Plus like Ruuta he loses his confidence and gumption real fast.
Wow is that weak sauce.
Mike, agree with you on the mishandling of Leddy. By waiting so late to make a move, his value diminished. By the way, I have an MBA and there is no course on negotiation. Stan would help himself by reading this website for good advice on trading strategy.
Agree with 1961 on hanging on to Forsling. He will continue to get better and has more upside than most others on D.
Two other notes. I have it on pretty good authority the Hawks are going to sign Blake Hillman after his college season is over. Also, Dennis Gilbert is on track to graduate from Notre Dame this Spring and get his degree. He likely will sign.
These guys have come in and play. So goodbye a Pokka, possibly goodbye Franson.
If Jokiharju were to sign an elc where he returned to Portland for next season, there would be 9 game window on whether year counted as a year. Probably a non issue, then if he was reassigned back at any point prior to or after that he stays until their season ends; probably some time after regular NHL season ends, not ideal for recall.
If signs elc with European clause similar to Forslings, they would have flexibility to assess him until Dec. 1st and either he stays on NHL roster but he would hace no AHL option or he goes to Swedish team with ability to recall him about March 1st when their season ends.
Jokiharju is not “too young” for the AHL. He was drafted out of the WHL. Any players with NHL contracts drafted out of the CHL must turn 20 before December 31 to be eligible to play in the AHL. The Hawks have not signed Jokiharju yet. He could go play in Finland for a year. He could sign and play for the Hawks, but then he either goes to Europe or to Portland if he’s not ready.
Or, they get creative. He could sign an AHL deal with Rockford. Stay in Rockford all year. Get acquainted with the system, ice, and teammates at a professional level.
A couple of college undrafted to keep an eye on.
Daniel Brickley- D 6’3″ Left shot 9G 21A in 31 gp
Jimmy Schuldt- D 6’1″ Left shot 7G 23A in 29 GP
Alec Rauhauser- D 6’3″ Left shot 7G 26A in 34gp
He can do alot of things but i was talking about if Blackhawks interested in giving him a look next year obviously.
Ogie just to clarify anyone drafted out of CHL is not eligible to play in AHL or ECHL next season unless they turn 2o before Dec. 31st or has played 4 years in chl. So yes Jokiharju is too young under eligibility rules to play in Rockford next season. Signing an elc first has nothing to do with it.
It seemed to me Pokka was never going to be more than a NHL/AHL tweener so it’s a nothing trade.
Tab asked the question – what to do with Forsling? I would say hold on to him and give him more time to develop – he’s still only 21. The main thing Forsling has over Pokka in terms of a potential NHL career is skating ability. NHL d-men need to skate well if they’re ever going to be more bottom pairing guys and whereas Pokka doesn’t have that skating ability – Forsling does. Will Forsling ever be a top-4 d-man at the NHL level? Who knows, but he has the skating ability and is only 21 so I say keep him.
Craig/ER- good thoughts.
I look at Leddy/Clendening for Pokka-that guy/Forsling. If 42 is good then we were over cap and still got a good player.