Do the Blackhawks have enough to make a deal for Seth Jones?
The big NHL news over the weekend was the revelation that star defenseman Seth Jones wants out of Columbus. He has one year remaining on his contract and has reportedly told the team he’s going to test the free agent market when the deal expires in the summer of 2022.
Of course Blackhawks fans want him. The opportunity to go get a legit No. 1 defenseman is rare, and Jones fits that profile.
The money question is: do the Blackhawks have the assets to make a deal for a superstar defenseman to lead the next generation on Chicago’s blue line?
Chicago has invested heavily in the blue line in recent years. Between 2017-19, five of the Hawks’ top six overall picks were defensemen: Henri Jokiharju and Ian Mitchell (2017), Adam Boqvist and Nicolas Beaudin (2018) and Alex Vlasic (2019). Because of these draft picks, free agent signings (see Wyatt Kalynuk) and veteran acquisitions, the Hawks already have a crowded blue line.
But the Hawks could deal from that depth.
Columbus would likely want young forwards in the deal, however. And Dylan Strome isn’t likely going to be enough to get a deal done. Strome has one year remaining on his current deal with a $3M cap hit but is RFA after the ’22 season, so Columbus would at least have some control of Strome if he was part of the deal.
So let’s throw together a hypothetical package that might intrigue the Blue Jackets.
What if the deal looked like this:
- Chicago receives: Seth Jones
- Columbus receives: Dylan Strome, Mackenzie Entwistle, Matej Chalupa, Nicolas Beaudin, Chicago’s #1 pick in 2021 and Vegas’ #2 pick in 2021.
Would that be enough to make a deal happen? Would Columbus answer the phone for that offer?
Stan, pick up the damn phone & make a deal without Hagel, Boq & Mitchell moving. Those 3 can stay. Everyone else I’m not attached to.
Just. Do. It. For the love of the Indian Head–DO IT.
Cheers, fellas.
Wouldn’t be against throwing Kubalik into the mix there either, at 3.7m caphit that’s up next year with a raise due, a decision will have to be made on how his next contract fits anyways. Getting Jones locked up is the biggest issue if a deal is found.
not likely. strome has proven he is a bum. of the others beaudein might become a second pairing dman…… might. and the rest are practice fodder or fourth liners. so you are really talking about beaudein’s potential, a #1 pick likely outside the top ten, and the vgk #2, which is almost a #3. really not offering much in terms of equality. i LOVE it from the hawks side of things.
with all the holes the hawks have they can’t afford to trade their meager good assets for a player who is great, but isn’t going to make them more than a bottom playoff seed. the best course of action is to hope he is a ufa at this time next year and try to sign him.
Whether it’s this deal or another, Kubalik makes sense as a big trade chip. He is an elite scorer who Colliton doesn’t seem to get the most out of. Needs a new contract next year that could end up being a considerable raise for him with arbitration a pissibility and then walk as an ufa in another year. Lots of decisions on his future if not going to used in a bigger role by Colliton. Selling high on him now could be best move in that case.
Ian – I think you’re on to something there with Kubalik
It has to be more than the Strome et. al. package – the competition for Jones will be intense and other teams will be offering more than that
Maybe Strome, Kubalik and Mitchell gets CBL to pick up the phone – if they want a first as well then subtract one of the three players
I would love to acquire Seth Jones but I don’t do it if it means we pay twice – once with assets to acquire him for the 2021/22 season and then again with the mega-deal it will take to sign him long term. The assumption is the assets to induce Columbus to trade him to us over the other many suitors will be substantial and be a set back to the rebuild – a sort of one step forward and one step back, only with salary cap implications that will also affect the rebuild.
I would rather take the chance that he will get to UFA after next season and then try to sign him. It will still cost a boat load and be a big hit on the cap but it won’t cost assets we need to keep the rebuild on track.
ER – understandable POV but the Hawks have too many players for too few positions as it is – trading some of them for a Norris calibre D man is not setting the rebuild back IMO (of course depending on who goes in any potential trade)
I would prefer that they be pro-active on Jones rather than play wait and see
If he’s a player you want do your best to go get him – if you can’t make a trade then UFA is your fall back position so you have two chances to get him not one
“I’ll start off here by saying I’m completely, completely disappointed. It’s unacceptable to be where we are today. I’m frustrated, I’m angry. This was a tough, tough loss for us all to take.
“And it’s a complete failure when you measure it against the expectations that we have of ourselves. We did not come even close to reaching the standard we have set over the years here. And that’s unacceptable.
“Any successes that we did experience this year are completely overshadowed by the abrupt ending to our season. It’s not close to good enough for anybody. And I think it’s time right now to take a look in the mirror and face facts. And when you do that, you look at accountability.
“Top to bottom, we need more. This is unacceptable to be where we are today. There will be change moving forward; change comes in many different ways. So the specifics of how we’re going to change things into next year are not really meant for this forum.”
Stan Bowman, April 22nd, 2017
For once, I agree completely with Stan.
I think Hawks should just wait and see next year what will happen…no need to rush and loose a few good players for a guy who maybe don’t want to sign a long term contract with the Hawks …..plus who knows …maybe we get lucky and win the lottery and get a top Dman .
Kubalik will probably be gone at trade deadline iff he don’t accept what the Hawks offer him ,
The next 2 years will be rock and roll anyway with a few big surprise.
Not nearly enough for a number one D. Maybe a sign (extension) and trade for Debrincat and a D prospect like Vlasic or Beaudin. A number one defensemen is not going to be traded for second/third line players.
ER makes a great point about not paying twice for Jones.
I don’t think the Blackhawks should make any deal until they have a well thought out strategy to bring the Cup back to Chicago in 3 or 4 years.
What I have seen thus far are a number of tactical moves and a lot of hope the prospect pool will develop.
Hope is not a strategy. Tactics are useless without a good strategy.
If there is a strategy, and it is to build a team around small, soft, players, with a run-and-gun offense, then we are in for a lot more disappointment.
The Bowman quote I cited above was made after a 50-23-9 season. And, yes, they got knocked out in the 1st round of the playoffs. Tampa Bay got swept by Columbus in the 1st round in 2018-19 and won the Cup the next year. There are other examples. So, a 1st round exit, while painful, means nothing.
No trade for Jones without an agreement for his contract extension of 4-6 years already in place. Moving assets to acquire him when he doesn’t get us to SC Finals next year and then have him walk would be absolute foolishness. The PS3 or PS4 approach of giving 5 castoff players for a star doesn’t work in real life.
Kubalik is an asset with value (agree with Ian on this) that is likely more expendable than anyone else on our team. My opinion though is that he can still be a bigger star with the proper linemates – unselfish players happy to set his wicked shot up like with Toews and Saad last year. And remember – he emerged because he appeared on the power play for one timers on the opposite side of Dcat. That was an important coaching move in that season. He had many fails before he connected at the one-timers, but once he figured it out ….. Confidence breeds better performance. He could be an important chip this summer. But I want a controllable player back, preferably a high end Dman with more current success and high promise than those on our team now.
On the other hand we definitely need to trade Kane or our highest value property in a 4 or 5 way trade acquiring: Tom Wilson, Patrick Maroon, Ryan Reeves and Nazem Kadri. Okay – 3 of the 4 may be all we really need to be in the SC Finals next year. (Sarcasm sign being held up here, though there obviously are some who feel it would work!).
Don’t ya just love playoff hockey, when we get to revert to caveman times again? It’s so…. late 1970s-1980s ish. Oh – that’s why I took a sabbatical from hockey for about 10 years at that time. Did they expect anything less this year considering the forced schedule?
Qudos to Coach Q for doing a bangup job on his Panthers. Huge steps for them.
Chicago trading for Jones makes no sense at this time in their so called rebuild.
HAWKS 29 I Totally agree with your assessments in your previous posts.
Jones would lead Chicago to the playoffs next season just like he lead Columbus to the playoffs this past season. Oh yeah Columbus didn’t make the playoffs.
I hate to brake the news the hawks were not a playoff team this year and will not be a playoff team next season.
Having to give up assets and then having to sign a high priced long term contract seams foolish. ” Erik Karlsson” “Brent Seabrook”. Yes I know these players were older when they signed their contacts.
I must admit I do get a chuckle when hawks fans actually believe a guy like Jones would be effective in eight to ten years from now.
Finally…. Why in the world would Seth Jones want to play for Chicago?
Would welcome that deal any day. Throw in Shaw’s contract for 21-22 maybe?
SILENT SPOT Totally agree with the need to trade Kane now while his trade value is so high instead of waiting and getting the same return that the hawks got for Crawford and Seabrook.
No deal… #1 pick , Strome , Boqvist, lankinen = S .Jones and Elvis . Now is Elvis better than Lanky?? Idk
Kane will be traded if Kane wants or will stay if he wants too, his end of year comments sounded like he wanted to stay. There was mention by him, Debrincat and others of patience with the process plus the high expectations of next season. So just have to see how that translates, whether it means Jones or not, time will tell, we all got our own opinions as to how we want to see it play out, agree or not nobody is right or wrong, only the front office has that option.
He’s on the ice for too many five on five goals
You know who the Hawks don`t need ???? Seth Jones .
We are in rebuild mode , Seth has been spiraling down down down …of course he wants out of Columbus , he`s one player of many .
Just say no to Seth kids .
Seth Jones was originally traded for a 23 year old Ryan Johansen who was coming off of a 71 point season..sound familar? Seth Jones for Debrincat is about equal value and it’s that level of player Columbus will be looking for..assuming that the Hawks wouldn’t even entertain that idea, then the next package would be begin with Dach and our first or Dach and Kubalik(Columbus needs center depth badly)..Tab’s example incorrectly assumes that the Hawks can simply trade away players at a position that we have an abundance of or that we can live without for the second best player on the Columbus roster..doesn’t work like that..Columbus would want our best players in return (it doesn’t matter that the Hawks have a ton of excess defensemen to trade)..does Seth Jones become that much of a difference maker if we lose Cat to get him? Or Dach and Kubalik? Or Dach, Kubalik, and a second? He didn’t make much of a difference to Columbus last year..they finished with a worse record than the Hawks and they have Werenski and Jones..so why does his addition to the Hawks automatically get us closer to a deep playoff run if it comes at the expense of a handful of our building blocks for the future?? And remind me why trading Kubalik is suddenly not a bad idea..I thought the Hawks wanted more 55 point wingers, not less (Kubalik projected out to 55 points this year over 82 games)..at 3.7 for next year? And still RFA after that? The Hawks are in complete control of that contract..no reason to shop our third best scorer unless we’re certain the Hawks have another 30 goal scoring winger in waiting..but currently, that isn’t the case. Talk about cutting off our nose to spite our face.
Here’s an alternative..get our own players healthy so you can see how this roster looks over 82 games..see what you have this year in Borgstrom and Reichel(which will then make it easier to shop Strome if he isn’t moved this offseason)..decide whether Zadorov is a part of this blueline moving forward and if so, how large of a contract are you giving him..decide whether Murphy is a part of it after next year..next offseason you can begin to check the temperature of the league to see if you can move the last two years of Seabrook’s contract..and if you can, and you decide you’re ready to move on from Murphy, then you will have 10.6 million or so at your disposal to invest in Jones(who btw will be looking for 7-8 mil a year)..
Of course, if Columbus takes Strome, Beaudin, and a first for Jones you make that deal all day..but it will never, ever, happen.
If that’s all that it would take then I’m a yes. Even add Connor Murphy probably can’t afford to re-sign him along with Jones.
Murphy is also a Ohio kid, would probably ink a extension with them.
What kind of message would StanBo be sending if he pulled off this trade?? “Just kidding with the rebuild, I know I said “rebuild” last time but I meant to say “re-tool again”??? StanBo guarantees himself at least another year unless the team totally does a face plant, all he has to say is its a “Rebuild”!!! Only a few people around here are wise enough to know a con job when they see one. Seth Jones will not be wearing a Hawk jersey.
Slayer, yes Kubalik a rfa next summer, but Blackhawks are far from in full control. They have to qualify him just to retain his rights or let him go as an ufa. His salary next season is 4m which is qo amount. If he doesn’t want that offer he has option to go arbitration route which would likely be very favourable for him, potential 30 goal scorers usually get rewarded there. That would become a pay him the amount awarded on a 1 year deal or let him walk scenario as well. With only 1 rfa year left he could also go back to Europe for a year and come back an ufa the following year. So thinking he is locked under control after next season is a little bit misguided. If he wants to stay and be a part of a future where Colliton finds a top 6 spot where he thrives that’s great, but right now i’m not sure that is going to happen.
Never deal for someone that doesn’t want to be there. Guys that have left have not picked up the pace. Check the records. Anyway that is way to much for him.
Gotta think the Blackhawks are a season away from wheeling dealing in free agency. Stick with the kids’ development. Think long…
In regards to people wanting to ship out Duncan Keith to the glue factory: Jones had a P/M of -18 last year.
Ive always suggested having a legit player over a prospect or a pick. however i cant take the trade proposal there seriously, no offense, way too much to give up even though every last assett listed..of all strome is the only semi proven semi capable assett with the jury so to speak being out on all the rest for years…heck those draft picks might not play a game …a game as a rookie for two to four years..some longer…and thats just to show up,never mind settling in and maybe being a legit player…that could easily be six to nine years from now, especially if its a goalie. It eould be an interesting stat to read how many nhl players find thier “grove” in thier secind or third team. Not to mention why not just wait and sign him as UFA.
Howver five years from now the suggested trade could be a massive win for either and i stress either team, you will not know until you know….and you will not know for years. Bottomlime i would go the ufa approach.
With so many defensive prospects that need the experience of playing the only thing i would do is look to move dehaan and Murphy. Dehaan from a business perspective makes too much. Murphy from a contract perspective should yield a great return for a trade. Problem being the prospects and rookies or even what will be third year(though obviously shortened) defenseman appear to not be ready at all, which is pretty normal. Heck…there are at least a few defenseman who made entire careers off of a hot rookie start and them fell to mediocrity, not necessarily a bad thing, but funny. In other words the future(?) defenseman would have been in over thier head with put dehaan or Murphy this year and maybe even next year. Given contracts of both personally I would be very open to moving either or both, not to mention the money they make….that would open close to nine million!
Again problem being without murphy and dehaan things get thin…and i gotta tell ya…these statments about ruining rookies by burning them out playing them too much or whatever…i guess that could happen but if im making millions….i just dont see it. If anything management is better off by not having to pay them as much.
If im stan obviously number one is prepping for seattle draft, that might, might mean getting a bargain of a trade from a team that is going to lose a player anyway…who and who i have no idea, but logic dictates this is A#1.
Next is and is not necessarily seperate from A#1 is eating another cap hit. This need not be a huge cap hit, some plauers makimg a mere million or two(imagine that) along with a prospect or draft pick, or heck a swap of serviceable players (Murphy comes to mind) would be my move. Jones…wait for free agency or …as part of moving jones help another team clear cap space for such. Might be able to land an overpaid three four defrnseman from the team taking jones. Yes i realize this a bit contrdicts my logic of player over pick, but i also like working from a position of advantage. Not often is there this level of forced league wide movement, gotta be active.
(((Silent Spot)))***On the other hand we definitely need to trade Kane or our highest value property in a 4 or 5 way trade acquiring: Tom Wilson, Patrick Maroon, Ryan Reeves and Nazem Kadri.***
OMG Silent I almost had a stroke reading this–before you clarified your sarcasm. Phew! LOL (although there are plenty of people here who probably thought you were serious)
I’d rather be a Hawks fan than a Leafs fan this season. Even an Oilers fan had a bad season too.
You can have all the offensive power you want. If that power doesn’t play a heavy game or hits you got nothing..
Would the Blackhawks be able to put together an extension for Jones on the deal? What would that do cap wise after next season? Also, if Columbus wants forwards I’m not sure that Strome/Entwistle fill what they would want. It’s an interesting proposition, and I understand you have to give to get. Wondering what Stan might come up with for a package to get Jones ……
Cizikas (which I mentioned before to sign) Martin and Cutterbuck score the game winner in OT. Not a finesse line for sure.
Oh, wait next year for Jones. Get Montour.
You don’t make this deal now or this off season. Jones already told CBJ that he is NOT resigning and will test the free agency market so the Jackets are dealing from a position of weakness already. Wait to see if you can get him at the deadline next year for just draft picks and MAYBE a player thrown in there. If someone else wants to pay a boat load for a guy that will be a Free Agent next off season then let them. Hawks are rebuilding and don’t NEED to get Jones but it would speed up the timeline for contention.
Columbus doesn’t want to lose Jones for nothing like Bobrovsky and Panarin. So it’s not about just giving Columbus whatever they want as much as it’s about making them an offer they want to accept more then the other teams offers interested in him. As others and myself have been saying getting him agreeing on a long term deal before hand is a must.
Reichel played fir Germany at worlds in their game vs US – what tiny bit I saw he looked good
Seth Jones is in the twilight of his career, don’t fall into trap of giving the farm away. We all remember Terravainen and the success he has had since leaving the Hawks!!
The average age for Norris trophy winner the last 10 years is over 28 yrs old, Jones is 26 yrs old. That’s a long ways from the twilight of his career.
If Jones intention is to test the free agent market, why would he consent to a deal in Chicago? This seems like throwing assets away for nothing. If there was a sign and trade aspect to this I may be interested in pursuing it, but why trade anyone for essentially a one year rental?
If history tells us anything is that the Columbus GM “ALWAYS” fleeces Stan! He did it with the first Saad trade, and then with the Panarin-Saad trade, so he will be looking to fleece Stan again. So, for just that reason alone, I think Stan should stay away. Do I think he will, NO! Stan will acquire Seth Jones! However, he will pay a heavy price. IMHO, I think Stan will overpay, and it will be something like Kubalik, Hagel, Mitchell, Reichel, and the 2021 #1 pick. We will get another piece back, but think fleece when Stan trades with Columbus!
A simple plan:
1. Win the draft lottery and select Owen Power.
2. Sign Seth Jones as a UFA next summer (costing no assets).
3. Start 2022/23 with Power-Jones as top pair.
Given what just happened to the Leafs and Oilers, I expect that both will go hard after Jones. They both have the firepower upfront but really need defensive help to go deep into the playoffs. This will drive up the price and the Hawks won’t, or shouldn’t, be in the running.
I would love to see Seth Jones in Chicago but agree with ER, Stape and others…..the time is not right. The Hawks are nowhere near being a Cup contender. I like what Bowman has done to re-build the bottom half of the roster but let’s be honest, the top half is highly questionable and is by far the harder part of the lineup to fix (obviously). Bowman basically said as much in the season ending interview. I would add that the Hawks have some very big problems that should be addressed before trading a boat load of players and committing big salary to a first pair defenseman.
1. The Hawks fail to play strong team defense. Very few forwards are willing to do the dirty work of fore checking , back checking, board work, etc. Hossa and Saad type of players are exactly what is needed. Compounding the problem is a coach who does not punish players who refuse to play a 200 foot game. This is extremely frustrating to me as I have played youth, high school and college hockey and have never had a coach allow players to play what I view as a lackadaisical style. Team defense requires a strong mindset, there’s no readily apparent glory/reward in playing strong 2 way hockey. Many hockey fans can’t see past point stats and unfortunately some GM’s, coaches and players react accordingly. Hawks defenseman aren’t as bad as many think in my humble opinion. When a majority of forwards allow the other team to fly through the neutral zone unabated………bad things will happen no matter who’s playing D.
2. The Hawks are a “less than optimal” (how’s that for a favorite buzzword) 5 on 5 team. Many wins in shoot outs and 3 on 3 overtime have masked a real issue. Last time I checked playoff hockey does not include 3 on 3 gimmicks.
3. Do the Hawks have a number 1 or number 2 center? Dach might fit one of those roles eventually but the jury is still out. Maybe Toews will be back next season and can still fill the number 1 role, I have serious doubts. Maybe Borgstrom and Gaudette will develop into strong players but that is a BIG if. Weak down the center is a recipe for mediocrity at best. There are far too many “maybe’s”.
If wish Bowman the best of luck. He will surely need all he can get. Let’s start by winning the draft lottery.
Jones is way overacted.
Put Jones on a good team and I think you’ll see he’s not overrated – granted the Hawks aren’t a good team yet and any trade for Jones would have to come after conversations with him and his agent and a certainty that he’d sign long term in CHI
I’m not saying it’s very likely to happen but that’s the scenario to make it work and I expect Stan to look into it or he’s not doing his job
It’s time.
Time to re tool. Time to rebuild.
Call it what you want . We do not know the future of our captain.
I’d personally trade Kane. Get a kings ransom for him from someone the rangers.
….Trade for Jones but keep stroke out of it. Hes part of the future.
Those 2 trades and within a year or 3 we’re super competitive again
No reason why hawks should trade for this guy, the ask would be too much, unless.they are willing to take seabrooks contract…..otherwise, pass on Jones. Plus, he is 27, and on his way down, don’t be stupid and pay and give out a 6 yr contract and end up with another Seabrook situation.
I think Stape/Miroslav nailed it-
Finally…. Why in the world would Seth Jones want to play for Chicago? ——
If Jones intention is to test the free agent market, why would he consent to a deal in Chicago?
Agree Kubalik would be a chip (please not Debrincat). Playoffs are showing that talent alone isn’t enough to win in the playoffs-talent, grit, ‘want’ and a hot goalie. And being good at the right time. (Plus some luck) And about a 3% chance each year and that’s with everything being equal. We’re blessed to have 3 in our life-time. Enjoy the summer.
He said hes not staying in CLB so they wont get fair trade value for him with every team knowing that.
I wait until which ever two top pair Defensemen we add are ufa. not trading anything of value for player when we can get them for free.
Why add players like this because we have 0 top pair Defensemen and we need two to win again. It doesnt make a difference when we add them only if we donot were not winning anyways/not with a top OFF team like TOR and no DEF/short on.
Its not a save hop other its simply adding the three players we donot have two top pair Defesnemen and another Hoss type player.
We have to have a deep roster and young wave of players to/its not jus theose three elites we need to add.
Sure it makes most sense to do it closer to when were really ready. Jones is 26 so two yrs hes 28 if were really ready in 3 yrs then thats only one yr off most ideal age 27 ufa.
If your trading Kaner then your tanking on purpose and get top 3 picks for 5 yrs in a row.
Idea of rebuild while keeping 19 88 is what were doing/until were not.
Thats why we cant wait 4/5 yrs for draft top pair Defensemen and have them on most ideal elc for 3 yrs then they go right to 5/7 m because they are that good.
So we get them ufa wise and I like ufa better then trade since they are free. You use Seabs 7m Shawzers 4m and Dunks when he retires to add another top elite ufa Defensemen ufa that yr.
So one will be 29-32 and the other we add will be 27 so thats still good for young enough.
Jones and other top elite players will want to play in CHI because we ll have a good young wave of players and the cap space to add to roster/not be at the max like most top teams are so they have to give/get where we can add add add. Thats why Jones other will want to come here.
Dach Debrincat other have to emerge to show we have a good group then they will come.
If you build it he will come.
You don’t sign anyone to a large contract until Toews,Kane Seabrook are off the books and Keiths gone too… Get a #1 Goalie first…
For when we use the entire cap Seabs Shaw others then Dunks wont be on the salary cap.
Wait and get these elites we need to add back/Hammer Hoss other when they are ufa.
billy reay
agree with you about waiting for those contracts to be off the books. and they better not sign kane back for the dollars currently on his contract.
people have to give up on their heroes. THERE ARE NO HEROES WHO LAST FOREVER. bobby hull and stan mikita moved along as did many heroes over the years. heroes don’t win cups. blackhawk teams win cups. i frankly don’t care who is wearing the sweater. i care that the hawks win. winning with this current aging core of heroes is over with.
signing bickell to a ridiculous contract after the best twenty games of his middling career because he was a stanley cup hero cost the hawks terravainen. signing seabrook is the gift that is still giving. kruger grossly overpaid. enough of the insanity. it is a hard cap league and if the heroes won’t sign for term and reasonable dollars than let them go. rebuild with youth and sane contracts.
Noonan96 +1
If Jones doesn’t want to sign with Blackhawks then that ends that, nobody said to give up big return if he wouldn’t agree to sign first, we’re kinda overstating the obvious a bit on this. Agree or not with it, as it doesn’t change anything anyways, i’ll be surprised if Bowman isn’t all in on him until it seems no point in pursuing him further.
Let’s not forget D Nurse also a free agent at the same time as Jones. Nurse has more of an edge to him than Jones which I believe is a plus.
Nurse Boqvist
Montour Beaudin
Murphy/Zadorov Regula
22/23 pairings
In the best case scenario we use Shaw’s $$ to facilitate half of either Jones’ or Nurse’s $$ trade to another team and get assets at TDL. Then we sign either as a UFA at season’s end.
My previous post I keep Kalynuk and Stillman also.
Put Jones on a good team and you’ll see he’s not overrated? If you are trading three four or five assets for a single player you are looking for leadership. Talk should only trade for players who can make others better not themselves.
Again….on the ice for to many 5 on 5 goals
All this Seth Jones talk got me to thinking about how player evaluations are not divorced from the team influence. In the case of Jones, he plays on a team that plays good team defense so he will look better than if he played on a team that wasn’t as good defensively. Obviously he would be a part of the solid defensive play but he would also be a beneficiary of it. He and his partner Werensky were both dynamic offensive d-men but how good were they really purely from a defensive perspective?
Jones skates well so he isn’t hampered by mobility problems but I can’t say with any certainty or qualification that he is or isn’t a plus defender. I know the Hawks victimized him more than once this past season, but then every d-man gets beat every now and then.
I guess I would say it would take someone a lot better at player evaluation than me to give a thumbs up on Jones before I would feel good about hanging my hat on Seth Jones as the Hawks #1 d-man anchor of the future.
DeBrincat is a core piece. Hawks are in rebuild mode. Stan shouldn’t trade prospects and picks for Seth Jones, nor do we have any legitimate roster players to trade for Jones. I believe Columbus is in need of a center anyways.
Hawks should focus on the rebuild and if he becomes available next year then make an offer.
Different kind of off-season for Stan and the Hawks this time around. Wonder what the future looks like for our Captain
Roamn, tahts the thing I donot care who we get we just need two top pair Defesnemn within 3 yrs from now.
Get the money and we go to Florida.
First, keep Kubalik. At the very least, he is this generation’s Vanek – instant offense! Seth Jones (though a number one D) is a free agent after this upcoming season which cheapens what the Hawks need to give up to get him. I’d offer a couple young players and picks because the BJ’s know they’ll get nothing if they play hard-to-get. And if other teams are willing to sell their soul to get Jones, throw in Strome. Within that context, go for Jones. Pair him with your best 2. In a good way, that relegates Keith into a 3, thereby prolonging Keith’s career by decreasing his competition. Having said that, Strome has had to endure injuries and personal distractions – albeit that the personal distractions were blessed.