Don't know why CAR does this. Why jump from 10 to 15 in the 1st round just for a 30yo middle 6 guy that can't seem to stay healthy? If I was CAR I wouldn't do it.

Would you rather have Anisimov - a legitimate top 6 center - or Kruger who is making 3 million per and presently playing in the AHL?

Yes, I think a jump of 15 spots to upgrade from Kruger to Anisimov is worth it.

Also, the Hawks and Carolina have made a lot of trades over the past few years..... This is their opportunity to dump a contract on the Hawks while getting the best player in the deal. Lets not forget it took TT to dump Bickel's contract, now you can dump Kruger.

I mean the only reason why I would do that deal is because Kruger works in Chicago and I think the Hawks could snag Veleno at that spot - perhaps even with a later pick.

Lets not forget that the cap floor is going up too and Carolina is always floating at the bottom, at least Anisimov will be on Carolina's roster.

Besides, that trade is just a very small part of that team..

But is AA a legitimate top 6 center? He's 30 and has never scored more than 45 points. To me he sounds like a really good 3C that can play top 6 if need be but shouldn't start there.

Not every Center is a scoring center. I hear your point, but he's been the #2C for 2 years now and like you said if all else fails...he'll be a good #3C. Besides that though he provides EXACTLY what specifically CAR needs. They have speedy/shooting wingers (Tuevo Aho Skinner) and he's the net front presence and defensive center they need.

Yes he's a legitimate top 6 center... He's one of the more underrated players in the league.. As a matter of fact I was just reading a players poll on some of the most underrated players in the league by the players and Anisimov made the list.

Anisimov is CRIMINALLY undervalued on these board ...

And I don't know why age here is relevant - Kruger is 28.

You're acting like there is some "huge" gap here - when there is no gap at all.

And yes I would absolutely do this deal if I was Ron Francis...

If it matters, Anisismov can get a mid first round pick on his own. The only reason why I like the Carolina idea is because the Hawks could get Kruger back.. Kruger is a cap dump for Carolina but he would be an asset to Chicago ....

Good trade, Kovalchuk for 5,000,000 is laughable though, you realize there are 30 other teams that can make him offers too eh

He's 35, he's been out of the league for 3 years... Sure, I could see him getting 6 per, but that is max - and no team is going to give him a contract longer than 2 years. You can bet any contract he gets will most likely be a 1 year deal.

I mean it will be a 35+ contract so teams will take it at one year at a time with him.

But yea, maybe 5 per is low but Bowman could afford to give him more.

Someone will overpay and the Blackhawks are not a team that can afford to overpay they need max value for their money to be successful. They won’t be able to outbid teams like Vegas, San Jose, or the Leafs who have loads of cap space and are also contenders.

I like the trade but from the research I've done i would rather have Barrett Hayton than Joe Veleno.

No team is going to give Kovalchuk anymore than 6.5 max on a 1 year deal. There are several reasons why no team isn't going to give Kovalchuk more than a 1 year deal. He will be on a 35+ contract so if he decides he doesn't like North America anymore and wants to retire again, the team that signed him will be stuck with his cap hit for the rest of his contract. Also Kovalchuk hasn't played in the NHL in 3 years so there is a risk there and also, players that are 35 are known to regress rather quickly.. Sure Kovalchuk could score 60 points next season when he's 36 but then put up 40 when he's 37 and so on etc...

So yea, I don't see any team throwing a crazy contract his way.... 1 year at 6.5 max or I could see 2 years at 5 per year...

As far as the Hawks, Bowman is going to have plenty of cap space this summer for his first time ever as the GM of the Hawks - so he could throw 6.5 at Kovalchuk and still have cap space to spend on other players.

The reason why I think Kovalchuk would be good option on a 1 year deal is because Panarin is going to be a UFA in the summer of 2019 and I think Bowman is going to make a run at him, Kovalchuk would be an excellent option to fill in for that year - it's absolutely worth a try.... Besides, the Hawks need a left wing sniper - Kanes line needs a left wing sniper and Kovalchuk is perfect for that... But like I said the idea behind this is to fill a role for a year that will hopefully be filled by Panarin a year from now as a long-term solution.

There are a lot of good players in this draft, with Veleno you know what you're getting and the type of player he will be - because he's NHL ready, he does have a ceiling but it's just not as high as the other prospects.

The truth is Veleno could go anywhere between 10th overall and the 2nd round depending how draft day goes.

Veleno does have the "exceptional status" exemption hanging over his head and I think that hurts him a lot considering he hasn't put up "exceptional" numbers but the kid is a sure fire NHL player... Many compare him to Toews, he's without question the most complete forward in this draft and you can never have too many guys that have a similar game to Toews.

The truth is #10 may just be too high of a pick to take Veleno tho, but i want him on the Hawks because he's definitely a Q type player, and I wouldn't be shocked if Q is lobbying Bowman to draft him TBH.

I suppose picking the right player in this draft with a top 10 pick or 2 will be difficult, however whomever the Hawks take is guaranteed to be very good and whomever they take with their own pick will certainly be a franchise player.

If i'm Carolina I'm not trading down that many spots for a 2C. I'd keep Kruger for one more year instead.

Yes you can overpay and get Kovalchuk and yes he’d fit well on ur team but Bowman is smart enuf to back out of the Kovalchuk sweepstakes when teams with nothing to lose start offering more than he’s worth. Which will happen. Think Vegas for example, you simply can’t compete.

"Kovalchuk sweepstakes"

The guy is 35 years old there is no "sweepstakes"...

You don't win Cups with excess cap space .

If you can afford him while addressing other issues you bring him in.

The Hawks will have more than enough cap space to fit him in ..... The idea that Kovalchuk is going to get 9 million dollars is hilarious... He will get 6.5 or 7 per at the very most and only on a one year deal..

I could care less what the Hawks pay Kovalchuk as long as Bowman address all the Hawks needs and those needs can be filled via free agency..

I will say this much tho - the Hawks absolutely need a LW that can score... I like James van Riemsdyk but he's going to want a 6 + year deal... Well who I really want is Panarin back and he's going to be a UFA in 2019 so the Hawks will have a shot at Panarin if Bowman signed Kovalchuk to a 1 year deal....

If you're a cash strapped team you're not going to blow 3 million dollars on a guy sitting in the AHL or a guy that plays 6 minutes a night at the NHL level. And no one besides the Hawks will take Kruger..

IMO, Anisimov is criminally underrated. It's pretty frustrating..

I wouldn't call it criminally. Your stats get inflated playing with Kane and Panarin for two years.

Anisimov has been a .50 PPG player his entire career and his stats weren't inflated by playing with Kane & Panarin.

Anisimov is a big center and play-maker, with excellent hands and hockey sense that can find the back of the net 20+ times a season consistently. He uses his size well as a larger forward and uses it to his advantage to screen goalies. He's an adequate #2 center and excellent above average #3 center.

IMO, I think he has never been used right..... He should play a LW power forward role, but since he has play-making ability he's been used as a play-making center - because that's what most teams need and want.

Anisimov is worth at least what Ryan Hartman is worth if not more.

If Anisimov was used as a 2nd line LW power forward I think he could score 30 goals and add 30 assists a season.

Q should really try an Anisimov-Schmaltz-Kane line.

But yea, Anisimov's statistics were NOT "inflated" at all playing with Kane and Panarin... With the Hawks they're .57, with the Columbus they were .50 ppg.... That's not much of a difference.

The right team would give up a boatload for him, and I think Anisimov will get a lot of interest this summer.... So I could see him dealt at the draft to move up in the draft or to get another first round pick.

I have no doubt Anisimov could fetch a mid-first round pick (13-18 ov).