Team: 2018-19 Chicago Blackhawks

Initial Creation Date: Jun. 22, 2018

Published: Jun. 22, 2018

Salary Cap Mode: Basic

This is an interesting roster, I wanted to stay away from the first round picks so I put something together that isn't as subjective....

The Hawks stick with the 8th pick and draft Oliver Wahlstrom.

As far as the trades....

1. Ryan with retained salary for Hossa is more than fair, Ottawa still saves 4 million on the deal, they don't have to add an asset to move his contract out of Ottawa, and at 4M per, I would take the risk on him and hope he could regain his game playing with Kane or Hossa or on the 2nd or 3rd line...... I still believe in a situation like this Ottawa would have to add but whatever.

2. Anisimov, Murphy, Forsberg & 3rd for Faulk, Darling @ 50% and the RFA rights to TvR is more than worth it for both sides, but I know someone is going to tell me how the return on Faulk should have to include a chunk of the Moon, and lock of JFK's hair....

3. The signings. Well, rumor has it the Hawks are trying to acquire JvR's negotiating rights, and if it's true, maybe the Hawks could get him at a deal, especially if we bring his brother back to Chicago (which I think would be very good idea, TvR was pretty reliable).... I signed Vermette because he's a face-off specialist, he's great defensively, he can Kill penalties, and he can chip in on offense from time to time when you need him too, he's also one of those sandpaper types and so is Tommy Wingels, similar type of player and he worked out really well for the Hawks last season so I wold like to see him back - just with a better team to play around this time..... I also signed John Moore because he would be the ideal #4-5 defenseman the Hawks need and with the acquisition of Faulk I think he would fit nice on the defense... And I think if the Hawks can add those guys their defense will be tough, especially if Keith and Seabrook play to their abilities..

So I added, James van Riemsdyk, John Moore, Antoine Vermette & Tommy Wingels as UFA's which wouldn't be out of the realm of possibilities, and TBH those are the type of players Bowman would target and sign.

Via trade I added Faulk, Darling, Trevor van Riemsdyk & Bobby Ryan.....

The only move that I think may be a mistake would be the Hossa for Ryan move, I think it may be overkill and perhaps Hossa's 5.275 cap hit could be spent wiser by perhaps loading up with better players in the bottom 6 or ever getting another defenseman, but at the same time Bobby Ryan could come in and have instant chemistry playing with Toews & Saad or Schmaltz & Kane...... Either way there is a lot of room for creativity in that top 9 forward corps, and I think a roster like this is very versatile, and it also has a good mixture of youth, veteran leadership, skill, toughness, speed and overall players that know what needs to be done to win hockey games...

This team would be a 100% improvement over last seasons team, this team could certainly win a cup and if this was the team that was iced in the fall they would be a "contender" for sure.. I mean every one of those top 9 players barring injury is capable of scoring 20+ goals and when you have scoring depth like that - you're a dangerous team to play against....

With that roster the Hawks could run the following lines.

First Scoring Line
Second Scoring Line
Third Scoring line
Fourth Shutdown Line

And when the Hawks can do that -- they win Stanley Cups or make deep runs into the playoffs.

But that's all...

Please feel free to flame away and tell me how ridiculous I am...

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