@ChiHawk You post a lot on here and I do think you know your Hawks. Why as a Hawks fan would you want to trade away...Schmaltz...Sikura...AND...a 2nd. for possibly a rental? Schmaltz for Panarin straight up shouldn't be an option. Schmaltz is an RFA. Look at Nylander! Let the kind pout in Europe! 3 years of a VERY controllable schmaltz is worth it! Ritchie signed for ~$2M!!!

Robbery for blue jackets.

Thank you for the compliment and I agree this is going to create frustration with some fans. Let me start by saying, there is no way, the Hawks do this without agreeing to an extension first. Second, the Hawks have an aging core in Kane, Toews, Keith and Seabs who are all locked up for 5+ years and reality is, this core isn't going to get better next year or the year after as they age and with the amount of cap space taken up by that core, they need to make another run now. The window is closing, they can't wait for Schmaltz or Sikura to develop. Panarin is a better player then Schmaltz to the point that he can be the difference of this team making a run at a cup provided Duchene is playing the 2nd line C. That is a top 3 line in the NHL. Panarin is almost at the level of Kane in his prime, he's a game changer. Schmaltz is good and I think he will develop even more but I don't see him as being a top 10 forward talent like Panarin is. Schmaltz realistically has the ability to be a top 30 forward talent, but he's never going to be a Kane, Panarin, Toews in his prime, or a Tavares or the likes. He's a great player and a A talent but not a A+. Let's make a run at the cup and for that, bring in a true 2nd line C and a top Left winger.

All that said, it would be nice to keep Schmaltz and move him to the 1LW with Panarin and Duchene here too but the reality is Panarin will get $9.5M and Duchene $7m, Schmaltz likely $5M to $6M bridge, and Sikura for $2M. Hawks can't afford all 4 next season unless they move Murphy, Manning, Rutta, AA and let Ward and Kruger walk while backfilling all the holes with entry level deals. Not sure they have the entry level talent to fill all the holes with ELC and then contend with signing Debrincat the year after who I think, is a better talent and more upside then Schmaltz.

Again, I'd love to keep Schmaltz but bringing in Panarin and Duchene would require Schmaltz to go as one of the pieces.

I think both OTT and CLB could agree those kind of offers. But where in the standings will be CHI at the deadline? I'm not convinced, as for now, that they'll be in a position to contend, yet make the playoffs. So, they should try to trade the likes of Saad, Rutta, Kruger, Kunitz and Ward to contenders for picks and/or prospect and then sign Duchene and Dzingel in the off-season without giving assets and/or picks. It's the best of both worlds. Panarin will ask for too much money but I think that Duchene and Dzingel are plausible contracts to take on. Schmaltz - Duchene - Kane, DeBrincat - Toews - Kahun, Dzingel - Anisimov - Hayden is a potent top-9. Fill the rest of the roster with guys like Sikura, Kampf, Ejdsell, Fortin, Highmore, Johnson, etc. and you have a legit team without sacrificing youth and picks. Don't you think?

@ChiHawk it's actually not that hard to argue with your last statement. BUT I very much doubt Panarin with resign with the Hawks before his UFA status. "That's business baby"!!! Don't ever forget he said that. I'll also add that when people say "who can blame him"...I'LL VERY MUCH RESPONSED...BECAUSE IF BOWMAN SAT HIM LITERALLY 1 FREAKING GAME!!!!!!!! HE WOULD HAVE LOST $2M IN BONUSES!!!!! I'm not holding a grudge at all.....

You just gave me 1 star but suggest moving Kruger Kunitz and Ward before the TDL when all 3 of NMCs or NTCs. Then you suggest OTT or Columbus is going to let Duchene, Dzeingel and Panarin walk in free agency for nothing versus trading them prior to the TDL for assets? Give me what you're smoking because clearly your reality is very different then the real world.

Ha, good point. I love Panarin on the ice and always did, I don't like his attitude off the ice from day 1 with the Hawks. He's clearly about himself, but he's got so much on ice talent you kind of have to put up with it. Columbus is finding this out the hard way and fans hate it, but he's as good as gone. He doesn't like the city and the team is second to that obviously. That all said, Hawks need to put the full court press on him. AA and Kane tell him how much they want him here and he's the man and they will get the kid to sign. Otherwise, no deal and hawks keep Schmaltz on the LW with Duchene and Kane.

When you say Kane put on a full court press....I remember being disappointed that Kane didn't do that the first time when they tried to re-sign him. I'm not saying anything about playing hockey, but it struck me as odd that Kane wouldn't / didn't do that.

Don't get me wrong, I quit smoking a long time ago. It's impossible that OTT or CLB let those star players walk for nothing. They will go to contenders at the deadline for sure. But, sometimes in July, they will still be free agents and they will be able to sign wherever they want and I think the privilege to ride shotgun next to Kane is a nice bargaining chip for Bowman and his crew to attract a player like Duchene.

Totally agree. I think Kane had a huge ego at the time and certainly did in his earlier years. My opinion of course, but I think he's matured a lot since even a couple years ago. I ran into him at the United Club at O'Hare when he was on his way to the All Star game last season. I have a friend from high school that hangs out in his circle so I've gone to a bar a couple times before with him years ago and he was an ego maniac jerk, but when I ran into him I talked with him for 10 to 15 minutes and he was noticeably matured and very nice and humble...total opposite of 5 years earlier. At one point I said "Looks like the Cat is challenging you for the top dog in the front of the ice" and he smiled and said Cat is on fire and has all the tools to be one of the best, great skills, he should be here with me going to the All Star game. Hopefully I can help him reach his potential.

It's cool to see his ego calm down and realize being the best on the ice only lasts a short time until the next young guy steps up.

Dang that's a cool story. Honestly not because you meet him...I live where a bunch of them do and ran into them...as recently as...last week to be honest...Duncah Keith. BUT I don't really talk to any one them. It's cool to hear the Kane wants the Cat the play well!

Most of them are pretty cool and will chat as long as you don't get googlie eyed and ask for pictures. Keith, Crawford, Toews, are all super cool. Hossa was the best though. Met him when he was showing the cup at the gold coast bentley dealer in 2013. I know the owner of the dealer and was walking by and there was a long line....popped my head in to see what the commotion was about. Found my friend and he asked Hossa's manager if I can get a picture of the cup with him, and he said he's in the back room taking a break from the crowd and pictures hanging with his family. Hossa overheard the conversation and popped his head out and said come in and have a bagel and orange juice (it was morning time) and I talked to him for 10 minutes alone with his wife and baby sitting there. Never got a picture with the cup and him but got some one on one time with him. They were selling jerseys for charity of his so I bought one and got it signed but i did touch the cup which was pretty cool too.

Bottom line, hockey players generally are the most down to earth pro athletes when comparing to basketball, baseball and football players. Seriously good guys off the ice is my experience.

HAHA I have a few stories that shouldn't be shared here, but I would agree. In a decent setting I've meet Seabs, Hammer, Keith, Sharp and had a great time. I've also meet Kane Toews, but those aren't stories I'm not willing to talk about. Cheers!

Guy up there says he's "not convinced, as for now, the hawks make the playoffs," when the team doesn't have a regulation loss yet. Okay, dude, but if you're counting the "so far" department, they look pretty goddamned good!

As for the trades, let's set the Manning thing aside because it was just fodder, but I actually think these are solid offers. Plus, I've been waiting to see more from Schmaltz, and I've seen ****. Contact averse, stupid penalties lately, can't win a ******* draw to save his life (shouldn't he have had two seasons to work on that now??), and he wears the same stupid look that Saad has lately, that screams "I'm just going through the motions." I say ship him off for a return rather than be forced to overpay 5-6 for him when he won't be worth it. Keep 12, not 8.

I think I've said this a few times on your posts, but I've never been a fan of trading Murph. However, for that return, I'm in. I also feel Saad has more and needs... Something. A kick in the ass? Something is wrong with him, he just doesn't seem to have the passion anymore. Let's hope that changes tonight. But man, for Dutch and Dzingel? **** it, send them all to Ottawa!

Funny how a very public rape accusation will humble a little punk real fast...

Have to echo the above, been lucky enough to meet the lads when they've come to LA, Toews and Keith are great, but Crow was a standout for me. He is kind of quiet, as he seems in interviews, but if you get a chance to speak with him he's really sharp, and very inquisitive. I was working on a project where I needed to get into a few netminders' heads, and though we had a great conversation about goaltending, I think I ended up talking more about what I do than what he does. He gave me his goal stick and signed it. Great guy.