This team isn't making the playoffs. Take an objective look at this roster. Murphy is a top pair and Mitchell is going to jump in and give us the last 3rd of the season push to the playoffs? Keith isn't a top pair anymore. Trade out a 60 point defender before the playoff push...that makes sense.

\

Rather trade him then lose him for nothing.

Quick question... did you think this team was a playoff team before the Nylander trade? If so, has the loss of Jokiharju soured your opinion of the roster so greatly? The hawks were playing at near 100 point pace down the stretch last season, and damn near made the playoffs all without Jokiharju.

You can argue that stanbowman has only improved the nhl roster, which joki likely did not fit into (Immediately) anyways.

I think that if the Hawks are in a playoff position by the TDL, they keep Gus as their own rental, but after this season there's no way he sticks around (unless he's willing to take a 1 year deal). There is no way he and Boqvist, let alone both of them and Beaudin, can be in the top 6 at the same time. That's how you lose games 8-7 night after night. This defense is much better than last year, but still not good. I don't think Joki pushes this team over the edge, but having a young guy like him who we know would be able to play a good number of games at high minutes would have made us all feel a bit better than only having the unknowns that are Boqvist, Beaudin, and Mitchell.