Keeping Lehner over Gustafsson, sight unseen? Must be a little bit of a cap crunch.

Don't think it will be that easy to trade Smith. Also, teams usually need at least 2 depth guys, you can't just ignore their cap hit, even if it is negligible.

I left that up to y'all bc I don't know who to get or bring up. I think some team is gonna be slightly interested in Smith with one year. Like he seems like the most movable contract, and I mean i guess we can give up a pick as well or something

Either way, I'm just saying that when you factor in the cap hits of depth guys and the likely necessary buyout of Smith (since no one will give up any assets for him unless more cap hit is coming back to us), the cap crunch is real. Not as bad as many other teams, but still there.

I think Gustafsson is probably gonna be traded at the deadline. If Lehner is anywhere close to where he was last year, he is easily way more valuable. Also with Boqvist and maybe even Mitchell or Beaudin coming in, it just doesn't make sense to keep Gustafsson. Sorry man I like Gus too

If smith stays healthy or at least solidifies himself as a starter he'll have some interest. Even if it means giving up a pick to do so. I believe that would be better than buying him out. Depth guys shouldn't be over a mil each man. We also have Quenvelle and Dahlstrom who are under a mil each

I remember fans saying that about Lehner before. I think they were Buffalo fans. Good luck!

It's real, but there are more outs this time around. I can think of 3-4 different things that could (or couldn't) happen and then even a few rip cord options off the top of by head A.) Compliance buyouts? B.) Expansion trade? C.) Straight up trade with EITHER salary Smith/Murphy, or more talented guys, but as you guys suggest this may not be that easy. D.) Buyout Maatta..that saves $3.4M a year. E.) My least favorite...trade Saad.

I just don't think Lehner or Crow come back after this season. Delia is close, and Lankinen looked good as well. Save yourself 7 million there, keep Murphy, move Maatta.

Maata hasn't played a game yet so why would i move him? Delia is close to being a backup, but a starter!? Lankinen looked good playing for Finland, but lets see what he can do with another season in the AHL. At least with Lehner he has a chance to maybe recreate what he did last season, but getting rid of him and relying on Delia and Lankinen is a fat question mark, and is too early to tell.

Too early to tell, sure. But I do think that's what Bowman and Co. are hoping for. It's going to be interesting to see if they sell or try to contend.

Gus won't be traded if the Hawks are in a playoff spot if Gus performs like he did last year or better...too important of a piece to just trade.

Move Maatta or Murphy....depending on play this year.

Move Saad next offseason and sign Gus if he plays like he did last season or better this season. Sure, Boqvist is coming up in 2020/2021 but have 2 puck moving defensemen would be a 1, 2 punch on the PP...pair them up each with a stay at home guy.

Saad can be replaced as we have so many forward prospects to play middle 6 roles. Kurashev, Entwhistle, Sarella, Kubalik, Nylander, Perlini, Sikura, etc. We can afford to move Saad if any of these guys shows well this season in the NHL or AHL.

https://www.capfriendly.com/armchair-gm/team/1397476

I like your idea about Saad and Gustafsson, and two good puck moving defensemen would be great. It's just that are we really gonna sign Gustafsson when we have Mitchell and Beaudin in the system? It just wouldn't make sense to give him an extension.

Depends. It's really hard to assume Mitchell or Beaudin will be able to fill Gus's shoes or Boqvist even for that matter. 60 point D guys don't grow on trees. Additionally, Mitchell and Beaudin are far from being locks to make the roster next season. Remember, on average most higher end D prospects don't come into the league until they are in their early 20's....D guys take longer to develop. It's rare to see a player make the fulltime roster at 21 or under.

Your missing the point. Yeah maybe they aren't ready next year, but you still wouldn't want to lock up Gus bc you are hoping that Mitchell and Beaudin reach that level. Both of whom are succeeding and growing at their own levels. Mitchell is also probably gonna be thrown into the mix this season anyway once he's done at Denver, and Beaudin will be playing with Rockford.

Lets say the Gus is still doing great on PP and scoring a ton of points. He's probably gonna want big money and a big term. Which wouldn't make sense for the hawks to do. Especially with Boqvist and Co. Now if Gus was able to play some defense and even show some work on pk, then yeah, go and resign him, and trade Saad. I just don't see that happening. We also don't know if Gustafsson is gonna put up those same numbers as he did last year.

So you're questioning whether Gus is going to play defense or match his numbers from last year offensively but you're okay assuming Mitchell and Beaudin, who've never played in the NHL, are just going to step in; your argument makes no sense. No coach trades a player assuming a kid in college can take his place...doesn't work like that. They first see how the kid plays at the pro level before they trade a solid roster player. Under your logic we should also trade Debrincat at the TDL or Strome because Kurashev and Dach should be able to take their place in a year....you literally are saying that about Gus and makes no sense.

Please read all the way through.
First of all, coaches don't make trades, and second that's not what I'm saying at all. Hawks need to sign Strome, Cat, and probably Lehner. There for have no money for Gustafsson, who by the way is a UFA. Yes, we can trade Saad, but it still doesn't make sense to sign Gustafsson. And also didn't Colorado just trade Barrie, knowing that Makar was gonna take his place?

Now no way in hell are Mitchell, Boqvist, and Beaudin anythig close to what Makar is as a prospect. At least the Hawks have INSURANCE in their farm for an offensive defenseman. And thank you for insulting me as my "logic" just doesn't seem fit to you. Bowman isn't giving him a long term contract with the prospects we have, and Gus is gonna try an bank off his one maybe two successful scoring seasons. It doesn't make sense. He's also gonna want as much money as he can get, and it's not gonna be from Chicago.

Finally, you're comparison to Strome and Debrincat is really rude and is no way constructive at all. Offense and Defense are two separate animals, and the comparison doesn't make sense bc Dach and Kurahsev can easliy slide in with Strome and Debrincat. Unfortunately our d-prospects don't gel so well with Gustafsson's game. Like who are we putting on the pk(Which we are so eagerly desperate to fix)? Who else are we taking off the team on defense? Keith and Seabrook aren't going anywhere. They aren't gonna sit Seabrook out all season, as he's too big of a voice in the locker room. You need to better help me understand your argument instead of completely trashing mine man.