I think it’s a cool idea, but in the end I think the isles decline but it could j b me being too high on Wahlstrom. I do think it’s creative though

They are prospects, sure, but both of them have fallen in status significantly since 2018. I wouldnt. Kubalik just proved he can score at the NHL level AND compete in the playoffs. We dont know about the other guys as of right now. Definitely would pass

You probably would have to take Komarov/Clutterbuck back

I think the value is fair I just don’t know why the Blackhawks would give up a guy who is young and already an elite goal scorer

The 🧢 most likely

it doesnt help to trade 2 cheap assets for an RFA from an Isles perspective when they already need to sign Toews/Barzal/Pulock. I do wonder if Isles would consider trading Varlamov cuz i think hed be a good fit in Chicago

There's $5M left that could result is maybe Lehner in lieu of Crow? Or Granlund on a 1 year prove it deal? It's interesting is all I'm saying.

They should do whatever it takes to retain kubalik, wahlstrom is close to untouchable for the isles, but for Kubalik id definitely trade him

I would prefer to NOT have Varlomov and I do think it'll be a tough sell. I've read that he and Sorokin are really good friends. I wouldn't mess with that tandem if I were the NYI.

It would take master maneuvering to be able to fit Barzal, Toews, Pulock and Kubalik though. And w out Wahlstrom and Wilde we don’t have many assets to dump bad contracts

yeah agreed

I can see wilde being used to dump a contract, no shot they move wahlstrom IMO

He won’t be, but getting rid of the 2nd and Wilde leaves us with pretty much Bellows and our 2021 1st to move a bad contract which isn’t that much considering all the crappy contracts the isles have

If they acquired Kubalik with these assets, Leddy, Bailey, and cizikas would all be traded and you don’t need to attach much, if any sweeteners to trade them

Yeah that’s true. Kubalik replaces Bailey in the top 6 and Leddy will prob b moved anyway. So it’s not that bad actually, and we could move Otto in for Zeeker, although trading him would sting

Doesn't help our cap situation at all, but Kubalik seems like the type of player that makes sense for NYI. I'd rather have someone who's more established though.

Oh for sure its interesting, and the cap definitely helps, but if we are dumping Kubalik for prospects that takes a little bit of the "win now" out of the sail unless you have someone filling that LW1 spot without creating another hole on the top 6. If I were looking to trade Kubalik, it probably wouldnt be a win now situation unless you're getting a D man back because either A.) you're flipping him for another equally or higher paid winger unless its a guy on an ELC, B.) you're trading him for prospects and the money is either used to fill that hole you just created or fill a hole elsewhere without addressing the hole you created, or C.) you trade him for a most likely equally paid LD without being able to address the hole you just created. If you trade Kubalik, there definitely has to be a little bit more to it than that, or atleast if its not for a win now situation, get some better prospects coming back. I think of the RFAs, trading Strome is the most likely for a win now, because we can fill his hole (lol) internally rather than having to go out on the market and look for someone else

@ChiHawk @Wadejos123 @NickC1988 @HatterTParty thoughts?

With cizikas injury history, I wouldn’t even re-sign him after next season

Not a fan

Easy no for me as a hawks fan. Wahlstrom has been underwhelming since his draft year. Wilde isn't crazy special. Neither player has yet to play in the NHL and both of them honestly haven't done much in the AHL that warrants a return of a calder trophy finalist who just put up 30 goals.. We already have Mitchell and Boqvist on the right side, Wilde isn't even needed. Any team that wants Kubalik is going to have to overpay because he is not on the market.

Edit: Sorry Wahlstrom played 9 games, 0 points, -2.

I think it's a tough sell and don't like the idea of Walhstrom. Wahlstrom's stock has fallen after having a so so year in the NCAA and a good but hardly great year in the AHL. He's far from a sure bet and could easily end up being only a 3rd line winger in his NHL career. Regarding Bode, if we didn't have Boqvist, Mitchell and Regula as prospects on the right side, I think the value of Bode in the trade would be much higher to the Hawks. Don't get me wrong, I like Bode but if he was a left hander, this trade would be more interesting for sure.

I think the Hawks need to pass not because of value on paper but because of gambling that Wahlstrom can really step it up and not sure he can. Bird in hand (Kubalik) is almost always better then gambling.

Wilde is much more of a risk than wahlstrom IMO. If wilde can put it all together and clean up his decision making, he can be an elite offensive D. Time will tell.

Wahlstrom had a difficult D+1 season playing for an awful BC team, but the context matters for him after he left BC. He had 7 points in 10 games (AHL) as an 18 year old (regular season + playoffs) and he started this past season with 3 points in 4 games. He was called up due to eberle’s injury and was put on a line with josh bailey and brassard - in his 4 games he was the isles 2nd best generator of offense and had plenty of highlight real plays. Small sample size , but still. He had one bad turnover which led to a demotion to the 4th line with journeyman AHLer Cole bardreau and Ross johnston. He didn’t deserve the demotion or to be sent back down to Bridgeport, but once he did , it was confirmed that he was told by the coaching staff to not worry about points, to worry about his play away from the puck. The same thing was said to bellows the previous year which is why he only had 19 points in 72 games - it’s an extremely stupid thing to say to your offensive minded prospects, but there’s a reason most isles prospects don’t light it up in Bridgeport In their 1st season, and why most isles fans want lou to clean house..

Kubalik is the hawks future, I wouldn't trade him for more future pieces.

So, I’m gonna try this from two sides of the same coin.

On one side, making this move would suggest an investment in the future instead of what’s effective now. Wahlstrom and Wilde would definitely provide size we could use and great potential. At the same time, everyone remembers how reading leddy to the islanders worked out for us right? None of the pieces we got back worked out, period. Value wise, I’d say it’s there. Kubalik, as many said about panarin, was a cheap piece brought in for a late pick. This trade would be a hell of a good return.

Now here’s the other side. As was the case with panarin, I really do feel if kubalik backs up his rookie year with a strong 2nd year, he may not actually be here long term. Suffice to say, this is just what I expect from stan. Do I think kuba is part of the hawks future? He certainly could be, but then again, so should panarin.

Overall, I definitely wouldn’t do this trade. There’s just plenty better you could get for kuba if the time ever came to trade him. Otherwise, I’d like for us to actually establish a new core.