I dont think 1 bad season is enough to justify buying him out.

It depends what the next gm decides to do with the team. If they think they can compete next year with some tweaks then you resign kubalik. Hawks can't afford to lose a goal scorer.
If they want to retool/rebuild (for real this time) they need to trade him. His value varies but I don't think they'd get a 1st rounder for him. At the same time I wouldn't trade him for any less than a 2nd.

For a 3rd? Shouldn't be hard to find a taker.

- Kubalik traded for a 5th rounder.
- Scores 30 in his debut season
- Doesn't get a Qualifying Offer.

What a timeline for this guy if it goes that way.

IMO You keep Kubalik. Just like they should’ve kept Suter and Kampf. Kind of hard to be any sort of competitive when you constantly let go of your best finds in Kubalik, Suter, Kampf, Hartman, etc.

Anyone considering trading kubalik is very narrow and short sided. You don’t pass up on Kubalik just cuz ummm it felt like a cool article headline?

This is more the question is he worth a $4M qualifying offer.

The answer is 100% yes. Give the Czech an actual NHL coach who knows how to get the most of Kubalik instead of giving him 3rd line always playing defense because we can’t win face offs without Toews minutes?? Maybe just maybe proper usage of a goal scorer is what he needs?

Well let’s see if we can trim cap first and then make a decision

Kubalik to Toronto is a match made in heaven. I wonder if the Maple Leafs could make the cap worK. (I'm assuming that they won't have enough space to re-sign Jack Campbell.)

If that’s all we get for him, should just keep him tbh. $4 million for a middle-6 TWF for a year isnt the end of the world

There is no point signing him to a 1 year deal, and I'd argue a 2 year deal either.
You are just walking him to FA.

The question of is he worth a 4M+ cap hit and the answer to that right now is no.

So you want to move him at TDL but honestly, who's going to engage in that? There are a half dozen other forwards out there that will be moved prior, the market just isn't that deep of teams looking to spend assets at TDL. 1/2 the teams in don't add, of the other half, half of them are just adding defense.
You might see 4-6 teams add a forward, odds are the caliber of the forward they add is better.

So I don't see TDL being a viable solution.

I think at the end of the day the question has to be reworded.
It's not a question about Kubalik it's a question about 4M in cap space.
Can you do better in FA with 4M cap space, bringing in a guy who is roughly the same age 27.

If you can do better, than what difference does it make to let him walk? There is a very real cost in keeping a guy who's not worth his cap hit.
He got a show me deal, that was back loaded on purpose. He did not show anything. Signing him to another 2 year deal putting him back in the same exact position isn't going to change anything.
forwards peek at 27, you got half of his best years, and frankly, they aren't great the last 2. So it's not like you are looking at a guy who is 20.
What you see is what you get, and I wouldn't pay 4M for what you're getting.

Thanks for constructive comment, and I have to say I agree, he seems like he has a lot of potential but very inconsistent. I guess at the end of the day it comes down to how much cap hawks have in the off-season, obviously they need a little deeper look into what the future year or two is going to look like and where they’re going to and want to spend cap space . And if they have an extra 4m at the end of the day great but If they don’t they should be making a push to trade him for something at least, and I mean he only cost the hawks a 5th so really anything around that would be acceptable, no harm no foul took a chance didn’t work out here, in this system, move on.
And I still believe there are other teams that are plenty willing to part with mid round pick to take a chance on him for another year or two. It’s a gamble, if you can get a 30 goal/60+ point 2LW for 4m/yr then your a genius for taking it, if you get the 20 point 4LW well tuck your tail between your legs and take it on chin. can’t say you didn’t try
Again though GM’s are definitely going to have to look at the market and say what else can I get for around 4m and is he more consistent/ reliable point producer.

I think most people are more willing to look at him like DeBrusk. I don't see anyone signing DeBrusk at his QO, he will go as a UFA and someone will sign him for less.
I think you see the same deal here. I get the need to want to trade him. But just look at the forwards traded at TDL last year. 1/2 were centers. Of what was less you have physical grinding players like Bennett.
You look at the skill players and you had Hall, and lets be honest he's not Hall. I have made this argument before on capfriendly, there are at least 6-10 other guys who will probably be more desired. Teams don't want to risk on a top 6 guy come the playoffs. What they expect out of the bottom 6 are guys who are responsible and willing to fight for a cup. Not players who are simply skill guys. They want that playoff grit and pushback. Which frankly I don't think he qualifies as. As most teams in the playoffs are already at the cap, you'd also have to ask yourself what is it you have to take back to make it work.

You look at the teams with actual cap space. NYR and BOS, both of those teams are looking for centers. NYR have a bit more cap to work with, however they also have 1/2 their team coming off rookie deals in the next year or two. Which really hamstrings them cap wise. On top of it they are still young and rebuilding not exactly the type that is giving up assets. But maybe that is 1 team although they are stacked on the wing. NSH has a ton of cap space, but they have no need for a LW but maybe that is 2 teams. MIN has cap space they need a C not a wing. LA has cap but their need isn't winger and is a young team like LA going to trade assets, no. CGY has a little cap space but it's well documented their cap next year is a mess.
ANA might look for a winger. Does a rebuilding team trade assets not sure about that.
PIT might look for a winger, but odds are you are taking Zucker back to make it work.

Everyone else you are taking something back at this point because they have no cap and it's most likely cap with term. Or the team needs is different aka defense.
Now you look at what is out on the market. There are at least 6 guys out there that are better. That's not counting if VGK activates Jack. Then watch out because you'll probably add 1-2 guys to that and there is no chance.
So odds of moving him for a pick at TDL is very small, and no team is going to make that move after TDL because they rather negotiate at a lower cap hit.

There are a few teams out there with a lot of cap space. But they need not rush to use it. ,So they don't need to take gambles or give up assets on rentals.
On top of it, does CHI really care that much about a 4th or 5th round pick.
at some point you buy your own rental. See if he can still turn it around in the 40 games that's left and show you something. That's not likely but you might as well let him finish it out. As I don't think the trade market is what you think it is.