Edited Nov. 5, 2022 at 12:58 p.m.
Quoting: dannibalcorpse
SDA's off to a hot start in the AHL (8 points in 9 GP) so I think he's probably settled into a solid B-tier prospect. I probably was a little light on the return for AA - I think a 3rd & a prospect would be too much for him without retention, but a late pick & a prospect isn't enough. A 4th rounder & a lottery ticket would probably do the trick, but Toronto doesn't have a 4th til 2025, which made it more annoying to try and figure out. I think there's a way to make it worth with pick swaps possibly (ie, Toronto's 2023 3rd for Chicago's 2023 5th + 7th?) but I don't think we're that far off.
Chicago is almost the perfect situation for SDA to thrive - he's a weird player with an interesting skillset but he's gonna make mistakes as he tries to figure out how to be an NHL player. He'll get crucified in Toronto for that, but I think the lowered expectations of the Hawks rebuild will put him in the best position to succeed
I just don't see it. He just seems like the type that is capable of being a good AHLer but his short comings will keep him from cracking an NHL lineup. AA, with his speed and if he continues the level of play we've seen from him so far this season and his cap hit, I think he will be worth a significant amount more than this. If not, I still think CHI would rather receive picks than SDA. His offensive numbers in the AHL aside, when I consider Davidsons stated vision for this team and what he has done so far, SDA doesn't check any of those boxes.
Edit: Also, I think you underestimate how critical the fans are in CHI. They may be rebuilding but they are still one of the largest markets in the NHL. He won't be able to get away with a lot of his short comings in the NHL, no matter what team he is on.