I can't see any team taking on Seabrook's contract...not without Chicago retaining a couple million a year. As a MN Wild fan, I can't stand the Blackhawks, but I've appreciated Seabrook's game for a long time...just a tremendous all-around defencemen and a clutch performer...but his contract is going to hamstring the Blackhawks for a looooong time...unless his game doesn't fall apart anytime soon.

Agreed with you on that. His contract is terrible... it's very frustrating

Bassman and Nick,
Certainly can't argue the opinion that no team will take on his contract but here is what I was thinking. Dallas covets a top 3 defenseman. I think we can agree that he qualifies as, at a minimum, a #3 D with some arguing that he qualifies even as a #2. As Bassman puts it, he's a "a tremendous all-around defencemen and a clutch performer." Right handed defenseman with a big, heavy right handed shot tend to always be sought. What options does Dallas have in procuring such a defenseman? Certainly Kevin Shattenkirk comes to mind but I think he will end up getting paid similarly to Seabrook when it's all said and done. But outside of him, there's really no one out there to sign. Hence, they have to go the trade route so one has to look at what teams have Defensemen that fit the top 3 qualifier and still have some meat on their bones and have a team willing to consider trading? Seabrook and the Hawks fit all of those criteria. Dallas certainly has the cap room, and Seabrook would automatically become their #2 defenseman if you assume Klingberg is their #1. Outside of Klingberg, they pretty much only have Dan Hamhuis...need I say more? I added the part about taking on Niemi's contract because it IS a problem for Dallas. The net result to the Stars is getting Seabrook for around $2.3 million in the first year. Of course there's the other 6 years and I don't have a solution for that yet! In any case, this was my argument in coming up with this scenario. The Stars have a want and they have the means...the only question is how are they going to fulfill that want? There aren't that many options for them and maybe that means they have to step up and take on a player and his contract like Seabrook. It certainly would put the Hawks in a VERY healthy cap space situation for a few years to come!

The draft lottery only applies to the first round. So Dallas still has the #39 pick and not the #34.

If a team that is looking for a #3 defenseman, won't trade 19 spots in the second round of a poor draft, then they are absolutely insane. ANY team that is in as big a need for a #2-3 D-man as Dallas will take this deal in a heartbeat.

As a Blackhawks fan I probably have to say this deal is not even worth getting rid of the Seabrook contract. I also HATE Seabrook as a defenseman because his all around game is trash and he is so slow. He is clutch and that is about it. I have said this since for about 5 years now so when he was signed to his current contract I almost lost it. However, many people still love him. The biggest reason I don;t like this deal is becasue the Hawks literally have ZERO capable right handed defenseman here. Hammer can play this right side and would be your #2 but past that you have nobody. Literally nobody. Pokka is slow as **** and has never played an NHL game, and even though Rutta was a coveted free agent he is not even going to be what Kempny was last year. This defensive group gets annihilated throughout the year.

Hockeyplayer1,

Thanks for the clarity on the #39 / #34 pick. Interesting comment on Pokka being slow as ****. Can't say I knew that and to be honest, it might explain some things...namely, why he hasn't been called up to play for the big club...ever. I am a little more optimistic about Rutta and the fact that he and Kempny were defensive partners with team Czech Republic will definitely help both players. I think Kempny, Forsling, Rutta, and even Gustafsson all have potential to excel in the NHL if Coach Q can lengthen the short leash he tends to apply to new defensemen on the team. Q tends to have a quick leash and may sound like a criticism but I don't mean it that way. The guy's success gives him pretty much a free pass on how he coaches. Having said that, we are reaching the point where we have to throw some of our potential talent into the deep end and let them figure it out. It may leave us hurting a little bit at first, but I believe it won't last beyond half of a season. The talent is there...just need the playing time and confidence. This kind of leads to your Seabrook comment about right handed, capable defensemen. Again, we may have to endure some pain in the first half of the season, but I don't think this group gets annihilated for the whole year (swap out Pokka for Gustafsson if you like) and think that they would gel more quickly so that the second half of the season sees us playing more like the way we want and we come in the backdoor to make the playoffs. Long term, this group could gel to become a pretty strong defensive unit and more importantly, without Seabrook's contract, the Hawks will be left with LOTS of options including re-signing the players we will need to re-sign over then next couple of years. WITH Seabrook's contract, I don't see how any of this is possible. In short, my proposal was a way to take a bit of a hit in performance in the beginning, but have faith that the maturity and experience will come around the second half and still set us up financially (cap space) for a few years to come.