Hawks likely wouldn't trade Hall before the deadline. They need him to play w/ Bedard.

My assumption was that they will draft Demidov and that they will trade Hall for picks and use the ample amount of cap space they have to replace Hall in UFA or just via trade.

It's far better to have McGinn for one more season than Mikheyev for two. Easy pass on that trade from Anaheim. And if the Sharks would take McGinn for a 6th then Ducks would do that directly and have neither.

I don’t believe you’re able to buy a player out mid-season. And given he’s in the PAP, Nuke is ineligible for an offseason buyout.

Demidov is still under contract to his KHL team for another season. So likely not an option this season. Hawks have 4 legit top 6 forwards on their roster as of now. They need two more just to fill out their lineup without trading Hall. And not sure a likely late 2nd gets it done anyway. Hawks already have 8 2nd rounders in the next 3 drafts. I guess there's a possibility if the Hawks can add 3 or more top 6 forwards, but just doesn't seem very likely.

dammit I forgot

this, You can buy out mid season and you cant buy out a player in the PAP. Colorado cant buy him out until summer of 25

Numerous accounts from within Detroit's organization are that Hronek was traded because he refused to consider an extension that wasn't equivalent to what Seider would get.

In short the amount of money he wanted made a team move off a #2/3 26y old RHD, one of the most sought after assets in the league that they were forced to try and replace with Justin Holl in free agency.

This is all to say that unless the culture shift in Vancouver has really impacted the way they Hronek operates, he will take the Canucks to the cleaners and demand his money or sign an offer sheet.

You can't buyout a player mid season. You can terminate them but you need a legal reason or you can mutually terminate (not happening cause he has to forfeit all the money on the deal).

Outside of Bedard, I wouldn't call anyone on CHI's roster "a legit top 6 forward", at this point. Hall barely played a handful of games with CHI and before that he was on BOS's 3rd line. I'm unsure on Kurashev, I still think he is a 3rd line forward on a good team. Reichel is still a big question mark, and Nazar is unproven. Fliggy and Dicky are bottom 6 on a good team. And everyone else is depth. So when you say "legit top 6" are you just referring to CHI relative to itself? haha.

Somehow CHI both, doesn't have much space on the roster, while also having a lot of holes. Which is certainly by design but is filled with so many unknowns that it is impossible to predict what will happen and who will be where in the lineup. I wouldn't be surprised to see Hall NOT playing with Bedard. I know I really didn't like them together at the beginning of the season, but maybe that had more to do with Hall's nagging injury.

Yes, just speaking to the Hawks themselves. Bedard, Hall, Kurashev and Reichel are the only top 6 guys on the current roster. If Nazar is the 2C to start the season, I could see Hall playing w/ him. Otherwise, I'd be very surprised if Hall isn't w/ Bedard. Unless of course the Hawks add a better option.

I expect he will get a look there and could possibly stick. At the beginning of the season they seemed like they were playing incompatible styles, albeit, in a very limited sample size. I won't be surprised either way, though.