I’ve wavered on trading for Elias Pettersson, but now because of Bedard’s injury, I think KD needs to make that trade. The Hawks can’t afford to come out of the gates slowly. Pettersson is still a highly skilled player and a natural center. He’s just overpaid right now. In a couple years with all the crazy salaries, he’ll be paid like a #2 center, which coincidentally will probably be his position. Having him as the #2 center will allow either one or both of Nazar or Frondell to be on the wing. But for the start of the season Pettersson can be the #1 pivot until Bedard returns from injury. I’d just hate to see them sputter at the start of the season and hearing all the nay-sayers, “They shoulda done this, they shoulda done that, they shouldn’t have signed Byram….”

All in all, I’m good with the current plan; it’s just that I can see Bedard’s recent injury having a major impact to the start of the season, and the club’s hope of making the playoffs. Either way, if they trade for help or just play with the next man up mantra, all we can do is hope for the best.