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Honestly watching this draft i feel better that the Blackhawks traded for Byram now, so essentially they drafted him with the 4th OA pick. Kind of glad we had more to offer than San Jose
You know the more i think about it the Blackhawks traded a 3rd pairing dman for a top 4 dman who is entering his prime.
Vlasic and Byram
Kaiser and Arty
Del Mastro and Rinzel
KorchinskiWe’ll see how it goes but it does look like he makes our dcore better, i do hope he does grow more defensively in his own end since he’s not 27 yet.
I am happier that he’s a 25 year old player instead of a 35 year old defenseman.
Unfortunately, it’s a seller’s market and prices are steep. Since the UFA market is meh, teams have to look at the trade route. Sadly for the Hawks most teams want young established players in return, something Chicago doesn’t have a lot in stock right now. Also players that have movement clauses or are FA’s seem to want to go to places for a chance at the cup, something the Hawks are realistically lacking, perceived anyway.
I figured San Jose wanted Byrum; that’s part of the reason why they traded Ekland and of course because they knew they were possibly getting a better replacement in Stenberg. I read SJ was going to use their #9 and #27 for Byrum and also the Rangers were in with the #5. KD pushed his chips in and won the pot albeit at a perceived overpay. But to gain a possible #1 while losing a #5/6 D, I’ll take that any day especially given the market conditions and the abundance of draft assets. And I liked Crevier too. Appears like Byrum is thrilled to be in Chicago and an extension sounds imminent after July 1. Now if KD can do something with those 2027 1st rounders and maybe even a 2028 pick to land some help for Bedard that’d be awesome.
So i guess Bowen didn’t play that many PP minutes and still ended up with 40 plus points.
I guess he also just turned 25 years old just like Vlasic, hasn’t got to his prime yet.
I’m really trying to sell myself on this deal but that was a steep price, is this team better with Bowen sure but i hope it doesn’t end up being worse defensively
The other thing i cant help thinking about is, looking at the draft how meh are the kids in this draft after the top 2 forwards?
I’ve got to believe they traded the 4th over all because the scouting staff wasn’t overly impressed with any of the defensive prospects coming out.
The trade is an overpay, of course, but I think the Hawks had Stenberg on their sights with the #4 pick. Stenberg, McKenna and possibly Smits were the few possibles that could play in the NHL this season. McKenna was not going to be there at 4. Smits played against NHLers at internation competition, but he’d probably be redundant with Vlasic so that might not be sufficient at 4. Stenberg was the target, but since the Sharks traded away Ekland, that showed that they wanted Stenberg too, but also got a 9 for a possible D-prospect. It appeared that the #4 pick was not going to be used as a draft pick for a young NHL ready player. So the #4 was decided to be used as payment for an already established player.
I would have used that #4 for a forward to play with Bedard, but whom would they have chosen? Knies and MacTavish are two that I’d like, but were Toronto and Anaheim willing to trade, especially if they were asking for young established players? If you’re going to hate giving up Crevier, you’d really be upset losing Moore, Lardis, Nazar or Frondell. I felt that forward was needed to be addressed first and foremost, but maybe it wasn’t doable just yet, as there are not many teams asking for futures, maybe only St Louis and Vancouver. Petterson could probably be had for just high picks and a prospect or two, something that the Hawks can handle.
Which brings us to Byrum. He was probably targeted by several teams, San Jose and Anaheim come to mind. Grier has been aggressive, and I think KD had to beat him to the punch by making this offer(overpay) for Byrum and Greenway. Hopefully he is still trying to get a top forward, whether it be a center to take the 2nd line(Petterson or MacTavish) which moves Frondell and/or Nazar to wing, or perhaps maybe a wing like a Lafreniere or a Kent Johnson.
KD needs to make the ship move forward and faster to make the Hawks a more desirable place to play for potential free agents as well as their own players. He can’t have a Dillon Larkin, Brady Tkachuk or Quinn Hughes situation in the near future.
I think Byrum makes the Hawks better and KD needed to pay the price to get him. People get upset with asset management come trade time, but the GM’s main function is make his team better and sometimes asset manage becomes secondary. Hopefully a better Hawks team next year!
I am thinking KFC will try to sign him long term very shortly. When San Jose traded Eckland, that put the nail in the coffin for Sternberg.
Then again, if he can be the same guy he was for the Sabres he will help the Blackhawks, but consider me skeptical that he will be.
