Solid lineup. I hope Lehner performs well this year. Great bounce back year last year but it could be a result of the defensive system in front him

if debrincat repeats the season he had last year, I would kind of assume he's in the 8.5-9 range for 5 years. If he improves upon it at all, it could be 8 figures. Maybe not, but 40 goal scorers, they're gonna get paid.

I think you're underpaying the kids by a good $2M each.

$7M might be a little light for Debrincat. He drives that line and was productive his rookie year on the 3rd line without Strome. I want to see Strome play away from Debrincat for a couple of games though. $5M might be the right number for him, but I want to see him play a full 82 game season. I don't really think we need to keep Drake if he's looking for $2M. The Hawks have other players that can do what he provides. Where are guys like Perlini or Kubliak? They're RFAs and should be able to get a return if traded.

Pretty reasonable contracts for Cat and Strome except the Cat contract would more like be 3 years at that price or $6.5M which isn't a bad strategy to get them past the expansion draft timetable.

You missed out on Kubalik, Kurashev and Perlini.

Murphy is a better player then Maatta. I would think he could get a 2nd rounder without a 3rd going back....maybe a 4th or 5th going back. I think Maatta ad Murphy are good choices to move though.

This biggest question is what happened with Gus? If the Hawks are in a playoff run at the TDL and Gus plays anywhere near what he did last year, doubt they move him. Thus begs the question, what do you do with him, Beaudin, Boqvist and Mitchell? Gus will surely demand $4M and maybe more, so don't sign Caggs and place a rookie in that spot, sing Cat to a bridge, move Saad, and probably could work. You could also do a sign and trade for Gus to get something back. Needless to say, a 60 point defender in his prime age is definitely worth good value to lots of teams.

I completely disagree on Gus. We'll obviously have to wait and see, but I think he's in for a serious regression this year. Even if he is playing up to the level he was last year, though, I don't see any way of justifying having him and Boqvist on the same team. Who gets the PP1 minutes, and how would they mask the defensive flaws of two offensive defensemen when they could barely do it with one? If the Hawks are in right in the playoff hunt in February, I think the only way they keep Gus is as their own TDL rental. At that point, we either pull a sign and trade or just let him walk, as there would be no way of getting anything close to his full value.

On the PP though you have the option of two offensive D guys on the ice at the same time and also a 1, 2 punch with both PP lines, notice how the SJ Sharks do that. I don't believe Boqvist coming up nixes Gus. If both players can put up 45+ points, supported by 4 defensive guys like Murphy or Maatta, Seabs, Keith, DeHaan...that's a very solid 6 defenders and great balance. I'll say it before you, Keith although was known as a offensive powerhouse, he's no longer that player and is changing his game with his age as he should.

As for Gus regressing, I don't disagree his points will as he works on his defensive game, but I still can see him putting up 45+ points.

Also, not sure if you listened to this

https://sports.yahoo.com/blackhawks-talk-podcast-why-jonathan-181950145.html

They spoke directly about this scenario

Kubalik might not be all that you are expecting. For some reason I dont think that he will stay in Chicago/Rockford past this season.

I would like to see him play before I decide to keep him in over better know guys like Sikura and Nylander.

You didn't watch the worlds at all? Have you watched Nylander in the AHL in Buffalo or the handful of games he got in the NHL? I have higher hopes for Kubalik and Sikura looks better then Nylander despite not finding the back of the net yet. Nylander has talent no doubt, but it's raw and he seems intimated by getting hit at times and other times completely lost on the ice or disinterested...either lazy or a bad IQ. His defense is horrible...worse then Kane. Sikura looks like he's working his ass off and as small as he is has no problem throwing a check, fighting in a board battle and most importantly his IQ is high.

Maybe Nylander turns it around but if we get the same Nylander I've watched play in the AHL and NHL after 3 years, that trade may go down as the worst trade Bowman has done and that's saying a lot.