Blackhawks 2024/25 regular season*

[Rex Buckingham]

That.... seems like a really good deal? A goaltender who has had success (of course, on a Cup contender as opposed to... Chicago) and a 1st round pick and they only retained 25%? 

[Hot Sauce]

46 minutes ago, Rex Buckingham said:

That.... seems like a really good deal? A goaltender who has had success (of course, on a Cup contender as opposed to... Chicago) and a 1st round pick and they only retained 25%? 

No prospect given up, no bad contract coming back, picked up a young talented goaltender, and a 1st round pick, only retained 25%. This was a grand slam.

[jersey cubs fan]

9 hours ago, Irrelevant Dude said:

I'm not sure exactly what their pick situation is for 2026, but I read the Blackhawks receive the 2026 pick if it is available.  Otherwise, it becomes a 2027 pick.

In some ways it doesn’t really matter, because you have to imagine there’s a very good chance Chicago doesn’t even make the pick.  They have to start looking to trade picks for established players ASAP, or else they run the risk of stalling out in lottery land. The buffalo path is still on the table. 
 

I think they have to find a way to acquire two expensive players before next season to meet the cap floor. Free agency might get them one, but a more realistic approach is some sort of summer blockbuster with a team that comes up short this spring and wants a refresh. 

[Hot Sauce]

Seeing Knight in the crease tonight has me seriously excited about next season. Seems to have given the team a shot in the arm too. 

[Irrelevant Dude]

I still do not understand, how did the Blackhawks dump a negative player in exchange for a promising goalie AND a first round pick?

[Hot Sauce]

41 saves for Spencer Knight in his Blackhawks debut! 👏

[Hot Sauce]

25 minutes ago, Irrelevant Dude said:

I still do not understand, how did the Blackhawks dump a negative player in exchange for a promising goalie AND a first round pick?

From what I’ve seen a lot of Panthers fans are asking the same question. 

[jersey cubs fan]

29 minutes ago, Irrelevant Dude said:

I still do not understand, how did the Blackhawks dump a negative player in exchange for a promising goalie AND a first round pick?

Seth Jones was not a negative player. He is a quite good defenseman. He was overpaid in a a flat cap era for a terrible team. That skewed perception.  But he was a top three Blackhawks player 

[Hot Sauce]

1 minute ago, jersey cubs fan said:

Seth Jones was not a negative player. He is a quite good defenseman. He was overpaid in a a flat cap era for a terrible team. That skewed perception.  But he was a top three Blackhawks player 

Eh, yes and no. Jones’ peripherals weren’t good when the Hawks made that trade. He’s the same player he’s always been. Terrific physical tools and a lot of unrealized potential. The best hockey he played here was in an attempt to get traded. If Florida thinks they can get more out of him then God bless them. I’m thrilled he’s gone. 

[Rex Buckingham]

I'd imagine it's awfully hard to look good on a team as bad as the Hawks have been. Jones will be a good #3 D for Florida. 

But yeah, that trade looks like a great one by Davidson

[NorthsideAvenger]

Tonight was a Good Knight.

[Derwood]

Most of Jones' best years were with Columbus (paired with Werenski). His years with the Blackhawks has torpedoed his defensive stats

[Hot Sauce]

22 minutes ago, Rex Buckingham said:

I'd imagine it's awfully hard to look good on a team as bad as the Hawks have been. Jones will be a good #3 D for Florida. 

But yeah, that trade looks like a great one by Davidson

Good if his role remains as a 2nd pairing D there, but he’s going to be elevated when Ekblad leaves this summer and Panthers fans will find out that he is in fact not a 1st pairing defenseman.

[jersey cubs fan]

1 hour ago, Derwood said:

Most of Jones' best years were with Columbus (paired with Werenski). His years with the Blackhawks has torpedoed his defensive stats

Yes. Shocking that the stats for a player on the least talented team of the last three years are bad. 

[Hot Sauce]

14 hours ago, jersey cubs fan said:

Yes. Shocking that the stats for a player on the least talented team of the last three years are bad. 

Jones is neither as good or as bad as most fans think he is. He is somewhere in the grey area in between. His biggest weakness has always been his ability to defend. He doesn’t use his size effectively. Terrific skater and offensive minded defenseman… when he wants to be. His numbers with the Hawks really aren’t far off from his career norms. He was brought in to play a role he wasn’t good at. He can’t anchor a defense. In a role like Brian Campbell played for the 2010 Hawks, yea, he’s fine. 

[UMFan83]

2 hours ago, Hot Sauce said:

Jones is neither as good or as bad as most fans think he is. He is somewhere in the grey area in between. His biggest weakness has always been his ability to defend. He doesn’t use his size effectively. Terrific skater and offensive minded defenseman… when he wants to be. His numbers with the Hawks really aren’t far off from his career norms. He was brought in to play a role he wasn’t good at. He can’t anchor a defense. In a role like Brian Campbell played for the 2010 Hawks, yea, he’s fine. 

His biggest weakness is being a MAGA chud going way back to Trump's first term.  But yeah his ability to defend is second behind that.

[17 Seconds]

bad for the hawks

 

[jersey cubs fan]

2 hours ago, 17 Seconds said:

bad for the hawks

 

If he signs an extension, yeah, not good. But not back breaking as he wasn’t a particularly likely acquisition anyway. 
 

While a FA signing remains the most simple way to acquire a difference maker, I still think a trade is what’s going to happen. The bottom line is they have too much depth and draft picks. There simply is not enough roster spots to efficiently use all the guys and future guys they will have on the roster in 2027 and beyond. There is a glut of middle six and bottom six guys and zero impact forwards. 
 

I think this years first round pick should be a huge asset to acquire somebody else’s Brandon Hagel. 

Edited March 7, 2025 by jersey cubs fan

[Hot Sauce]

2 hours ago, 17 Seconds said:

bad for the hawks

 

I am probably in the minority here but I wasn’t keen on signing Rantanen. He is wanting Draisaitl money and that’s lunacy. 

[jersey cubs fan]

They managed to trade away Mrazek, which is nice. Along with Craig Smith. They get back a 4th line center in Joe Velona from Detroit

[jersey cubs fan]

3 hours ago, Hot Sauce said:

I am probably in the minority here but I wasn’t keen on signing Rantanen. He is wanting Draisaitl money and that’s lunacy. 

He signed for much less 8/96 vs 8/112. Two million less per 

[Hot Sauce]

Marchand on his way to Florida.

[Hot Sauce]

1 hour ago, jersey cubs fan said:

He signed for much less 8/96 vs 8/112. Two million less per 

Price to acquire him was too high, so I’m not disappointed at all.

[NorthsideAvenger]

Nm.

Edited March 7, 2025 by NorthsideAvenger

[Hot Sauce]

1 hour ago, jersey cubs fan said:

They managed to trade away Mrazek, which is nice. Along with Craig Smith. They get back a 4th line center in Joe Velona from Detroit

Veleno* Not bad. Young, former 1st rounder. He’ll skate bottom 6 minutes but maybe we get something out of him.