Friedman: Blackhawks list of untouchable players

[captainpaxil]

With a top ten pick this year it may be the opportunity chicago gets to move seabrook.

 

[Kevin Musto]

With a top ten pick this year it may be the opportunity chicago gets to move seabrook.

Chicago isn't trading Hughes to move Seabrook

 

[WesMcCauley]

Keith can be traded in a millisecond. You don't get that caliber dman on his cap hit anymore, even if he's on the decline.

Keith is also owed a lot less money than his cap hit so even if the contract takes him to 39/40 years old, for a team thats not worried about going over the cap, his cap hit doesnt mean much. Problem is that there are only a few teams that are a fit and they might not be interested in him and Keith also has a NMC.

 

[captainpaxil]

Chicago isn't trading Hughes to move Seabrook

Hughes would do it but byram or boldy may not be enough. Im ok revisiting this closer to the draft.

 

[winnipegger]

I could see the Jets trading for Anisimov. Not a 1st though.

 

[Taylorst]

It's been very quiet on the Chicago trade front and all these little articles that mention defenseman or forwards of possible trade never get down to actual players being shopped.
We know Kunitz, Hayden, Kruger that's a given, but Chicago really needs to cut ties with some of its core players , like Keith , Seabrook and if they can find a taker for crawford.

 

[Bourne Endeavor]

Yes, it would absolutely help a team with a legitimate shot win a cup. Which is why I think the Blackhawks should deal him and get some assets. As others stated I feel like Toews is on the other side of the hill as far as production is concerned, and now would be the perfect time to approach him about a trade and recouping some assets for a rebuild. That doesn't mean I can't see the Blackhawks keeping him. If they are going to try to land a couple big UFA's and make a splash, sure he'll be great. But this isn't a debate about whether or not they should trade him, it's a debate about if you should even think about trading him i.e., untouchable status.

I think there is some merit to potentially trading Toews, though I sincerely doubt Chicago does it. They have to weigh heavily whether this year was a resurgence after some pretty abysmal years by Toews' standard, or an anomaly. Given how much value he has as an all-around player, it's a tough gamble. Even they do entertain it, you only make that trade for an absolute ransom.

 

[Taylorst]

Why is Toews untouchable just out of curiosity? I feel like he could net a good return from the right team. Youth injection is the name of the game.

Because Stan has the facination with giving out NMC to every player he signs. Example Chris Kunitz 39 year old washed up bench warmer.

 

[TT1]

So a struggling team is willing to trade all their older players minus their young NHL'ers, cool? Don't think this is really news-worthy .

 

[Taylorst]

I think there is some merit to potentially trading Toews, though I sincerely doubt Chicago does it. They have to weigh heavily whether this year was a resurgence after some pretty abysmal years by Toews' standard, or an anomaly. Given how much value he has as an all-around player, it's a tough gamble. Even they do entertain it, you only make that trade for an absolute ransom.

I agree with your point. Stans biggest problem is all these NMC he handed or hands out. Also they are more worried about fans getting upset instead of realizing if they don't plan to be serious contenders in the next year or 2 then it's time to part ways with the core and implement a full rebuild,

 

[Taylorst]

Toews is obviously untouchable. Captain, Selke caliber performer every year, and our only 1C.

I disagree with your point that toews is a 1c. Ever since he got his big payday he regressed. This year 4 years later he finally finds the fountain of youth ?

I think the message was clear to toews not being on the all star team he isn't the same player anymore.

 

[LeapOnOver]

I think there is some merit to potentially trading Toews, though I sincerely doubt Chicago does it. They have to weigh heavily whether this year was a resurgence after some pretty abysmal years by Toews' standard, or an anomaly. Given how much value he has as an all-around player, it's a tough gamble. Even they do entertain it, you only make that trade for an absolute ransom.

For sure. I think they can get some huge pieces to build off of in a Toews trade.

 

[Jay haller]

I disagree with your point that toews is a 1c. Ever since he got his big payday he regressed. This year 4 years later he finally finds the fountain of youth ?

I think the message was clear to toews not being on the all star team he isn't the same player anymore.

He’s not regressed he had a terrible year in 2017 where he gained a ton of weight because he wanted be stouter and at the sametime likely wore him down because he was having to carry more of the load defensively.

2018 he was back to normal but had a horrible year in terms of puck luck.

This year to an extent is standard toews year. His shooting percentage is generally right were it’s been for his career. He’s gotten a bit more offensive zone starts but I tend to think that’s more a byproduct they are running more kampf and Kruger as 3 and 4 centers respectively

 

[The Red Line]

He’s not regressed he had a terrible year in 2017 where he gained a ton of weight because he wanted be stouter and at the sametime likely wore him down because he was having to carry more of the load defensively.

2018 he was back to normal but had a horrible year in terms of puck luck.

This year to an extent is standard toews year. His shooting percentage is generally right were it’s been for his career. He’s gotten a bit more offensive zone starts but I tend to think that’s more a byproduct they are running more kampf and Kruger as 3 and 4 centers respectively

He's had 1 other season as good as this one and it was 8 years ago. This year is definitely more of an outlier than the norm. Blaming his regression on puck luck is probably the most hollow excuse there is.

 

[Taylorst]

He’s not regressed he had a terrible year in 2017 where he gained a ton of weight because he wanted be stouter and at the sametime likely wore him down because he was having to carry more of the load defensively.

2018 he was back to normal but had a horrible year in terms of puck luck.

This year to an extent is standard toews year. His shooting percentage is generally right were it’s been for his career. He’s gotten a bit more offensive zone starts but I tend to think that’s more a byproduct they are running more kampf and Kruger as 3 and 4 centers respectively

What about 2015-16 , 2016-17, 2017-18? I'm a Chicago fan myself but I'm not in the business of making excuses or over valuing a player who on a 8 year contract has been mia for the first 3 years and his 4th year at age 31 he is all of a sudden found his game again?.

Toews is having a nice year , however Chicago fans shouldn't expect toews to continue this success in the coming years.

 

[Taylorst]

He's had 1 other season as good as this one and it was 8 years ago. This year is definitely more of an outlier than the norm. Blaming his regression on puck luck is probably the most hollow excuse there is.

Couldn't have said it better. Kane is the perfect example of consistency . He has never truly had a consistent center or linemates to play with but he always seems to produce.

I guess it's fair to say looking back hossa was a huge positive impact on this,team and toews.

Without hossa toews alone doesn't lead this team to 3 cups,

 

[goldenbladz1]

I just don't see why Toews is untouchable, Kane I can see. Toews seems to be untouchable due to sentimentality, but sentimentality doesn't win cups.

where else are the Hawks going to get a 1C centre in the next four years unless they get lucky and get Hughes this year. He is back to his old self and putting up almost a point a game with the worst wingers of any 1c in the league. Imagine if he was playing with Panarin and Kane, like Bergeron gets (Marchand and Pastrnak)

 

[Jakey53]

Too bad for the Hawks that Clayton Keller has picked it up lately. If his slump had continued they could have just called the Coyotes and their "generational GM" and traded them a bag of pucks for Keller.

I think the Coyotes "generational GM" has won all the trades he has had with the Hawks GM. I'm sure Chayka could talk Bowman into trading Kane for two bags of pucks.

 

[goldenbladz1]

What about 2015-16 , 2016-17, 2017-18? I'm a Chicago fan myself but I'm not in the business of making excuses or over valuing a player who on a 8 year contract has been mia for the first 3 years and his 4th year at age 31 he is all of a sudden found his game again?.

Toews is having a nice year , however Chicago fans shouldn't expect toews to continue this success in the coming years.

You are correct that Hossa definitely helped the Toews line but you tell me what 1C in the league that doesn't get elite wingers to play with? Toews is still playing with an under performing Saad and flavour of the week winger yet still putting up good numbers. The last few years the numbers didn't look great, someone already mentioned his training regieme was contrary to the new NHL and the speed game. He corrected that in the off season and has had great improvement because of it and as the Hawks lost Kruger who was there to share all the defensive zone heavy lifting when he was gone Toews was the only defensively reliable centre they had and of course the numbers will suffer. Kruger and Kampf do a lot of the defensively responsible stuff now.

 

[ShootIt]

I'm sure Tallon will try to trade for Keith and end up with Seabrook.

 

[Toby Flenderson]

Saad+3rd for Maatta+1st

 

[Not So Mighty]

Toews is more untouchable because of what he means to the franchise and what he's brought to the team in accolades. It's not because he's too valuable on the ice. He won them three cups and the hawks are trying to keep franchise players with lasting legacies which is why they keep doing their "one last shift" marketing gimmicks where they honor the franchise greats for a night. It's also why they brought back savard, hall, Esposito, chelios, and mikita as ambassadors.

They will label him as untouchable to keep him as a hawk for life and out of respect for the leadership in three cups.

Not saying I agree or it's a good hockey decision (it's clearly not) but Toews likely doesn't leave Chicago before his contract is up unless he asks out

I can appreciate all that but then why isn't Keith untouchable?

 

[justafan22]

Friedman's been pushing the Keith angle a bit recently

 

[MAHJ71]

The line would be a mile long for DeBrincat ... so many teams regretting they passed on him to begin with.

 

[dk2k]

Yes, it would absolutely help a team with a legitimate shot win a cup. Which is why I think the Blackhawks should deal him and get some assets. As others stated I feel like Toews is on the other side of the hill as far as production is concerned, and now would be the perfect time to approach him about a trade and recouping some assets for a rebuild. That doesn't mean I can't see the Blackhawks keeping him. If they are going to try to land a couple big UFA's and make a splash, sure he'll be great. But this isn't a debate about whether or not they should trade him, it's a debate about if you should even think about trading him i.e., untouchable status.

Toews is having the best season of his career offensively. Justify calling him “other side of the hill.”