Who will have to rebuild first? CHI or LAK

[ViktorBaeArvidsson]

Both were dynasties, but now it seems that their both trending down. Who's gonna blow it up first?

or who knows maybe Chicago randomly wins the cup again, or even LA.

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[LordNeverLose]

The Hawks have kinda already started. They just had, what, the 7th pick in the draft?

Doubt they ever trade Kane or Toews, so they won't be "blowing it up" but they're coming up very soon on as much of a rebuild as you can with those guys still on your team.

 

[VoluntaryDom]

Hawks

 

[DRW204]

Chicago b/c of the huge goalie concerns. Crawford was such an integral part of their team. They were in a WC spot with him until he got hurt then were relegated to start 4 goalies with a combined 31 games of NHL experience prior to this past season (Glass 32 YO rookie, Forsberg, Delia and the emergency start of Foster). If Crawford is gone, you have a tandem of Forsberg and Ward for this season which likely results in another bottom 10 finish this year.

I think LAK are better set up to start infusing replacements for the eventual decline of Kopitar and Carter in Vilardi, JAD and Akil Thomas (if they stick to C). I believe Kupari plays both C/W too. Clague seems like a promising D prospect as well. I think LAK can sort of rebuild on the fly (still make the POs while getting younger) where CHI might have to make more of a drastic rebuild.

 

[Castle8130]

Hawks are rebuilding right now, but I bet they are done with their rebuild a lot quicker than La is.

 

[Rick C137]

Hawks won’t completely blow it up anytime soon but they’re in the process of a mini-rebuild now. Their biggest problem since 2015 has been the defense. Fortunately the hawks have one of the better defensive prospect pools in the nhl and help is coming.

 

[pheasant]

I don't think either team is really in line for a "rebuild." Not if you take that word seriously, anyway.

Chicago is making some changes. They traded a roster player for a 1st rounder recently (Hartman to Nashville). And that's about as intense as they are going to get to change the roster and build for the future. You won't see them move out Toews or Kane, ever. So they will try to compete, and rightly so, for the foreseeable future.

LA is much the same. Actually, they need a "rebuild" even less. They just added Kovalchuk to push to win now. And they have Kopitar and Doughty in their prime right now. No reset button on the horizon.

I guess I could still answer the question, and say Chicago. But we're talking about a rebuild that might not start until like 5 or 6 years from now.

 

[Critical13]

LA and Chi are both restocking on the fly nicely. I imagine Chi will need to more intensive rebuild of the two, though. LA will be in that 5-10 in the West range for 3-4 more years at least.

 

[The Red Line]

Neither were dynasties.

Chicago reminds me of the Wings circa 2011-15 when the writing was on the wall but they were clinging to past success instead of embracing the future. LAK isn't too far off from that though either.

 

[Fear]

I don't think either team will commit to a full rebuild until their cores current contracts are up. Since Kane and Toews run out first I went with them.

Doughty signed like a month ago.

 

[Section88]

Hawks committed to the rebuild when they took Boqvist at 8 when guys like Dobson and Boucher were still available (boqvist says himself he is 2-3 years from the NHL). We also may need to be looking for a new starting goalie as early as next year it seems

 

[Section88]

Hawks committed to the rebuild when they took Boqvist at 8 when guys like Dobson and Bouchard were still available (boqvist says himself he is 2-3 years from the NHL). We also may need to be looking for a new starting goalie as early as next year it seems

 

[Puckstuff]

Toews/Kane are available if the hawks are out of it again. They both have 5 years left; and there salary (not cap hit) will come way down

 

[Connor McConnor]

LA's core is still intact for the foreseeable future with Kopitar/Doughty/Quick whereas Chicago's is not with a quickly aging/injury depleted Toews/Keith+Seabrook/Crawford.

Easily Chi for me.

 

[BHD]

Neither. They'll retool as long as their franchise talents are with them. If I had to pick, though, I'd say Chicago.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Hawks were 2-3 years ahead of us in being awesome and they're about the same as far as restocking their team as well.

Don't think either team will ever truly enter full tear-down until Kopitar and Toews are too old to function. Their parts even somewhat match up in terms of ages where Chicago's D-men are older and Doughty is younger while LAs forwards are older and Chicago's not.

 

[LordNeverLose]

Toews/Kane are available if the hawks are out of it again. They both have 5 years left; and there salary (not cap hit) will come way down

No they aren't.

Toews at this point has little to no positive value. Kane still has good value but not a lot of teams could fit him and he has a NMC, so I don't think the return would be massive. And I'd bet Chicago plans on keeping the two for the remainder of their careers, rebuild or not.

 

[spiny norman]

Lopsided result.