In a wide-ranging interview with The Athletic’s Scott Powers, Chicago Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson discussed the team’s offseason plans, draft strategy, and excitement surrounding the franchise’s younger players.
With the third pick in the upcoming NHL Draft, Davidson didn’t name any specific players the team is targeting, unwilling to tip his hand. He did, however, discuss the team’s decision not to participate in the tradition of taking draft prospects to dinner, noting that those types of events do not provide the team with much information.
“We didn’t do any dinners this year. It was much more doing it in the room. I think it’s probably born out of, we don’t learn anything. We haven’t learned much new in those interviews in the past. … It’s funny because there’s no place to hide here either, right? There’s only so many (restaurant) options, and everyone’s bopping around to the same spot. I don’t know if I’ve ever really drawn any connection between dinners to list/ranking or anything like that,” he said.
Davidson added that the team is prepared to take the best player available with the third pick. While Davidson avoided names, Powers believes the Blackhawks are likely considering Anton Frondell or Caleb Desnoyers, unless Michael Misa slips to three.
While Davidson was cautious to provide details on the draft, he did open up more about what the team may look to do in free agency. With a potential generational talent like Connor Bedard, Davidson understands that the fanbase expects significant additions to support the team’s young core. With that said, Davidson believes that big moves cannot be made without strategy.
“Look, we’re always open to exploring these things, but it’s got to be right. It’s got to make sense. We can’t do something that’s going to be counter to the path that we’ve set out on. If there is a big move that presents itself, that makes sense, then I’m all for exploring that and pursuing something that does make sense. But to say we’re going to do something just to say we did something, and then it doesn’t make sense with where we’re at or where we’re going, then I don’t think we can do that. That would be irresponsible,” he said.
Davidson acknowledged that the team would be willing to trade draft capital to acquire the right NHL player. However, he cautioned that quality NHL players may be harder to come by. With the salary cap rising, Davidson noted that teams have a better chance of retaining their own players. He said, “Normally, the No. 1 motivator of movement is salary-cap constraint, and a lot of teams have been relieved of that this year.”
Now imagine they trade away that 1st for Morgan Rielly and Marner’s rights. Would never happen and would be an insane over pay by the hawks but still do it Kyle
You either are smoking something mind altering or are a Leafs fan.
Say the leafs add whatever they can to it not named Knies or Cowan and Islanders draft Huggins and then Misa, getting the 3rd the leafs could use it to draft Schaffer and have him be their new Rielly. Reinvesting Morgan’s 7.8 off the books the leafs could use it to take on some higher paid wingers and give knies and JT resigned.
Well the Leafs have no more of Marners rights to trade and Reilly doesn’t move the needle for the Hawks at all so all in all Nancy Reagan was right. Just say no. But that really wasn’t an interview. It was a bunch of babbling about nothing. This is why the Atlantic is a joke. Plus they employ Joe Cowley and expect you to pay to read about nothing.
His rights would have significant value if his agent was able to agree to terms and disagree about Rielly. He doesn’t fit into the new system he’s still good just hasn’t been able to adjust to radically different system. So would be good on team with relatively young d core kinda like Flower was with Anaheim.
That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever read. Do you work for the Atlantic? You want the number 3 pick in the draft for a 20 day window to negotiate a deal with a guy who will be able to negotiate with every team in 3 weeks? And how does Rielly who is 32 and signed for a stupid number fit on a Hawks team where the average age is probably going to be 21? When they have 5 of the better young D men in the game already in Vlasic, Arty, Rinzel, Korchinski and Kaiser? I think like Behn Wison said, You need to find a new dealer or better stuff. Wow. That’s amazing thinking right there. That’s not out of the box that’s out of your mind.
His rights have NO value right now, because if Marner’s agent isn’t high, he just waits until July 1st and watch the offers come in. With the money available, SOMEone will make Marner a truly insane offer. However much Marner might like to play for a winner, would he turn down Columbus if the Jackets offered him 7 x 15? If the Blackhawks did?
That’s why we have no idea where Marner will go because WE as fans have no idea what it is he wants. Sometimes it’s actually not about money. Is he married? Does his significant other have somewhere in mind? Does winning now matter? Does playing with certain guys matter? You’d have to be in the mans head to figure out what he wants. As far as the whole Atlantic stupidity all anyone would learn is why Misa didn’t visit the Hawks but he did everyone else. The Hawks decided that talking to prospects before the draft was pointless. Those guys are programmed like robots about how to answer questions so they don’t hurt their status. It’s like the old Wunderlick garbage the NFL used to trot out. You might as well use a Magic 8 Ball.
Best Player available at #3, So most likely Martone or Hagens if Misa isn’t available, Hagens already fits the bill of what the Hawks have been acquiring and drafting, and Martone would by comparison be a Tom Wilson type minus the suspension history, Desnoyers and Frondell are a little bit more risky picks, Desnoyers plays in the worst of the 3 Canadian Junior leagues, and Frondell might be harder to project given their shorter schedule and the league itself
Toronto doesn’t have the assets to trade for a pick and the timing is terrible.
Rielly has a NMC and I can’t see him waiving it to go to Chicago. That’s also a ridiculous overpay and nonsensical for a rebuilding team. Rielly loves Toronto and the team has already said they won’t ask him to waive the clause. He’s staying.
Toronto’s window is the remainder of Matthews’ contract and I suspect they’ll bridge Knies to coincide with this. He’s also not getting traded unless it’s part of a package for a better current NHL player with a contract that also fits this timeline. Chicago doesn’t have that player.
Toronto also isn’t trading Cowan unless a similar prospect who could augment the latter half of their current window is coming back. Cowan doesn’t even project as a high-end NHL player, he’s likely going to be a middle six, 40-60 point guy. The best comparable I’ve read is Zach Hyman when he was with Toronto.
No one else is in the prospect pool is really all that enticing, except for maybe one of the goalies. They unloaded two top ten prospects this season for Carlo and Laughton. They’ve spent years trading picks for rentals.
“It’s funny because there’s no place to hide here either, right? There’s only so many (restaurant) options”
There are 10,000 restaurants in Chicago. Stop going to the same overrated steakhouse, Kyle.
Truth! Go to a hole in the wall establishment with great food and beer, with private setting. Tons of places like that around Chicago. Dude needs to get out more!
Wasnt the combine in Buffalo?