Some Bad Moves are in Motion for the Chicago Blackhawks

The Chicago Blackhawks are obviously not in a great position, but management is heading in a direction that will put them in an even worse position.

The Blackhawks are set to let productive free agents Dylan Strome and Dominik Kubalik walk at some point this summer.

There have been extensive talks about Blackhawks fans needing to prepare themselves for the departure of Alex DeBrincat, Jonathan Toews, and possibly Patrick Kane.

So let’s take a look at why some of these are bad ideas.

Dylan Strome

If the Blackhawks were planning on letting Strome go, they should have done it at the trade deadline to at least get something in return.

Strome is a productive top-six forward that the team can continue to build around in the coming years.  It seems senseless to let him walk this summer.

Dominik Kubalik

Kubalik is a player that I was kind of hoping the Hawks would move at the deadline.  He’s proven that he can produce even though he had a rough season this past year.  I wouldn’t have minded seeing Kubalik go IF we got something in return for him.

Alex DeBrincat

Trading DeBrincat might be the worst idea I have heard thrown around the Blackhawks camp.  A two-time 40-goal scorer at just 24 years old, DeBrincat should be a piece that the Hawks sign long-term and continue to build around.

Yes, DeBrincat will get the Hawks a huge return, especially if we look at the return from Tampa Bay in the Brandon Hagel deal.  However, I don’t think trading DeBrincat is the solution to our rebuild problem.

Jonathan Toews

I may make some enemies here, but I think it is time to move on from Toews.  Don’t get me wrong, I love Toews and everything he has done for the team.

However, he is disagreeing with management and has had a poor attitude in some of his previous media comments before the season ended.

If other players see that the captain has a negative mindset, that will overtake the locker room like the plague.

Toews will always be remembered as a Blackhawk and his number 19 will be in the rafters one day soon, but I think his time in a Blackhawks sweater is coming to an end.

Patrick Kane

Patrick Kane has proven that his age is not going to stop his production.  Arguably the best American-born player in the NHL, he keeps climbing the ladder of all-time Blackhawks scoring leaders.

Some may say to trade Kane and retain some salary to increase the return.  I’m going to have to disagree.  I would like to keep Patrick Kane and let him chase down every Blackhawks record that he wants to break.  If he keeps producing, we should keep him in a Blackhawks sweater.

I know the Blackhawks are in a rebuild and want to be as bad as possible the next few years to obtain draft picks and prospects.  I just don’t see getting rid of any and all talent on your roster as a way of achieving it.

I would keep Kane, DeBrincat, and Strome, and build the roster around them.  We have other players with value that can be traded for almost the same return.

Trading superstar-level players have never worked out in the Blackhawks’ favor.  (Just look at the Artemi Panarin trade from 2017.)