If all were doing is signing Nash to $3.5M...we're a much better team with Anisimov than without. Not to sound callous, but it's these kinds of posts that make his value seem like nothing at all to others. He's a valuable piece on the PP and a good 2-way center. Lots of players aren't great at faceoffs and truth be told there are a lot of people worse than 45.9% for a career. He's VERY far from a cap dump and when were not actually doing anything else with the cap...I guess I don't get it.

Montreal says no. Why would we trade a top 40 pick for an aging center on an overpaid contract? This does nothing for Montreal

AA is expendable this year for the Hawks. He is worth a 2nd round pick which isn't exactly a cap dump by definition. With Kruger coming in and confirmed reports the Hawks asked him to submit his 10 teams, the writing is on the walls. Kampf is solid and can take 3rd line minutes. Schmaltz has the 2nd line minutes. AA is paid too much to be a 4th liner and as a LW, it would be under utilizing him. He will either get traded now or will be packaged at the TDL.

AA is one of the best 3C's in the league and capable of playing 2nd line minutes. He plays a 200 ft game and is an asset on the PP. For a team rebuilding, he's a good pickup with only 3 years left and a mentor for your 18 year old future 1C.

"For a team rebuilding". Why would we trade away a really good future asset for somebody on the tail end of their career who probably wouldn't waive his NTC to come here anyways

It's a limited no trade clause and AA has submitted his 10 teams...who knows if that includes MTL or not. However, having a veteran center who puts up 20 goals a season isn't valuable for the young centers MTL wants to develop?

Either way, it makes no difference for the Hawks where he goes for a 2nd round pick in return...don't get wrapped around the axle about me using MTL as an example in this Armchair team.

No chance he puts up 20 goals. Montreal is not Chicago... He put up 20 in CHI which translate to about 10-15 here max. I agree he is worth that and all, but MTL just isn't the team to trade him too

Oh I 100% agree he's worth a 2nd round pick at least. I don't know what this other guy's talking about. MTL signed Shaw for $3.9M and then gave up (2) 2nds. So a better player...which he 110% is a better player...is worth AT LEAST (1) 2nd rounder. With that said, Kampf is NOT ready to take on the #3C role. 46 NHL games and 12+ min a game. I think most people (including Hawks fans) would say he's closer to a 2016 Tanner Kero so far. Hawks fans were SUPER high on Kero then because he played the #2C against NSH in the playoffs. AA is also better than Kruger so AA would be the #3C and Kruger the #4C and Kampf the #4RW. Pretty solid 4th line IMO. I agree that the Hawks have asked for his list of 10 teams. To me that doesn't mean he's guaranteed to be traded, but more that Stan's keeping his options open. I for one would prefer to keep AA...especially when other teams are baulking at a 2nd rounder.

I think Kampf is certainly a 4c if not 3c. Kruger and him can rotate. AA if not traded now will go at the TDL as it is highly unlikely the Hawks make it to the playoffs this year. I'm hearing the Hawks have given up on Skinner, Patches, Faulk and Karlsson and are looking for a a 1 year deal with a veteran either D or F line players. My guess is the Hawks are going to work on development this year, score a decent draft pick and hopefully the young D guys (Jokiharju, Beaudin, Boqvist, Fortin, Forsling, Hillman, Mitchell) are ready to step in for the 19/20 season letting the Hawks let go of Rutta, Manning and possibly Murphy. Up front they can focus on development of Schmaltz, Debrincat, Sikura and Kahun and even give Jake Wise and Highmore some minutes. I just don't see the Hawks competing at a high level this year even if they do sneak into the playoffs thus making AA expendable.

Our younger forwards seem decent... but David Kampf blows. Absolutely no reason to trade Anisimov for a pick, hes still a quality player, slightly overpaid but its not like we need the cap space to give kampf a larger role