Jones was 100% an overpay for a few reasons. A.) I don't mind that Boqvist was sent to CBJ, BUT B.) you paid him the UFA rate...so why not send Boqvist somewhere else for either a pick or sent of players you really needed for the future and sign Jones in the offseason. C.) I still can't get over how much trade value it cost for 1 year of Seth Jones. The 2022 1st rounder should still be the hawks. 1 year of Jones is worth Boqvist and moving up 20ish slots in the draft.

For the record though...he has been their best Defenseman. I didn't watch periods 2 and 3 of PIT, but I've seen every other minute. Just so pissed off I could sit through the rest of that game.

It certainly seemed like it was an overpay based solely on name-value, but the theory that they could have just gone out and signed him as a UFA is kind of a stretch, (Similar to "We could have just signed Dougie) IMO. If Chicago didn't go after him, there would have been a lineup of teams out there looking to pick him up and extend him.

This is just a thought, and I could be way off, but Chicago's roster has been fairly home-grown over the past decade. I'm trying to think back to "major" free agent signings over the past 10+ years for the team, and the only one that I can really think of is Hossa. If there are more examples, let me know, but it would seem like a pretty big stretch to think that after that many years of not being able to (Or not trying to?) attract major free agent talent, that all of the sudden the Hawks would get the top UFA in back to back offseasons.

First off Chicago would've never have gotten Seth Jones at the 2022 free agency, Jarmo basically said that he was going to be dealt a team with long term extension. if not Chicago then probably hometown Dallas. And Dougie Hamilton would've never signed with Chicago as he wanted a smaller market Chicago is too big. And Bowman didn't qualify Pius Suter for a reason so none of it was going to happen. Without Bowman giving up what he gave up Seth jones was never going to happen.

Exactly. Jones might be better than Hamilton, or Jones might be better than a couple of first picks and Boqvist, but getting Jones a year sooner isn't better than waiting to sign Jones as a UFA, keeping the picks and Boqvist, and in the meantime getting Hamilton, Vanecek, and Gostisbehere, who all changed teams for a grand total of "free," this summer. Hamilton was a UFA. Vanecek cost a 2nd. Philly paid a 2nd and a 7th to get rid of Gostisbehere. So add those three to the cost of getting Jones a little sooner, and it's a very good thing that Jones is the Hawks' best defenseman.

On the other hand, Hamilton has been New Jersey's best defenseman, and they're undefeated (haha. one game in), and Gostisbehere can score more points than either, if you don't mind his terrible defense, so overall, the picks and Boqvist are the least of the reasons the trade was an overpay.

Of course it will all be remembered as a great deal if Jones and Fleury carry the Hawks through a couple of rounds, and they've each had some pretty good playoffs, but in October, it's not looking great. If Fleury has one of his down years and is a bargain UFA next summer, and they could have had him, too, without rushing, then nobody is going to remember how well Chicago moved out Keith and Seabrook's cap hits.

I agree those two cap hits are unrealistic, here. In a bidding war, each probably gets up to 10 or 10.5. Since a Detroit fan says Pius isn't staying, just move Sillinger up to 3C, and pay the UFAs each 11M.

Not sure what to do the net year when Toews, Kane, Ghost, and Debrincat hit FA together. Probably sign DeBrincat first and then talk to Toews and kane about splitting what's left? Bring Stillman back up at 3LD and play McCabe with Hamilton.

I’m just waiting for Debrincat, Kubalik, or Dach to be traded. Giving Jones 9.5 is a tough thing to navigate when Cat is probably due 9+ million and Kubalik could arguably warrant just as much soon. We got out of cap hell only to get in bed deep with it immediately.

Yep. Maybe Kane and Toews will volunteer to work with whatever is left once the other guys get what they need? It's possible. They're both superstars in Chicago, and the team is making big moves to try to help them contend again.