Quoting: klassic
I still don't think you understand the difference between Rebuild and Retool.
"In a rebuild, you’re getting rid of your core players — often ones who are good, but can’t help your team in its current form — by trading them to contending teams looking to push themselves over the edge."
Debrincat, Dach, Kane, McCabe, Lafferty, Carpenter, Hagel, etc. Those players were traded for draft picks to Rebuild.
Retooling - "This is the part where you start to give up assets to get young players in return who can help you in the here and now and hopefully still have potential to improve."
Seth Jones - Traded Boqvist (prospect) + 1st + 2nd + swap of 1sts
Andrew Shaw - Traded 2nd + 3rd
Maatta - Kahun + 5th
Bowman never committed to a rebuild. He was always half in/half out. He would sell a few players for picks or prospects, then turn around and blow it all on a bust. Bowman was never truly rebuilding. He was just trying to stay competitive (poorly). I know you won't agree here. But it wasn't until KD took over that the Blackhawks Organization verbally and actually committed to a rebuild.
"In a rebuild, you’re getting rid of your core players — often ones who are good, but can’t help your team in its current form — by trading them to contending teams looking to push themselves over the edge."
Debrincat, Dach, Kane, McCabe, Lafferty, Carpenter, Hagel, etc. Those players were traded for draft picks to Rebuild.
Retooling - "This is the part where you start to give up assets to get young players in return who can help you in the here and now and hopefully still have potential to improve."
Seth Jones - Traded Boqvist (prospect) + 1st + 2nd + swap of 1sts
Andrew Shaw - Traded 2nd + 3rd
Maatta - Kahun + 5th
Bowman never committed to a rebuild. He was always half in/half out. He would sell a few players for picks or prospects, then turn around and blow it all on a bust. Bowman was never truly rebuilding. He was just trying to stay competitive (poorly). I know you won't agree here. But it wasn't until KD took over that the Blackhawks Organization verbally and actually committed to a rebuild.[/quote]
I don't think you're familiar with the phrase "splitting hairs" If that's your logic, Anaheim isn't rebuilding: they are just retooling because Henrique, Silverberg, Fowler, Strome, are all still on the roster. Conversely, Chicago has nobody left to trade out that isn't young. Seth Jones isn't gonna be moved for more than was required to get him. By that logic, the rebuild is over unless Chicago acquires UFAs and sells them off. Similarly Dach and Debrincat were both young but were moved out for futures. At the end of the day it is just asset management, and the amount of time required to get back in contention. Even with Hanifin and Nylander, the Blackhawks would still be picking in the top ten. It doesn't have to be the trades above, but acquiring players still in their prime has value and retention if they need to be traded later on.