from Steve Rosenbloom of the Chicago Tribune,
...generating offense remains the best thing the Hawks do and it might be the right and surprising move to make their strength stronger by trading for several scorers or snipers or anybody who can put the puck in the net the way they did with the Anthony Duclair trade. More of that. It might be the right play to try to outscore their roster of backup goalies and third-pair defensemen. Play pond hockey. It might kill coach Joel Quenneville, but it feels as if the Hawks already are there.
Wise up, nobody’s going to trade the Hawks an Erik Karlsson. Sorry, the Norris Trophies R Us store is closed. There likely will be a handful of good defensemen available, but only a handful, and that’ll jump up the bidding.
However, the Hawks might be able to rent right wing Thomas Vanek, who has 13 goals with Vancouver, or left wing Pat Maroon, who has 11 goals with Edmonton. Or both. Or players like them. That would seem to be the cheapest route, which figures to be the choice for a franchise that is at the crossroads whether it wants to admit it or not.
Then again, try this: The idea of trading for Montreal left wing Max Pacioretty is something that might appeal to Hawks GM Stan Bowman, who isn’t afraid to be bold or wrong, and has been both recently in the last year.
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