He did just that last year by cutting ties with players like DeBrincat, Dach, Kubalik, Strome, De Haan, Gufstaffson, and more.
DeBrincat and Dach were traded away for 1st round picks, but the other players just didn't receive a contract extension from the Blackhawks' front office.
Well, all those players who were allowed to leave are making the most of every opportunity. Ben Pope made us aware just how some of those players are doing.
Hagel was traded away to the Lightning last season prior to the Kyle Davidson era, but everyone else listed was not a part of Davidson's plans as GM.
The Blackhawks are competing with solid teams now, and people are starting to wonder, "why did we even get rid of those guys?"
Each of those guys listed in Ben Pope's tweet are young and talented. We traded away DeBrincat and Dach for 1st round picks, which is nice, but aren't those the types of players you try to rebuild around?
I mean DeBrincat is one of the league's premier scorers at age 24, and Dach took huge steps each and every game that he played in a Blackhawks sweater.
It is tough to see those players go, especially with how the Blackhawks are playing now, but it is good to see them thrive with their new opportunities.
POLL | ||
Who has the best stats from Ben Pope's tweet? | ||
The Cat | 15 | 26.8 % |
Kubalik | 26 | 46.4 % |
Strome | 8 | 14.3 % |
Dach/Hagel (same stats) | 7 | 12.5 % |
List of polls |