Should The Blackhawks Make A Run At Johnny Gaudreau?
Johnny Gaudreau is a superstar who consistently lights up the score sheet. Whether he is showing off his elite stick handling skills or his bursts of speed past the opposition's defense, Johnny Gaudreau gets the job done. Since his debut in 2013-14, Gaudreau has scored 609 points in 602 games played. Barring any last-minute move by the Calgary Flames, Gaudreau is set to hit free agency and will likely be signing for a big price tag. With all the cap space the Blackhawks have, should they make a move and bring in Johnny Gaudreau?
This is an interesting scenario because you can make a case for both sides of the argument. Johnny Gaudreau is the type of player who can make an immediate impact on any team's roster and make the players on his line better in the process. As over a point-per-game player, and only being 28 years old, Gaudreau could be a cornerstone piece to build a team around. Having Gaudreau, DeBrincat, Kane, and Seth Jones leading the charge to the future could be game changing for the franchise. Although it would be great to sign Gaudreau, it is very unlikely.
First, Gaudreau will be a hot commodity on the open market. Since Gaudreau is only 28 years old, it is likely that he would be looking for term with a high AAV. Gaudreau will realistically be making anywhere between $8.5 and 10 million dollars a season on his new deal. With the Blackhawks in a rebuild and looking to load up on draft capital and high upside prospects, making a move for a superstar would take them off their current path and drag them back to the middle of the pack. In my opinion, nothing is more aggravating than a team being stuck in mediocrity, which we have all suffered through over the past few seasons: Too good to get a lottery pick but not good enough to make the playoffs.
While it would be a great pickup for a roster that lacks significant scoring threats, the Blackhawks and Kyle Davidson need to stay the course. Gaudreau will more than likely end up going to a team who is knocking on the door to being a playoff contender, such as the Kings or staying put in Calgary. As painful as it is to say, the Blackhawks need to get worse before they can get better. They need to get the high draft picks and save salary for when they are ready to compete again in order to sign free agents who can make a Hossa-like impact when the franchise is ready. There are building blocks currently on the roster who are fully capable to lead this team to the next era of Blackhawks hockey, you just have to let them shine.
Idea via BlackhawkUp.com
| POLL | ||
Do you think the Blackhawks should go after Gaudreau in free agency? | ||
| Yes, the team can build around him! | 94 | 42.7 % |
| No, we need to stay the course! | 126 | 57.3 % |
| List of polls | ||
