Dietz: Analyzing the Hawks’ recent moves
Stop the presses!
It seems the Bears and Blackhawks might just be on roads to success.
On the gridiron, general manager Ryan Poles hired the most sought-after head coach in Ben Johnson then remade his offensive line by acquiring guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson.
On the ice, GM Kyle Davidson traded Seth Jones to Florida for a No. 1 pick and a potential franchise goalie in Spencer Knight. Davidson then made two more trades and chose to keep forward Ryan Donato, who is having a career season at age 28.
With all the talent coming up the pipeline, it's not unrealistic to think the Hawks will soon be playoff bound — if Davidson can hit free agency home runs in 2025 and '26. For now, let's focus on how the recent moves will affect his team going forward.
Donato stays
With the trade deadline passed, Davidson will focus on re-signing Donato. I like the decision. After a while it's time to stop stockpiling draft picks and keep veterans who can do it all.
Davidson, who has been in contract talks with Donato's agent, told reporters Friday he was only going to make a move if someone overpaid.
“(We) set a high price because we value Ryan,” Davidson said. “He took some very meaningful steps in trying to improve his game this (last) summer, which I believe is translating to a career year. That's a great example that you want in your organization.”
Donato, whose pinpoint pass to Ilya Mikheyev led to the Hawks' tying goal in the third period Saturday at Nashville, is on an absolute tear since mid-January with 10 goals and 14 assists in 19 games. He has career bests of 23 goals and 25 assists overall.
Net gain
In just two games with the Hawks it's clear 23-year-old Spencer Knight is a massive upgrade in net. He stopped 77 of 81 shots in victories over Los Angeles and Utah last week. A first-round pick by Florida in 2019, Knight has incredible lateral quickness and reads the game extremely well.
This is not to say 25-year-old Arvid Soderblom, Drew Commesso (22) and/or Adam Gajan (20) can't factor into the Hawks' future plans.
Soderblom has been particularly strong since mid-January, allowing 3 regulation goals or fewer in 10 of 12 starts. One of his best games came in Saturday’s OT loss at Nashville when he stopped 38 shots. He staved off 17 in a frenetic first period then made several miraculous stops in the third period, which allowed the game to get to overtime.
Fans should also root for Commesso (who is in Rockford) and Gajan (a second-round pick playing in college) because the more young goalie talent you have the more avenues to success it creates.
New blood
Davidson did right by Mrazek by moving the veteran goalie to Detroit. It frees up a three-goalie logjam for the Hawks and allows Mrazek to return to a Red Wings squad attempting to make the playoffs.
The Hawks received Joe Veleno in return. The 25-year-old forward was a first-round pick of Detroit in 2018, but he's averaged just 10 goals and 11 assists per 82 games. Veleno was quiet in his Hawks debut Saturday, playing 13 minutes, taking 1 shot on goal and winning 4 of 8 faceoffs.
Davidson is hoping a change of scenery helps.
“He's got some pace, he's got some size to his game,” Davidson said. “He can play the center position. There's some versatility there to him. And he's still only 25. We'll give him some run and some opportunity and see what he can do.”
Veleno is signed through next year and carries a $2.275 million cap hit.
One more trade
The Hawks also sent a sixth-round pick to Utah in exchange for D-man Victor Soderstrom (who is playing overseas), forward Aku Raty (who is in the AHL) and Shea Weber (who was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2024). The move takes Weber's $7.857 million off Utah's books and could help the Hawks reach the salary cap floor next season.
Davidson spoke highly of Soderstrom, who has 9 goals and 27 assists in 48 games for Brynas IF of the Swedish Hockey League. “He's having a great year in Brynas,” Davidson said. “(We'll) see if there's something there to move forward with beyond this year.”
Soderstrom was drafted 11th overall by Arizona in 2019.
John Dietz worked at the Daily Herald from 1998-2024, covering the Blackhawks from 2014-24. You can reach him at jdietz6917@hotmail.com.