I don’t really try to “clickbait” too much because, you know, I have some standards and quaint old journalistic notions that you shouldn’t do that (no kidding please). But heck, it’s July 30th and we’re still sitting around waiting to see what happens with Nazem Kadri and this is a website dedicated to All Things Avalanche. And, a reader made me a proposition the other day that, the more I thought about it, the more sense it made. This is Blackhawks icon Jonathan Toews coming to the Colorado Avalanche.
First of all, I have heard absolutely nothing that this can or will happen. But second, Toews doesn’t seem too thrilled with what’s been going on in Chicago in recent months, roster-wise. The team has traded some really good young players, like Alex DeBrincat, Brandon Hagel and Kirby Dach, in moves that were heavily criticized for not getting enough back. The told Mark Lazerus of The Athletic, “At the end of the day, we are talking about a process of more than five years, according to Kyle (Davidson, GM). So I don’t find that part attractive at all. I can’t speak for Kaner, but I definitely feel like the amount of turnover our team has gone through every year the last three or four years, that’s where it gets really taxing. And exhausting.
In its talk to lazarusToews also said that he finally feels good again physically, and he can’t wait to start next season, to show people that he has a lot left in the tank.
So here you have a player who doesn’t seem to want to be a part of any rebuilding process, who doesn’t seem to be talking at all about signing an extension with the Blackhawks, who has one year left on his contract. , with a salary cap of $10.5 million, which may be UFA after next season.
Sounds like a guy that, if I’m Avalanche GM Chris MacFarland, anyway, I might be interested as possible Kadri’s replacement, who remains unsigned.
One key thing: Toews has a full no-move, no-trade clause. Chicago can’t change it without your consent anywhere. But, hmm, I wonder if Toews could waive that clause to go to the defending Stanley Cup champions who might have an opening at second-row center.
But Dater, what about that $10.5 million cap? Well, Chicago could keep half of it, or enough anyway, for the Avalanche to adjust to it. The Avalanche could also trade a player or two back to Chicago to create more room to allow a Toews to come here. Then Toews comes to a winner who wants him, he would play a significant role here and he could also play his brother Devon.
(That last one is a joke).
Some other numbers on Toews: He is 34 years old. He scored 37 points (12 goals) in 71 games last season. He missed the entire 2020-21 season due to illness. He is not the player he once was. But I can definitely see him having a good year again on a good team. He remains an ace in matchups and is a true competitor with great leadership skills.
However, would his presence be too much on a team that just won a Cup and has all the leadership pieces in place? I doubt it. I bet Toews would just go in and give up Gabe Landeskog and be just one of the guys.
Toews kept his love for Chicago and the fans, and I’m sure it would be very difficult for him to move. But here’s what we do know about the 2022-23 Blackhawks: They have a good chance of being the worst team in the league, in my opinion anyway. They are a team that almost started from scratch in some aspects. What’s crazy is that the Blackhawks took out some of their best young players who would have made the rebuild easier and kept older, expensive players like Toews and Patrick Kane. Yes, they both have flat deals and contracts that are difficult to negotiate. But surely there would have been some team to take them on, assuming they quit the NMC.
Who would go to the Blackhawks instead? Well, first of all, don’t expect it to be Sam Girard. I wrote a a couple of weeks ago or so that, based on my latest understanding of things, the Avalanche isn’t offering to “clear salary cap space” for Kadri or anyone else. JT Compher? Yes, I could see it. He is an Illinois native who grew up a huge Blackhawks fan, with one year left on his contract before he left for UFA. His $3.5 million cap space, in fact, would open up enough room for a Jonathan Toews (assuming Chicago eats up a good chunk of his salary).
I’m sure Blackhawks fans would be outraged if that’s all they have for a franchise icon. But they don’t have much influence here. He is a 34-year-old who has seen better days, with a monstrous cap, who can go wherever he wants after next season.
Here’s what I think the most likely scenario will be with Toews: He’ll be a hot commodity at the NHL trade deadline. Assuming the Blackhawks are nowhere near the playoffs, and with teams like the Avalanche likely to have a lot more cap space racked up by then, a deadline deal is the most realistic scenario.
But if the Avalanche lose Kadri soon, do they want to try and stay afloat in their position all season long with other solutions (Mikko Rantanen at 2C or Alex Newhook)? I don’t think I like the idea of Rantanen as 2C. He is a great winger who can play up and down the wall and do a lot of damage. He has been extreme most of his life. Newhook could very well become a great 2C. But it seems that he would be too hasty in this case.
Jonathan Toews, replacement for Kadri at short notice? I like the sound of that.
What about you, Avalanche fanatic?
