The Chicago Blackhawks should pass on Jones and Hamilton

Chicago only formally announced that they were starting a youth movement less than a year ago. That isn’t a lot of time to commit to improving the team. A season? Assuming that the team only truly began the process to recreate the talent pool when the notice went out in October 2020, then there is still a fair amount of distance that has to be travelled. It’s too early in the rebuild to start dealing away key young players in the hopes of accelerating things.

Neither deal really makes sense, even if it’s tempting to think these players could, in theory, be suiting up for Chicago next year. Also, even if it sounds pessimistic, the Blackhawks probably won’t be very good in 2021-22. It’s entirely reasonable to think that they could end up with another high pick once the next season is over. Drafting a high-end defenseman could still be possible, and soon.

There’s a lot more skill in the pipeline than there was just a few years ago, but it’s not enough to think that sacrificing Dach, or any of the team’s top prospects, is a good idea. Not yet. In a few years, this will be a move Chicago can afford to make. For now, the team needs to focus on bringing in more young skilled players, and figure out who can hang in the NHL against the league’s best.

Everyone wants the team to be a competitor soon, but it’s not worth trading away the organization’s future. If the team was a Hamilton or a Jones away from being a real contender, then yeah, definitely make those deals, but they aren’t. Chicago was one of the worst teams in the NHL last year, and they probably will be again next year. Better to wait and take a measured approach. The Blackhawks will be better served by a more patient path to replenishing their lineup.