Since the Blackhawks and Islanders made their pick swap in the 2024 NHL Draft on Friday, there have been a lot of questions here (and on our social channels) and everywhere in Blackhawks land about why exactly the general manager Kyle Davidson would do this. specific agreement five weeks before the start of the 2024 NHL Draft.
As a reminder, the Blackhawks traded their picks at Nos. 20, 54 and 61 to the New York Islanders for picks Nos. 18 and 50 overall. So Chicago moved up two spots in the first round and four in the second at the expense of the second-round pick they acquired from Vancouver to take Jason DickinsonThe cap came off their books a couple of years ago (which, again, is highway robbery by GMKD).
During Monday’s episode of the “32 Thoughts” podcast, Elliotte Friedman and Jeff Marek mentioned the trade and made a couple interesting comments about their view of the deal. Their conversation about the election starts around the 36:35 mark of the podcast if you’re tuning in to just that part of this episode.
Keep in mind that these are two guys who are considered “experts” who cover the league internationally; they are not focused on the Blackhawks (or Islanders) side of the trade.
“There are only a few trades that make everyone have tinfoil hats. Not just normal conspiracy-oriented people,” Marek said.
Marek, like everyone else, said this is a trade that usually happens after the draft has started, not five weeks before.
Friedman’s “conspiracy” is that someone, either the Blackhawks or the Islanders, is trying to move up higher in the 2024 NHL Draft. He points out that the Hawks have already moved up a couple spots, but then wonders if Chicago is trying to move further.
Or, Friedman posits, are the Blackhawks looking to get someone (a veteran) in the trade and need to make the picks more valuable to make the next trade happen?
Marek talks about the fact that there is a perceived drop to 20th in the first round this year, so Chicago moving up to the top 20 from the bottom of that tier makes some sense.
He went on to say, “I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw BOTH 18 and 50, which Chicago has, move on draft day.”
Friedman chimes in instantly “or sooner” after Marek said the picks could move past Chicago. “Someone is trying to get in position to do something early. Or they’ve done their research and they know they have to get into a certain level to do something, and they’re making sure they can do it.”
You can listen to Monday’s full episode here:
Monday Morning 32 Playoff Thoughts, News, Information and Reaction Capsule.
Links to your preferred platform, here: https://t.co/io7Mr1QEpm— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) May 27, 2024
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