Kyle Davidson Sets Himself Up for a Big Summer

Chicago Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson met the media after a busy NHL trade deadline day. After trading Seth Jones to the Florida Panthers last week, he moved Petr Mrazek and Craig Smith to the Detroit Red Wings for Joe Veleno. The Blackhawks also acquired forward Aku Raty, the rights to defenseman Victor Soderstrom, and Shea Weber’s contract from the Utah Hockey Club for a sixth-round pick. Perhaps the biggest move was the one he didn’t make, as Ryan Donato was not traded before the deadline and remains with the team.

High Marks for Petr Mrazek

Davidson heralded Mrazek as a true pro for handling the tough situation he was put into. The irony of the deal is that he’s going to a team where he will be the third goaltender again. With Veleno, who will not play tonight against Utah, the “change of scenery” buzz term was used, but the Blackhawks will give the 25-year-old a chance to be part of the future in Chicago.

“He’s got some pace, got some size to his game,” he said of the newest Blackhawk. “I think he can play the center position. So, there’s some versatility to him. He’s still only 25, and we’ll give him some run, give him some opportunity, and see what he can do. He came in very highly touted. He’s a talented guy, and we’ll give him some opportunity and see if we can pull some additional value out of him. Sometimes, a little opportunity and a change of scenery does that for some guys.”

Veleno was forced to fourth-line minutes in Detroit with all their recent veteran additions over the past few years. He will play a bigger role with the Blackhawks and finally live up to that first-round potential.

New Contract for Ryan Donato?

Davidson said he set a price for Donato going into the trade deadline, and nobody wanted to pay it. There is something to be said about roster continuity, especially regarding veterans who lead by example. His work ethic and style of play are contagious in a room full of young players.

“There was interest in Ryan,” Davidson said. “What I told other teams, our plan was, we were going to set a high price because we value Ryan. We love what he brings on the ice, off the ice, he’s a guy that never stops trying to get better. He took some very meaningful steps in trying to improve his game this summer, which I believe is translating into a career year this year.

“That’s a great example that, again, you want in your organization. Ryan holds value to us, and there was certainly some on the marketplace, but it never rose to the point that compelled us to move on. So, we look forward to him continuing his success this year and success within our locker room and for seasons beyond this. We’ll let that play out and see where that ends up.”

The next step is signing the veteran to a contract extension. Davidson revealed that he and Donato’s agent have “exchanged some ideas,” and he’s certain talks will continue to move forward. The Blackhawks have until July 1 to complete a deal, so there is no immediate rush.

More Than Just Getting to the Floor

At first glance, the deal with Utah was to ensure that the Blackhawks get to the salary cap floor next season. Some may think it was a sign that the Blackhawks won’t be as aggressive as they want this summer. That doesn’t appear to be the case, according to Davidson.

“It’s probably more so the players, but the cap implication is certainly part of it,” he said. “I think it’s part of any deal. It doesn’t change anything for us. It’s not like it alters ambitions or anything we had planned going into the summer at all.”

Raty and Soderstrom are likely longshots to make the NHL, but Davidson said, “there’s some intrigue” with them. Since the Blackhawks scout the Swedish leagues heavily, they have a good idea of what they are getting in Soderstrom. He’s a 24-year-old right-handed defenseman, which will get him a longer look than others.

Davidson also alluded that it is time to start making more “hockey” trades and acquiring more players instead of just stockpiling draft picks.

“It’s safe to say we’re likely moving away from that,” he said. “Making trades is hard, and you don’t necessarily take a player or a situation and be like, ‘I’m going to get another player in this, or I’m going to get draft capital in this.’ It either works that way or doesn’t. Money dictates that sometimes, but I think it’s safe to say we’ll look more at those types of trades or situations moving forward. We have a ton of draft capital.”

He didn’t rule out using some of that stockpiled draft capital to go after some big-ticket names this summer. Davidson said the move has to fit the team’s picture moving forward, and he won’t make trades just for the sake of making trades.

A New Head Coach on the Horizon

This offseason will be the most important of Davidson’s career. He must improve the NHL roster and add another high-profile prospect at the top of the draft. Oh, and he needs to bring in a new head coach capable of taking this team to the next level and beyond.

“It’s always in our mind,” Davidson said of the coaching search. “It’s a huge decision. We’re evaluating Anders in that. We’re thinking about how that profile looks and what the team will look like and what they’ll need in a coach. That’s always evolving, that’s always ongoing on our minds. A lot of those things are underway; a lot of those things are being discussed internally.”

Davidson will head into this crucial summer with gobs of cap space and a ton of assets at his disposal. However, the most important move he will make is the coaching hire. He has to hit a home run and bring in a leader to get this team where it needs to be. If not, the Blackhawks will just be starting over again.