Per Elliotte Friedman Stan Bowman Will Be Trying To Give Away Dylan Strome For Nothing This Offseason

Hockey isn't even being played and Stan Bowman is still managing to piss me off. WGR550 is a radio station in Buffalo and they're the ones asking Elliott Friedman about Strome's availability. Presumably because they know they can fleece Stan Bowman again for a good young player who has fallen out of favor with Colliton. Strome was continually yo-yo'd last year. 2nd line, 3rd line, 4th line. Wing, center, wing. And now...apparently on the trade market and for not that much of an asking price. He's a restricted free agent and I'm guessing would be a bridge deal candidate. Two or three years somewhere between 3 and 4 million dollars. That's a nice number for a guy who was nearly a point per game guy after being acquired in 2018-19 for Nick Schmaltz and if he had played 82 games this year likely would've been over 50 points. Pretty good considering the coaching staff had him playing out of position for the majority of the year. 

My thoughts have been consistent on Strome since the trade. If Strome is your #2 center you can be okay, but if he's your 3C then you're in GREAT shape. With Kirby Dach and Toews in the fold that is exactly what Strome should be. An offensive-minded third line center who gets favorable matchups and can drive offensive production. The Hawks going Toews, Dach, and Strome down the middle is a great foundation to build out the lineup. A combination that looks like

Kubalik-Toews-RW TBD

Saad-Dach-Kane

Debrincat-Strome-RW TBD

Is a pretty good start. Find a 4th C that you trust in a shutdown role like Kruger was in the good ole days and you're very strong up the middle. You can fill in around that top 9 and have a strong team. A playoff team, IF you have a plan and competent management. The best part about Strome on a short term deal is that you can time up his contract with Dach's. Dach on an ELC makes it even more affordable to sign Strome to a 2x3m deal. 

Doesn't sound that is in the cards. Bowman and Colliton are apparently ready to move on from Strome. Just like Duclair, Hinostroza, Hartman, Teravainen, Jokiharju, and Nick Schmaltz before them. Guys that Bowman patted himself on the back for acquiring and then a short time later, changed his mind, and traded a valuable young asset for 20 cents on the dollar. 

Just stop pissing everyone off while we are on quarantine with no hockey. It shouldn't be that hard.