It was a trade that rocked a lot of Chicago Blackhawks fans this past summer. Though it was clear that the Blackhawks could no longer afford to keep Patrick Sharp, it was still a hard sight for many to see him get traded to the Dallas Stars. In exchange, the Blackhawks received defenseman Trevor Daley and left winger Ryan Garbutt.
Trevor Daley had some potential to fit into the Blackhawks line up. The Blackhawks needed to strengthen their defense, especially with defenseman Johnny Oduya also leaving, and Daley provided a way to do that.
However, as the season went on, it seemed less and less likely that Daley would fit in. Some fans speculate that Coach Joel Quenneville simply did not like Daley, reflecting on his playing time being lowered to fourteen or so minutes when he played with the Blackhawks. It seemed like a square peg was trying to be crammed into a circle hole, and there was just no way of making that possible.
When things didn’t seem to be working out, the Blackhawks worked out another trade. This time, they dealt Daley to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for another defenseman, Rob Scuderi. Though Scuderi was not the best possible trade option, it seemed like he could at least do a bit better than Daley who had barely fit into the Hawks’ plans.
Fast forward to the current NHL playoffs however, and some may wonder if the Blackhawks made a mistake trading Daley. Though Daley is currently injured after an apparent leg injury, he has been a certain game changer for the Penguins. He’s helped on the power play and found a slot in the lineup that allows him to play a good amount of minutes. He has racked up six points in the playoffs thus far, almost half of his career playoffs points and with him out, TSN even said that it could spell disaster for the Penguins.
It certainly seems like the Blackhawks made a mistake with Daley. Did they not give him enough time to adjust? Was he treated unfairly by the coaching staff? How could the Blackhawks miss out on a chance to strengthen their defense? All the answers lie when you break down the different styles of playing.
Trevor Daley is completely an offensive defenseman. Chicago already has offensive defensemen and by simply adding Daley to the lineup, there just wasn’t room for him to take part in the position he wanted to specifically play. The Blackhawks have puck-movers already, with speed demons like Patrick Kane and Artemi Panarin lighting up the ice in the season. Daley’s job was to lock down the defense and maybe score a goal here or there.
With the Penguins, Daley fits more into the equation because of their style of play. There’s room for the defense to take charge with the puck and it’s more of the style of play that Daley was used to after playing with the Dallas Stars. Pittsburgh is a little more flexible in their lineup as well, with the ability to take someone like Daley and fit in his needs. Chicago has set a tone for their locker room, especially after winning three cups recently, and they do not have room for that adjustment that Daley was looking for.
In the end, it really worked out best for everyone. Daley fits in better with the Penguins, and though the Blackhawks need more than Scuderi to solidify their lines, they were able to get a bit more cap space. Daley may be playing better with the Penguins, but it’s important to take into account just how each team plays and what they’re looking for. Sometimes a player can be amazing, but if they don’t have the same style as a team, it’s just not going to work.
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