During the height of the 2011 trade season, the Blackhawks had a clear interest in Edmonton defenseman Ladislav Smid.
Trade talks quickly ground to a halt when the Oilers asked for Nick Leddy in return. At the time, this was a fair request, as Chicago would be receiving 2.5 years of Smid in exchange for a player who was then an unproven teenager.
Flash forward to the present. Chicago has still been searching for that second-pairing defenseman who can shut down opponents. Niklas Hjalmarsson didn't seem to mesh with Leddy very well, and while 2012 deadline pickup Johnny Oduya did, he's not going to strike fear into the hearts of the Western Conference's elite forwards.
Smid could still easily fill that role in Chicago, as the No. 3 defenseman, and likely the only true insurance policy in case of an injury to Brent Seabrook. With the roster as it stands, the top shut-down defenseman would be Hjalmarsson.
While Leddy still looks unable to truly assume a spot in the top four quite yet—not wholly unreasonable for someone who just turned 21 in March—Johnny Oduya can hold the puck-mover's spot there. While Hjammer and Oduya might work ...
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Article written by Jim Weihofen
Chicago Blackhawks: Is It Time to Re-Consider a Trade for Ladislav Smid?
August 3rd, 2012 by Jim Weihofen Leave a reply »
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