Mitch Marner to be heavily pursued as a free agent by Western Conference team

"Do you expect the Hawks to be more aggressive in free agency next year, maybe even trading away important picks for players?" Lazerus was asked.

"The fact that Davidson was ready to trade next year's unprotected top pick (almost certainly a top-10 pick) to Columbus for the ability to draft Demidov is as clear a sign as any that the Blackhawks are ready to stop living years in the future. Could they deal away future picks for players? It's possible, but unlikely. Trades like that are rare, and it's not as if they'll be in the rental market at the trade deadline. But perhaps they look for this generation's Brian Campbell and/or Marian Hossa next summer � the player who signals to both the team and its fans that it's time to start taking the Blackhawks seriously again.

With Mitch Marner, Brock Boeser, Nikolaj Ehlers, John Tavares, Shea Theodore and Aaron Ekblad among the players slated for unrestricted free agency next summer, just as players such as Oliver Moore and Levshunov are ready to break into the NHL for good, things could get interesting very quickly," wrote Lazerus in response.