Chicago Sports

Ayo Dosunmu has exceeded expectations.

The Bulls rookie went from head-scratching draft night enigma to becoming a stimulus package for his hometown team.

But late March basketball is a different animal, and what the Bulls need in the starting lineup right now, especially as they try and jockey for home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs, is experience.

That’s one of the reasons coach Billy Donovan opted to go with Alex Caruso in the starting backcourt, moving Dosunmu back to his bench role.

“I can’t believe how much he’s endured and how much he’s done as a rookie,” Donovan said of the former Morgan Park standout. “He has been incredible. But I’ve also asked a lot of him in a lot of ways, and he’s handled everything in terms of trying to run the team. I just felt like since Alex had his legs under him a little bit, starting off with that group defensively could give us a little bit better energy.”

That it did in the debut of the new-look group against Toronto, especially in setting a tone of disruption on the defensive end.

Not only did each starter register at least one steal, but the Bulls got back to what they did best earlier in the season – getting turnovers and scoring in transition off of them. In the blowout win of the Raptors, the Bulls turned the visiting team over 14 times and scored 29 points off those turnovers.

“AC is extremely smart and brings so much with IQ and defense and spacing the floor and shot making,” veteran guard Zach LaVine said of the lineup change. “With him moving into the [starting] lineup and Ayo going back [a reserve role], I think it’s going to be a switch up.

“We’ll have to get used to it, but [Caruso] affects the game in so many ways and Ayo getting that experience in the starting position and now coming off the bench being that spark again I think it will be good for us.”

And a move Donovan feels will have staying power.

The coach called it a permanent move with just 10 regular-season games left, likely only changing if Lonzo Ball makes an unexpected recovery from his current halted knee recovery.

The hope is that it will also benefit the latest version of the Bulls’ “Bench Mob,” as Dosunmu will now work with that group and try and get them to get even more defensive minded.

Travel plans

Donovan has liked keeping his injured players with the team as much as possible, especially on road trips.

With the coach announcing on Monday that Ball’s rehab program was halted from a running and cutting aspect, a day later he said that Ball would not join the team on this current five-city trip.

“The biggest thing for us is one, what can we do to continually help him get back on the court?” Donovan said of Ball. “And the facility situation, medical people back in Chicago, that’s probably the best place for him to do that because it is an extra seven-to-10 days before we revisit how he responds.

“Being around the team would be great, but first and foremost we’ve got to get him to a place where he can play.”

The Daily Zach

LaVine was questionable leading up to tip-off against the Bucks, again because of the left knee. According to Donovan, however, it was more about load management with the knee in a back-to-back.

“All this stuff managing him, a lot of it is going to be the doctors and Zach communicating and talking about how he’s doing daily,” Donovan said.

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PHOENIX — Lucas Giolito came to spring training 20 pounds heavier and looked sharp from the get-go.

He was on in his first live batting practice sessions, hitting 96 mph with his fastball and happy with how he located his secondary pitches. In his first start against the Brewers Tuesday, Giolito pitched three scoreless innings and looked good, striking out four of the first five batters he faced, allowing one single — Pablo Reyes reached out and slapped a slider to center for a single to halt a string of four straight Ks — and walking one batter.

It’s early, but he is looking the part of an Opening Day starter. Whether it’s him or Lance Lynn is yet to be announced.

“Considering how Lance pitched last year, I think he’s more than deserving,” Giolito said.

As the spring pitching schedule is lined up, Giolito is in front of Lynn, suggesting he’s the one pegged for the opener against the Tigers in Detroit April 8. Lynn, who pitches Wednesday against the Rangers in Surprise, Ariz., was the Game 1 starter in the 2021 ALDS, an All-Star and the Sox’ top starter from start to finish.

Giolito pitched to a 2.65 ERA in his last 13 starts after posting a 4.15 ERA in his first 18 last season.

“I don’t think it’s been announced yet, so I’m totally cool with whatever as long as I get the ball and get to go and pitch for the team,” Giolito said. “That’s all that matters for me.”

Giolito characterized his outing as just “OK,” then listed a number of things he liked about it. He touched 97 mph on the stadium scoreboard, liked his stuff and had all four pitches working, including three curveballs, an indication he plans to be more than a fastball-changeup pitcher this season.

“There were a couple of hiccups falling behind in the count but I made the adjustment quickly,” he said. “Good to feel that early on. Solid.

“It would have been good to be more ahead in the count, but it was a good first one.”

Lopez, Engel avoid arbitration

The Sox avoided arbitration with Adam Engel and Reynaldo Lopez, but Giolito appeared to be headed for hearings. Lopez settled for $2.65 million and Engel $2 million, sources confirmed.

Tuesday was the last day teams to exchange salary figures. Giolito, who earned $4.15 million in his first year of arbitration last season, will be eligible for free agency after next season.

“The organization knows how I feel about them,” he said. “Absolutely love the White Sox. Love being a part of this team. I just want something fair.”

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PHOENIX — Upgrading the No. 2 catcher spot was thought to be something on general manager Rick Hahn’s spring to-do list, but with two weeks left before Opening Day, Seby Zavala and Zack Collins are still the top choices to handle the job.

Collins says the Sox are good as is, scoffing at the idea of bringing in someone else to back up Yasmani Grandal.

“Why would you think that?” Collins said Tuesday. “I don’t think it’s necessary. Both me and Seby did a decent job covering for Yas when he got hurt. I don’t think there is a need for a veteran guy. We’ve got experience and showed we can handle it.”

Last season, veteran Jonathan Lucroy was signed and was thought by many to have the inside track for the job. But he was released on March 29. Collins and catcher Yermin Mercedes, now playing outfield, made the Opening Day roster.

Zavala was called up from Triple-A Charlotte in July after Grandal suffered a torn tendon in his right knee. Collins was on the ALDS roster but did not play.

“They’re going to do what they got to do and if me and Zack are competing for the job, I’m going to do what I have to do,” Zavala said. “If it’s good enough for them then I’ll be there and if not they’ll bring someone else. If not I’ll go to work and be there for my pitchers and they can make whatever decision they want to make.”

Zavala gained 10-15 pounds in the offseason because he has trouble keeping weight on through a season and says his body “works better” with more weight. His point of emphasis this spring is throwing better and “holding pitchers accountable for being quick to the plate.”

“We need to keep the double play in order,” he said.

Collins is focusing on being the hitter he was in college and the minor leagues, “hitting homers and driving in runs – that’s it.”

“I was drafted [No. 10 overall in 2016] because I could hit, the questions were about catching,” he said. “Now I feel like it’s flipped on me. The team needs offense — everyone needs offense — I just want to get back to where I was before.

“I’m not worried about any [expectations] this year. Just worried about having fun, playing my game and whatever happens, happens.”

Collins was charged with three passed balls, with 37 wild pitches on his watch in 73 games last season, and threw out 17 percent of base stealers. He batted .210/.330/.338 with four homers in 33 games. Zavala was charged with eight passed balls with 15 wild pitches on his watch and threw out 11 percent of base stealers. Zavala batted .183/.240/.376 with five homers. Both were below replacement level last season and during their careers per Baseball Reference WAR.

Whatever happens, whether it’s the right-handed hitting Zavala, left-handed Collins or an addition in a late-breaking trade, it’s important in the Sox’ scheme of things.

“We know what’s at stake because the guy who sits in that second spot is going to play,” manager Tony La Russa said.

That’s because Grandal won’t be worn down with an overload of work. La Russa will use him a fair amount as a DH to help keep him fresh. If and when the postseason comes around, Grandal will likely be asked to catch most if not all of the games.

“It’s a long season and he puts a lot to it,” La Russa said. “You’re not going to want to push Yas that way. It would be counterproductive to us for a long season.”

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NBC 5 announced Tuesday it promoted Leila Rahimi to the full-time position of lead sports anchor, making her the first woman with that title at the station.

Rahimi has been working part-time at NBC 5 and full-time at The Score, where she has hosted the midday show with Dan Bernstein. Rahimi will leave the show full-time but will return on Wednesdays. Bernstein will host solo on other days, for the time being.

“TV is what I had done full-time since graduating college and even when I was in college,” Rahimi said. “As much as I love radio, that was always what I thought I was best at.”

Rahimi will anchor the sportscasts on the 5, 6 and 10 p.m. news and co-anchor “Sports Sunday” with Mike Berman, who will become the weekend sports anchor. Jeff Blanzy will anchor Friday evenings and when otherwise needed. The changes take effect April 4.

The promotion caps Rahimi’s return to regular TV after NBC Sports Chicago let her go in August 2020 as part of companywide layoffs at NBCUniversal. The Score hired her in January 2021, and NBC 5 put her on the air in November after former lead anchor Siafa Lewis left. Now, she’s officially filling his spot.

“We think the world of Leila,” said Kevin Cross, president and general manager for NBC 5, Telemundo Chicago and NBC Sports Chicago. “She’s extremely talented and will not only make our newscasts better but will strengthen our entire Chicago NBC group.”

Continuing to co-host “Sports Sunday” is important to Rahimi, who has vast experience hosting similar shows throughout her career.

“Now because of how NBC Sports Chicago is constructed, [‘Sports Sunday’] is NBC’s main 30-minute sports news show every week,” she said. “That means something to me to still be a part of that piece of NBC Sports.”

Though Rahimi will have held a full-time radio job for only 15 months, she was a quick study, which is evident by the show’s listenership. For February, The Score’s “Bernstein and Rahimi” show earned a 5.8 rating (including streaming) among men 25-54, ranking second in the Chicago market from 9 a.m. to noon behind WBEZ-FM.

“The Score has always, since I moved here, made me feel like I was a teammate of theirs whether or not I worked there in any capacity,” Rahimi said. “So it wasn’t about the comfort as far as that was concerned. [NBC 5] felt like the better fit for me. But I always wanted to do both TV and radio and have maintained such. I’m happy to still be at The Score. I enjoy that job.”

“Will we miss Leila every day, of course,” said Mitch Rosen, operations director and brand manager at The Score. “But I couldn’t be more proud of her. This is a huge accomplishment getting the main anchor job at a network station in a market like ours. But she’s still part of our team.”

Rahimi will be on the air regularly through the end of month.

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MESA, Ariz. — In the midst of the Cubs’ free agent pitcher signing spree this spring, the team was in talks with left-hander Steven Brault on a major-league deal.

Then, the day before Brault’s physical, he said, he felt discomfort in his triceps.

“I didn’t think it was anything that would take any time, thought it was some inflammation or something,” he said Tuesday. “Obviously, the MRIs came back differently in the physical.”

Instead, Brault joined Cubs spring training camp as a non-roster invitee. He arrived Tuesday morning. The former Pirate will be shut down for a few weeks, but he said he doesn’t expect his recovery to be “super long.” Conversations with the Cubs’ medical staff will determine the rest of Brault’s rehab plan.

“I’m still glad to have been able to sign here,” Brault said. “Obviously, I wanted to be on the major-league side of things. But now I’ve just got to make my way back up.”

Brault ended last season on the 60-day injured list, with a recurring left lat strain. But he clarified that he doesn’t think his triceps injury is related.

“Worked my butt off like crazy and felt really good all offseason,” he said. “… Frustrating, I guess, would be the No. 1 word.”

The Cubs had intrigued Brault as a destination since the Pirates designated him for assignment in late November. Brault had familiarity with the Cubs from playing against them in the National League Central division for years, and he liked the idea of making Wrigley Field his home stadium.

“But I thought it’d be a good fit as well,” Brault said. “I like the staff here. All the guys that I’ve met … I’ve enjoyed their company, even though sometimes it’s been them hitting home runs off me and stuff.”

He smiled and added: “That’s fine.”

Right-hander Trevor Williams also gave the Cubs a ringing endorsement, Brault said. Williams, one of Brault’s best friends, signed with the Cubs last offseason and was traded to the Mets at the deadline.

Davis’ X-rays negative

Top Cubs prospect Brennen Davis was less sore Tuesday morning than he expected, after getting hit by a pitch in the right knee the day before.

Davis’ X-rays came back negative, Cubs manager David Ross confirmed. The outfielder was diagnosed with a bruised knee. He was scheduled to take batting practice in Sloan Park Tuesday morning, before the team headed to Peoria to play the Mariners.

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A discount store was destroyed in an extra alarm fire Tuesday afternoon in Albany Park, a neighborhood that has seen other buildings gutted by fire in recent weeks.

The blaze broke out about 12:40 p.m. at the JoJo discount store at 3040 W. Lawrence Ave. and was elevated to a 3-11 alarm, sending extra crews and equipment to the scene, according to Chicago fire officials.

Customers were inside when the fire broke out but managed to escape, officials said. No injuries have been reported.

The roof collapsed and the building will be considered a “total loss,” officials said. The building — which previously housed a car dealership — was operating as a mattress and discount store and will have to be torn down.

Last month, three fires broke out in as many days in the neighborhood, prompting officials to look into any connections between them.

On Feb. 23, the vacant House on the Rock Church was heavily damaged in a fire. Two days earlier, popular brewery Twisted Hippo was destroyed and an apartment building gutted in a massive fire in the 4300 block of North Richmond.

Another blaze erupted a day later in the 3300 block of West Cullom Avenue, injuring a firefighter.

The cause at Twisted Hippo is “undetermined” because investigators weren’t able to get into the burned-out structure to do a proper investigation, Fire Department spokesman Larry Langford said. It was not deemed safe for them to enter.

The church fire was caused by a person but police are still trying to determine if it was arson, Langord said, adding that kids had been seen going in and out of the building and may have been trying to stay warm.

The cause of the third fire, where the firefighter was hurt, was ruled electrical from bad wiring, Langford said.

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Lollapalooza has revealed its 2022 lineup.

Headliners include Metallica, Dua Lipa, Green Day, Doja Cat, Lil Baby, J. Cole, Kygo and Machine Gun Kelly.

In an announcement Tuesday, Lolla organizers announced the artists slated to play this year’s festival, running July 28-31 in Grant Park. More than 170 acts are scheduled across eight stages. Festival hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. each day. Food from more than 30 local vendors will be available. The festival merch tent will also return.

Also returning this year is the hugely popular Kidzapalooza, the “interactive music playground” on the festival grounds, with its own daily lineup of family-friendly performances, music and dance workshops and a whole lot of kids’ activities.

The four-day music extravaganza returned to a full-on festival last year, after COVID-19 shutdowns forced its pivot to an online incarnation in 2020.

Here is the four-day pass structure for this year’s festival (starting prices listed). All four-day passes go on sale at noon March 22 at lollapalooza.com. Single-day tickets go on sale at a later date. Kids 10 and under get in free with a ticketed adult.

Four-day general admission: $350+
Four-day general admission plus: $650+
Four-day VIP: $1,500+
Four-day platinum: $4,200+

View the full lineup here:

MetallicaDua LipaJ. ColeGreen DayDoja CatMachine Gun KellyLil BabyKygoGlass AnimalsBilly StringsBig SeanThe Kid LaroiJazmine SullivanDon ToliverChali XCXIdlesTurnstileKaskadeRezzZHUYGDominic FikeKing PrincessWallowsStill Woozy100 GecsGirl In RedAshnikkoDenzel CurryBLXSTBlack CoffeeDuke DumontPolo & PanLiquid StrangerClozeeWillowRoyal BloodManeskinManchester OrchestraCordaeLocal NativesTove LoThe MariasCaroline PolachekBob MosesMKJohn SummitBanksChelsea CutlerCoinRemi WolfGordoFletcherSidepieceCoi LerayDashboard ConfessionalZach BryanBeach BunnyTinashePinkpantheressMunaLarry JuneGoth BabeAtliensChris LorenzoJoyner LucasRole ModelWet LegGracie AbramsInhalerSam FenderPi’erre BourneGlaiveJax JonesThe WombatsYoung NudySofaygoJames HypdeThe RegrettesLP GiobbiGriffMaxo KreamWhipped CreamMariah the ScientistMahaliaHabstraktKennyhooplaAudrey NunaDJODel Water GapGenesis OwusuBaby TateClaire RosinkranzAlexander 23CochiseMaude LatourTSHADuckwrthPeteyTeezo TouchdownEvan Giia HindsRolling Blackouts Coastal FeverSurf MesaWrecknoJasiahSampha the GreatCoco & Clair ClairZoe WeesGayleHorsegirl Erica Banks Bijou EricdoaMidwxstKaycyyPom Pom SquadUnderscores De’WayneRedevil Madd O’neal Hannah Wants JubileeGrabbitzFiinBiiclaFlipturnCrawlersNiko RubioBlackstarkidsEmmy MeliLa DonaJackie HayesLow Cut ConnieLast DinosaursAiidaTony VelourCalder AllenCharm La’DonnaCharly JordanCom3tDavid SolomonLucille CroftZookeperStellerYoung FrancoBuffalo NicholsDylan RosieJesse Jo StarkTaipei Houston BinkiIndia ShawnPrentissJordyDaisy The GreatPeter CottontaleGiovannie and the Hired GunsBabyjakeLOLORawayanaGataLorna ShoreElhaeTrellaMeet Me @ The AltarMills Sam AustinsWillie JonesDannyluxBucky Cheds

Special Guest: Jane’s Addiction

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Patrick Williams didn’t necessarily play the role of defensive stopper on Monday.

Heck, the Bulls’ second-year forward wasn’t even the most talented recent No. 4 pick of the NBA Draft on the floor.

But he was back.

The Bulls needed that, embraced it, and then proceeded to completely blow-out the red-hot Raptors at the United Center 113-99 in what was one of the more important games of the season so far.

The win bumped the home team up to 42-29, ended an ugly three-game losing streak, but more importantly, kept them in the chase to try and get out of the No. 5 seed so they can open up the first round of the playoffs with a home series.

Williams’ return was the cherry on top.

Injured back on Oct. 28 in a loss to the Knicks, Williams had significant surgery to repair all the damage suffered in his left wrist. The original timetable for his return was possibly the postseason, with the initial diagnosis being the injury would cost him the regular season.

However, the Sun-Times reported last month that Williams was ahead of schedule and the hope was to get him back for the final 10-to-12 games.

By last weekend it was clear that it would be more than hope.

Williams checked in the game against Toronto (40-32) with five minutes left in the first to a standing ovation, and while he was obviously working through some serious rust in missing five months, also showed some familiar flashes.

It took 16 seconds for him to commit his first foul, and 80 seconds for Williams to grab his first rebound. His first basket came with 1:23 left in that opening stanza, nailing a three-pointer from the corner. Williams played just under seven minutes in that first stint, scoring five points and grabbing two rebounds, as the Bulls and Raptors went into the halftime locker room in a tight one with the visiting team up 55-54.

He finished with 19 minutes and seven points on 3-of-8 shooting.

“[Williams has] been out five months and he’s a good player,” coach Billy Donovan said of his return and the timing of it. “You can sit there and say, ‘OK, he’s been out five months, we’re just not going to play him, and not even try.’ I don’t think that would be helpful to him and to our team, and we’re probably going to have to go through some growing pains. I mentioned when we were hopeful that we were going to start to get some players back, that was the more difficult part, trying to integrate these guys back into playing when they haven’t played and they’ve been out for so long. You’re expecting them to pick-up where they left off, and it just doesn’t work like that.”

What Donovan was expecting, however, was his stars to play like stars, and that’s what the third quarter was about.

The defense, helped by Alex Caruso now in the starting lineup, completely handcuffed the Raptors for 10 points off six turnovers, while Zach LaVine went 6-for-8 from the field, scoring 16 points in that third. Not only did the Bulls close that quarter out on a 21-8 run, but held Toronto to just 36.8% from the field.

The Raptors never recovered, as the Bulls played to their identity for the first time in a while. LaVine and DeMar DeRozan each finished with 26, while Nikola Vucevic had 19. But it was Williams’ night.

“It was amazing,” Williams said of his return. “Couldn’t really put it into words. I felt good. I think I was able to get comfortable defensively. It’s still going to take some getting used to.

“I just want to bring the energy.”

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Finally on Monday morning, after weeks of trying to find a match for Marc-Andre Fleury that worked for that team, the Blackhawks and Fleury himself, Hawks general manager Kyle Davidson and Wild GM Bill Guerin found common ground.

A trade was soon finalized that sent Fleury to Minnesota in arguably the biggest move of the NHL’s deadline day.

Said Davidson: “My stance was pretty clear on what I was looking for, and we found a nice balance between what we were both looking to do. It wasn’t too in-depth or too prolonged or anything like that. It was to-the-point and ‘boom, boom, boom.’ The pressure of the deadline approaching really kicked everything into high gear.”

Said Guerin to reporters in Minnesota, characterizing negotiations a bit differently: “It has been a pretty crazy last couple days [with] a lot of highs and lows. A lot of, ‘This is getting done now,’ [and], ‘This isn’t getting done at all,’ back-and-forth. But in the end, it’s a fair deal.”

Guerin first called Davidson weeks ago after deciding to look into alternatives to his former goalie duo of Cam Talbot and Kaapo Kahkonen, he said.

But the process took a while. Davidson was determined to recoup a first-round pick for a player of Fleury’s caliber. Guerin was publicly insistent he wasn’t willing to give up a first-round pick for anyone.

Ultimately, they reached a true compromise: the Hawks received a conditional 2022 first- or second-round pick for Fleury after retaining 50% of his $7 million salary cap hit.

If and only if the Wild reach the Western Conference Final and Fleury wins four or more games during the first two playoff rounds, the pick is a first-rounder.

Since that would likely require the Wild to beat the Avalanche, it’ll more likely than not be a second-rounder. But getting another relatively high pick in the draft is significant regardless, considering the Hawks will relinquish their own first-rounder to the Blue Jackets — thanks to the Seth Jones trade — unless they win the lottery.

They now at least own two guaranteed picks in the first two rounds of the coming draft, plus four third-rounders.

That’s what the Hawks desperately needed to do with Fleury, whose solid goaltending wasn’t worth keeping around for the final 19 games of a lost season as a pending unrestricted free agent.

He finished his brief Hawks tenure with a 19-21-5 record, .908 save percentage and four shutouts, with his milestone 500th career win on Dec. 9 in Montreal standing out as the highlight moment.

He will be dearly missed in the locker room, as his perfect blend of easygoing personality and endlessly competitive drive had quickly made him one of the most beloved Hawks players in years. But this move made clear sense for the Hawks.

Making it make sense for Fleury, who reportedly nixed other logical fits like the Maple Leafs, Oilers and Capitals because he didn’t want to play in Canada or match up in the playoffs against the Penguins, proved far more difficult. Davidson said he let Fleury’s preferences dictate his decisions throughout the process.

“I didn’t want to engage with anyone who he wouldn’t approve,” Davidson said. “I didn’t want to force the player’s hand by coming to him with anything he wasn’t going to be amenable to. It was figuring out where was a desirable location, and then getting something done there.”

Fleury said Monday he liked the Wild because of St. Paul’s relative geographic proximity to Chicago — “It’ll be easier for my family to visit or to visit them in the next few months,” he said — as well as his relationship with Guerin, a former Penguins teammate. Davidson called it a “very favorable location” for Fleury.

Fleury and Talbot will be the goalies backstopping the Wild’s “built for the playoffs” roster moving forward after Kahkonen was separately traded Monday to the Sharks.

The Hawks, meanwhile, will roll with two other pending UFA goalies — Kevin Lankinen and Collin Delia, the latter of whom was called up from the AHL in time for the Hawks’ flight Monday evening to Anaheim — the rest of the season. Prospect Arvid Soderblom is currently their only goalie under contract for 2022-23.

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Surprisingly, Monday’s NHL trade deadline passed with Dominik Kubalik, Calvin de Haan and other frequent targets of trade speculation still on the Blackhawks’ roster.

New general manager Kyle Davidson did well to receive a fair return for his top item, Marc-Andre Fleury, as well as a massive return for Brandon Hagel on Friday.

And he probably did the best he could with Ryan Carpenter, who was traded to the Flames for a meager 2024 fifth-round draft pick in the Hawks’ only Monday trade aside not involving Marc-Andre Fleury.

Carpenter finished his three-year Hawks tenure with 31 points in 168 games, including 11 in 59 this season.

But failing to convert Kubalik and de Haan — pending restricted and unrestricted free agents, respectively, who aren’t expected to be re-signed this summer — into future assets takes some of the vigor out of the rebuild jumpstart this past week represented. It seems inefficient.

“You always wish you could do more, just as someone that’s not necessarily…passive,” Davidson admitted. “You always wish you could do a little bit more. But that’s also with the understanding that you can’t force anything. You can’t make something materialize that you want.

“There has to be some give and take with other teams, and that just wasn’t present. I’m really happy with the things we did accomplish here the last several days.”

De Haan tweeted Monday, “Still here; sorry guys,” referencing a similar comment back on Oct. 1. Indeed, the veteran defenseman has outlasted several rounds of rumors during his Hawks tenure, and his sense of humor will be appreciated even more now with two popular teammates in Fleury and Brandon Hagel gone.

At age 30, though, de Haan won’t be of much use to the long-term rebuild plans. Kubalik, at 26 and just finishing up his third NHL season (albeit a very underwhelming one), might have a slightly better argument.

Still, the second- or third-round picks the Hawks were trying to get for each of them — and seemingly could’ve gotten, based on the prices paid Monday for similar players around the league — would’ve helped the rebuild more.

Hagel insight

Davidson, speaking Monday for the first time in weeks, also described the Hagel trade for Taylor Raddysh, Boris Katchouk and two first-round picks as an understandably tough decision, but he ultimately couldn’t pass up the juicy return.

“The value proposition was just too high not to move forward in the endeavor to acquire high-end assets and talent,” he said. “As we look to build a team that can sustain success down the road, that was just something we couldn’t say no to.

“A lot of times, the players that have value are players that the other players enjoy, too. That was not lost on me. That’s the difficult part of making changes and building for the future. There’s frustrating aspects that come along with moving good people, good players, out of a locker room. That is difficult, [but] it’s a necessary part of the process.”

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