Strategic Collaboration: The Role of the Blackhawks in Facilitating the Bears' Trade for the First Overall Pick
Ryan Poles was faced with a challenge. In the NFL, blockbuster trades usually involve either draft picks for a higher pick or a player, but it's uncommon to have both involved. This was the scenario for the Chicago Bears, who wanted to trade their #1 overall pick. Most general managers would have focused solely on acquiring multiple draft picks, but Poles had a different approach. He wanted picks, but also recognized the need for proven players to help the team win immediately. This led to discussions about acquiring D.J. Moore.
The Carolina Panthers were the most active team in pursuing the first pick. Poles made it clear to them that if they wanted to close the deal quickly, they would need to include a player. This was new territory for him and he wasn't sure how to proceed. To address this, Poles turned to those who had experience in similar situations. He sought advice from Chicago Blackhawks General Manager Kyle Davidson on how to handle the situation.
Hockey has a long tradition of complex deals like this, and Davidson's insights proved to be valuable for Poles. The Athletic's Adam Jahns, Kevin Fishbain, and Joseph Person report on the Bears and Panthers' blockbuster trade, including insight on the Blackhawks' involvement in the process.
«Really, hockey is the only one where you're trading a combination of picks and players,» Poles said. «So I just was curious.» He had plenty of questions about how the Blackhawks valued players against picks, how contracts and age played into the equation, etc. Davidson started laughing.
«He's like, �It's a challenge,'» Poles recalled.
Like the Blackhawks, Poles asked the Bears' analytics team to work on «wins over expected,» an advanced measurement, to measure the potential impact of a trade acquisition.
As Read on- Must-Read: How the Blackhawks Helped the Bears Trade the First Overall Pick
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4 AVRIL | 80 ANSWERS Strategic Collaboration: The Role of the Blackhawks in Facilitating the Bears' Trade for the First Overall Pick Are you satisfied with the job Ryan Poles has done in his first year as a GM? | ||
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