Chicago Blackhawks: Grading Stan Bowman's Moves at the Trade Deadline

Another year, another trade deadline, and GM Stan Bowman has little to show for it.

This trade deadline has been like many in the years past for the Chicago Blackhawks. Little has been done to address what the Blackhawks need down the stretch and possibly into the playoffs.

The need for a second-line center remains and is even more apparent with Jonathan Toews being out of the lineup.

Power-play issues have been a big deal as of late, and Bowman was unable to address that need by adding a forward to the mix. So certain questions remain as to how this current Blackhawks lineup will make it into the playoffs.

Certainly not all the trades were bad, but they could have been better.

These are the grades for both of Bowman's moves at the trade deadline.

Johnny Oduya Grade: C

Picking up a defenseman was the main priority for Bowman heading into the trade deadline.

The Blackhawks' defensive core was looking pretty shaky and allowing way too many goals. 

Johnny Oduya was a good pickup by Bowman for the reason that he can play a good 15 minutes every game.

Was he the best choice available? No, but Bowman was still able to stick to his word and pick up a defenseman.

Bowman gave up two draft picks in the 2013 draft to pick up the Winnipeg defenseman.

The grade of "C" is given to this transaction because it addressed the needs of the team. Though Bowman—considering that the team could have used a top-four defenseman—lowers the grade just a little bit.

"C" is an average grade. It means that Bowman did OK when he acquired Oduya, not bad and not great.

The only question now is whether or not Oduya can help out on both the power play and penalty kill.

John Scott for 5th-Round Pick Grade: B

The second trade of the day came when John Scott was shipped off to New York in exchange for a fifth-round draft pick. 

The Blackhawks' biggest enforcer was shipped away, and Bowman had nothing to replace him except a fifth-round pick.

Aside from the fact that now the Blackhawks need to make a call to Rockford to find another enforcer, this trade gets a solid "B."

Scott had only played in 29 games this season, and in those games he would get minimal ice time. It was his job to protect the players on the ice and to scare the opponent into avoiding altercations with the Blackhawks' superstars.

Bowman was able to secure a draft pick for essentially a goon, which would make it a good trade in anyone's book.

This trade only gets a "B," though, as the Blackhawks may suffer the consequences of Scott out of the lineup.

Final Grade: C

All in all, it was an OK day on the Chicago Blackhawks' trade front.

Bowman was not able to pick up the players that he wanted only because the asking price was too high.

But in the end was able to pick up a consolation player in Johnny Oduya.

It might be too soon to judge Bowman as a GM, but one thing is clear, this Chicago Blackhawks team will need to pull together to overcome any deficiencies that they might have.

Expect the Blackhawks to be more aggressive on the trading front come the offseason.