As far as the winning the last stretch of games; it was an unimpressive four game win streak. The Hawks played some of their worse hockey of the season recently. Without the benefit of successful shootouts they could easily have been 1-5 over the last six games. The Hawks only won one time in regulation during that span. 

Coach Joel Quenneville appears to be testing the endurance of Antti Niemi, which makes sense. Once returning from hiatus it will be all business for Q.’s troops as he will have to determine who will be his playoff goal tender. Niemi hasn’t endured the rigors of a full NHL schedule not to mention the playoffs. 

Quenneville has his work cut out because he still also needs to settle on set line combinations. Since the return of Dave Bolland, Q. has shuffled things around more than usual. One thing is certain some Hawk players have looked anything but great. 

Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews have been the best Blackhawks….. Period. 

After being reunited with Patrick Sharp, they have become a powerful trio. If I was coaching, those three would always stay together. Stan Bowman could be trying to find a way so that line can stay intact next season as well. 

Except for those three, none of the top players have been consistently good. 

It is difficult to criticize Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook. 

But since being named to the Canadian Olympic team they have played their worse stretch of games in two years. On some nights they still have been very good but their consistency has fallen off. They have been guilty of many turnovers and missed assignments. 

It is the dog days of the season, combined with the compressed schedule due to the Olympics and it is no wonder why some players look fatigued. Whichever franchise benefits by getting their Olympic players back in the best shape will have an edge. Right now it is anyone’s guess as to how the Olympics will affect the star players. 

The top clubs find a way to win when they are not at their best and so far the same can be said about the Hawks. 

Some believe Stan Bowman fleeced the Minnesota Wild in the Cam Barker trade. That’s a bit extreme. But if Nick Leddy can become a top four defender someday, Bowman was very successful. 

Barker was not top four material here with the emergence Of Niklas Hjalmarsson.

Kim Johnsson is better defensively than Barker so the Hawks improved for this season. Depending on what the future holds they may have acquired a very good asset in young Leddy.

The Wild are happy they acquired a young defenseman and won’t have to worry about contract negotiations with Barker for a couple of years. 

Trade Chatter 

There was a Blackhawk trade rumor mentioned during Monday’s Afternoon Saloon radio show on AM 1000. 

As the story goes Cristobal Huet and Corey Crawford would be included in a trade for a power forward and another goalie. No potential trade partners or particular players were specified, although it was thought serious negotiations were going on. 

The rumor was bolstered because Huet did not start on Sunday as Niemi played in back to back games, actually his fourth start in a row. The thinking being the Hawks front office wanted to make sure Huet would not get injured. 

Although it is unlikely the Hawks would be able to trade Huet before the deadline it isn’t impossible. But….. 

When was the last time a team with the lowest GAA in their conference traded their starting goalie before the trade deadline? 

If someone has an answer besides never, please let me know. 

Even if Niemi is considered the starter at this point, it would be a gutsy move on the part of  Bowman to tamper with his goal tending duo. If the move fails Bowman would be accused of trying to fix what wasn’t broken. 

The Florida Panther ownership has finally come clean and informed season ticket holders they may have chosen the wrong players in the past. Ownership sent a letter out basically stating there would be changes. So all eyes are focused on the Panthers for potential trades before the deadline. 

If Huet could be traded without taking back a big long term contract in return, Bowman would have to listen. He would be interested in hearing different scenarios. A trade of Huet is more likley in the summer but sometimes those deals are worked on far in advance.

Actually Florida’s goalie Tomas Vokoun and UFA defender Dennis Seidenberg would be great additions to the Hawks. Acquiring a power forward from Florida is more unlikely unless part of a much bigger trade. Their young forwards, like Nathan Horton, have larger contracts and have been inconsistent. Horton’s work ethic always seems to be in question. 

The problem in trading Vokoun could involve his no trade clause as he could look for a contract extension before agreeing to a deal. Even without an extension Vokoun’s cap hit of $5.7 million is slightly larger than Huet’s although his contract runs only through next year. 

Here’s what I believe to have been the case. 

Stan Bowman was in negotiations with the Ducks to acquire James Wisniewski but Bob Murray wouldn’t agree to everything Bowman wanted. The Hawks would have dealt Barker but they needed another player back besides Wisniewski so the deal never happened. I heard the same story from two people who are in the know. 

Bowman wound up with a player he could use now and possibly a valuable prospect. Besides Wisniewski, Bowman wanted a third or fouth line young energy type player from the Ducks.  They said no and the deal never happened. Maybe the Ducks and Hawks will revisit some trade scenarios in the next couple of weeks. 

It is my belief the Hawks will find someone to bolster their bottom six forwards and acquire a physical player with some skill. The reason Chicago defeated Vancouver in last year’s playoffs was because of their fourth line. Bowman will look to strengthen his group of bottom six forwards before the deadline. 

Players like Ethan Moreau and Colby Armstrong have experience and the grit the Hawks could use. Both have expiring contracts and should be available. 

Chicago still needs another defenseman. 

Jordan Hendry has played really well, but if two defensemen were to get injured at the same time the Hawks would be in deep trouble. It could happen, just ask a Calgary Flames fan. There is no one in Rockford that can do the job of Hendry. So the Hawks would be vulnerable. 

My thinking is Bowman will acquire a big defenseman that can skate. The Leafs Garnet Exleby has been mentioned here a few times and could provide a physical presence. The Panthers Seidenberg is a strong shot blocker and might be on Bowman’s radar. 

Hawks fans want to dwell on the goal keeping as being the Hawks soft spot. Quenneville has done an outstanding job of not giving fans or the media any more reason to fuel a goal tending controversy. He has consistently implied Huet is number one. 

That may have been the case, but March will be the time when all bets will be placed on the starter for the playoffs. Even if Huet is named the playoff starter Niemi will be waiting in the wings.

Quenneville won’t hesitate to make a change and by that time Niemi will be tested and as ready as he could be.

Concerns 

What has developed into a problem for the Blackhawks is certain players have fallen off and haven’t performed as well as was hoped. Not only recently but for the majority of the season. 

Quenneville has shown a great deal of patience with some but it won’t be the case moving forward. 

Kris Versteeg is looking like a round peg trying to fit into a square hole. He is creative and skillful. But he still lacks the finish and strength to be a top goal scorer. Versteeg needs to play with skillful mates and he isn’t good enough to be a top six forward here. 

Maybe Versteeg can become more responsible defensively and find a spot on the Bolland- Hossa line. There are reasons he hasn’t been used in that role as of yet, but maybe he will get a shot. Otherwise Versteeg like Barker might be better off elsewhere.

Tomas Kopecky hasn’t been an effective as a fourth line player. Quenneville has tried to jump start him by allowing him to play alongside Hossa. He doesn’t seem to fit in there either. 

Kopecky hasn’t had more than a handful of quality efforts all season. His unsportsmanlike penalty for snow showering the goalie last week says it all about his time with the Hawks. He has been a real disappointment. 

Another player that can’t string together quality efforts is Dustin Byfuglien. The big guy can be a force but has limited ability. He needs to go north and south and be physical for the entire game. He shows only flashes of dominance. 

Byfuglien still has trouble setting screens, which should be his strength. I don’t think he will survive the whole summer as a Blackhawk by just having a good performance in the playoff. Byfuglien has to get it going now and prove he can bring a top effort each game for every shift. If he could the Hawks would have a stud, as of now he is expendable. 

Top players like Kane and Toews have a handful of shifts in each contest when they aren’t very noticeable. 

Byfuglien, Kopecky and Versteeg only have a few shifts each game when they appear to be playing at a high level. 

This won’t be the last time I will write this… 

By the end of the playoffs it will be obvious in most cases which Blackhawks will be traded over the summer to create salary cap space. 

Al’s Shots

The link below is for anyone wishing to donate for breast cancer research. For additional info please visit the HockeeNight.com website.

http://chicagoland.info-komen.org/site/TR/Events/HIL_ChicagolandAreaAffiliate?pxfid=124650&fr_id=1750&pg=fund

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TSN has reported that no trade has been made as of this time.

Micheal A. Aldred

I did not read one rumor which forecasted Dion Phaneuf going to the Maple Leafs. 

Not one. 

After checking with someone who reads more trade gossip than I… He concurred, not one mention of Phaneuf to the Leafs. 

It was speculated Phaneuf could be available but Toronto wasn’t mentioned as a destination. Obviously the Flames were floundering and Phaneuf appeared expendable. 

Almost always that’s the way it is. Word of a trade comes out after it is already done, not before. 

Big trades seldom happen these days and it is extremely difficult to find relevant information before a trade goes down. This weekend was a perfect illustration. 

Unfortunately my summer trade scenario featuring Cristobal Huet going to the Leafs is kaput. 

Certainly many ardent Toronto fans would rather have J.S. Giguere in the blue and white than Huet. 

After all Giguere is a former Stanley Cup winner and had more wins last season and a better save percentage than Huet. Well, one out of three will have to do for Leaf fans. 

The Leafs stabilized an important position with the acquisition of Giguere. 

But if I were keeping score Bob Murray got the best of his former boss. After all Giguere was only a back-up in Anaheim and was too highly paid to sit the bench. 

The Ducks did have to swallow the hefty contract of Jason Blake until 2012, but he should relish a change of scenery. Plus the Ducks are in desperate need of another goal scorer. 

Blake could feel like someone who received a pardon from the governor. He could flourish alongside Bobby Ryan or Ryan Getzlaf. 

As far as the other Maple Leaf trade, the Flames may have gotten got the better of that deal if they can re-sign UFA’s Matt Stajan,Niklas Hagman and Ian White. I think White could be a solid dman for years to come. But the Leafs did get a well thought of prospect in Keith Aulie. 

Interesting the Flames would trade big Dion for many players not signed beyond this season. 

One has to wonder if another big fish is on Darryl Sutter’s radar screen because he will have available cap space this summer. 

Phaneuf was too costly to be the fourth best defender on the Flames. With the emergence of Mark Giordano and the acquisition of Jay Bouwmeester, Phaneuf was expendable. 

The Flames needed a jump start to make the playoffs and the Leafs want to desperately fast forward their rebuilding process. 

If Phaneuf can become an All Star blueliner in Toronto everyone may have gotten what they needed. Both teams were desperate to make improvements and they took action. 

The Blackhawks at this point are far from desperate to do anything. 

The Hawks don’t need to shed salary yet. Actually they might be able to acquire another defenseman without trading anyone off the current roster. 

Concerning the possibility of a Blackhawks trade happening soon… 

There is a chance something will happen before the Olympic break.  This will be so if the acquired player will not be representing his country in late February. 

Why would any general manager take the chance now of acquiring a player who could get injured during the Olympics? 

Right now the Leafs appear the only team to be in aggressive trade mode. 

As far as Blackhawk fans are concerned, those who are waiting for a blockbuster deal should take a deep breath. 

As of today the Hawks are near the head of the class in the Western Conference. Stan Bowman will be very cautious before making any trades. The Hawks could use a tweak or two, primarily depth on defense. 

If Dave Bolland is only a shadow of his former self when returning that could change Bowman’s intent. According to reports Bolland is pain free and is almost ready to return to action. 

For now, additional defensemen which would add some skill, muscle and insurance against injury will be on Bowman’s shopping list. 

For the most part very little is likely to happen around the NHL before the Olympic break because there are so many teams still in the payoff hunt. If the Hawks do make an acquisition soon it will likely be for a player not slated to attend the Olympics. 

Even though all the general mangers will have a lot of time to negotiate over the Olympic break, there my not be more deadline trades than last season. If the standings stay as congested through February teams will be reluctant to turn sellers. 

Certain franchises are in desperate need to keep ticket sales strong throughout the remainder of the season. If they appear to throw in the towel there will be more empty seats. It is a tricky call for many clubs. Teams like the Islanders, Thrashers and the Blues may stay on the cusp of the playoff picture and will choose to be buyers rather than sellers. 

If not for the Olympics factor, the Hawks may choose to trade sooner than later. 

The reason being supply and demand….there could be less sellers and teams which will be buyers will have to pay up. 

So if the Blackhawks make a deal before mid February, the likely trade partners will be those out of playoff picture. Today that short list includes Toronto, Carolina and possibly Edmonton. The Oilers are a Western Conference foe but the Hawks might trade with them as well. 

The short list of available UFA defensemen would include… 

Carolina….Joe Corvo (on IR since early December), Aaron Ward, Niclas Wallin (who has a no trade clause). 

Oilers….Jason Strudwick 

Toronto…Garnet Exelby 

Tomas Kaberle trade rumors have come and gone repeatedly.

As one hockey lifer who worked for Brian Burke told me awhile back…Burkie holds true to his word. 

That sentiment rang true when he dealt Ilya Bryzgalov to the Coyotes for almost nothing. Burke promised he would find a place for him to play as a starter if things didn’t work out in Anaheim. Burke got little in return but kept his promise to Bryzgalof. 

Kaberle is Burke’s last big trading chip to use in acquiring early round draft picks.

The Hawks have never had a real interest in Kaberle, from what I have heard. 

Kaberle has a no trade clause and Burke has repeatedly stated he won’t ask him to waive it. Unless Kaberle has the inclination to leave Toronto before March he will stay put. Most likely he isn’t leaving.

Kaberle has a better shot from the point than Brain Campbell and that is his only advantage. Although Kaberle is skillful he plays the game softer than any Hawk defenseman. 

That type of player isn’t needed in Chicago. 

In my opinion, the player most likely to come to the Blackhawks from my list above is Exelby. But not because of hearing any whispers. Exelby would fill a need and is available. 

The list of expendable Chicago players is really not very long. 

In my view the most likely being Cam Barker, Tomas Kopecky and to a lesser degree Brent Sopel. The player with the most trade value is Barker and his playing time has lessened. 

Barker could still be suffering from the effects of an injury as he hasn’t been used very often since his return. Against the Hurricanes, he barely saw ten minutes of ice time. 

Maybe Barker is still hurt….Or possibly he is being phased out. 

If Dave Bolland is healthy it may make more sense to deal Kopecky and just add to the defense. The only member of the fourth line Joel Quenneville would probably be ok with trading is Kopecky. 

Ben Eager fills a need with his size and speed. 

In some ways Colin Fraser is one of the most overlooked players on the club, but probably not to the head coach. He has made himself a much better player because he can now win faceoffs. 

Fraser has been used as a substitute for Patrick Kane in key moments. 

When Toews’ line is on for a big faceoff in the defensive zone Fraser can sub in. If Toews gets tossed from the faceoff, Frasor can then take the draw. He is also one of the better penalty killers on the team. 

That leads some to point a finger at Andrew Ladd as the one to be scratched or shipped out when Bolland returns. 

I say no… 

Ladd is a Stanley Cup winner that can play effectively on lines two through four. He has been playing good, physical hockey. 

It may surprise some, but Ladd was one of  the top goal scorers on the last road trip. If Quenneville has a say, Ladd will probably be staying in Chicago for the next few months, if not longer. 

The list of potential trade partners for Chicago at the current time isn’t long. There could be some chance the Rangers or Canadiens could also be looking to shake things up. But really there are not many teams in sell mode today. 

Although Bowman doesn’t have many from his current roster he would be willing to give up, he does have some younger players.  He could trade someone like Jack Skille or maybe a couple of others in the system if the right deal presented itself. 

For those Blackhawks fans anxiously awaiting a blockbuster deal….chillax. 

The time to work into trade frenzy mode will be after the Stanley Cup finals and before the NHL draft. 

That will be a much more interesting time to discuss trade scenarios.  

Al’s Shots 

For the record my Blackhawk trade forecasting has run the gamut from very good to bad. 

A few years ago I wrote the Hawks would most likely find another home for Adrian Aucoin, Jassen Cullimore and Tony Salmelainen. 

Back then most thought there was little chance Dale Tallon could unload the trio. 

I never had the destination whispered to me, only that the Hawks were trying very hard to move them that summer.

That turned out to be correct. 

I was also tipped….That if Kyle Beach was available when the Hawks selected they would draft him. 

I wrote that just before the draft and it turned out to be correct. 

In connecting the dots over the years….speculating…. 

I have had Cam Barker traded a few times….all wrong. 

Last season at the trade deadline my thinking was the Hawks would grab Steve Montador and Dominic Moore. 

I had heard the Hawks were in on the Montador sweepstakes but it never happened and he went to Boston. 

Moore supposedly was almost signed and delivered to the Hawks but the trade fell through at the last minute…so the story goes. 

It’s fun to speculate. 

Just remember there is a difference between having a legitimate source and trade speculation. 

In the Phaneuf trade I didn’t read any speculation he was going to the Leafs. 

No rumors or speculation that the Leafs and Flames would dance. 

Giguere to the Leafs was discussed but never a front burner issue until right before the trade went down. There were many reasons to speculate that trade would happen. 

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The acquisition of big defenseman Garnet Exelby would provide  blueline depth for Chicago. If the salary cap numbers work the Blackhawks could be part of a deal soon too. It has been reported UFA Exelby, has asked for a trade.

Blackhawks assistant general manger Kevin Cheveldayoff is familiar with Exelby from his time in the Atlanta organization.

We will see….

UPDATE…. As Reported at TSN.ca…….

The Leafs acquire Dion Phaneuf, Fredrick Sjostrom and Keith Aulie from the Flames in exchange for Matt Stajan, Niklas Hagman, Jamal Mayers, and Ian White.

Is Burke done?

Luke Schenn spent the duration of the practice firing shot after shot on net. He is doing all that he can to improve his accuracy and the speed of his shot in order to be a significant factor on the point for potential powerplay minutes. He hopes to become the go to guy when in on the offensive, and his stand up plays to take the body on the pinch could prove to be a deadly combination if the young defenceman can maintain his confidence.

Stempniak spent the duration of practice with Keith Acton. He received saucer passes, weak and hard feeds for the one-timer. He is working on his accuracy and was encouraged not to be afraid to just fire the puck. Stempniak’s confidence is at a low right now, but Acton feels that with enough work ethic, he could start picking corners with ease, instead of the crest.

Nikolai Kulemin and John Mitchell exchanged positions in front of the net working on their tipping skills. They both feel they can be a strong body presence in the slot and want to find ways to do everything they possibly can to make it hell for the goaltenders and the opposing defencemen.

Mike Komisarek is undergoing tests today to see if he can suit up tomorrow night against New Jersey. He has been out for just under a month with an upper-body injury.

Garnet Exelby is expected to suit up in place of Jeff Finger tomorrow night, but Exelby had more to say regarding his position with the club. Reports suggest he told reporters that he feels a trade to another club would be better suited for his career. He hopes the Leafs could get as much as possible for him and that the return will be just as beneficial for Toronto as his movement to another team would be for him.

Leafs Lines in Practice:

Nikolai Kulemin – Tyler Bozak – Phil Kessel
Niklas Hagman – Matt Stajan – Alexei Ponikarovsky
Jason Blake – Rickard Wallin – Lee Stempniak
Colton Orr – Jamal Mayers – Jay Rosehill
Wayne Primeau – John Mitchell

Tomas Kaberle – Luke Schenn
Francois Beauchemin – Ian White
Carl Gunnarsson – Mike Komisarek
Garnet Exelby – Jeff Finger

Jonas Gustavsson – Vesa Toskala

For more, visit www.checkingfrombehind.com

Micheal A. Aldred

michealaldred@hotmail.com

It’s an interesting take on the attendance woes around the league. 

My view has been the ticket pricing is too lofty in most places. In a thriving economy people will spend freely but now many fans especially those with families can not afford to go to NHL games. 

The HDTV slant would make more sense if a hockey telecast was done with similar  standards of an NFL game. Most hockey arenas don’t utilize enough cameras and there is a vast difference in the production quality from location to location. High definition helps a lot but there is so much action away from the puck that is missed by the TV audience. 

A bad memory probably surfaced for those in Chicago which read Dater’s comments. They would have recalled past Blackhawk management’s adage of why give away what can be sold. 

Yesterday an image of Bill Wirtz flashed into my head. Mr. Wirtz had a smile from ear to ear and was telling everyone who would listen … 

….I told you all never disrespect the season ticket reservation holders…. 

Taking into account what happened over the years with the Blackhawks the recipe for disaster begins when a team’s season ticket sales began to drop. 

The corporate season ticket holders don’t disappear all at once. They go little by little and once they are gone they usually stay away for a long time. So if you start to notice the lower bowl seats being unoccupied in your local arena be on guard. When business folk can’t even give the seats away they eventually cancel. 

When that occurs the red ink really starts to flow. 

The turnaround here in such a short time is a rare exception.  

To go from 3,400 season ticket holders to close to 14,000 in one year is amazing. To accomplish that feat, as the Blackhawks did without even making the playoffs the previous season, is almost a miracle. 

Hawks and Blues 

The St. Louis Blues skate into town after claiming a hard fought victory over the Calgary Flames last night. The Blues have had a difficult season. They have played very poorly at home and most of their top forwards have had trouble scoring. 

According to comments form Blues analyst Daren Pang on  XM 204 yesterday, their penalty killing has been very strong and the goal keeping has been good for the most part. The St. Louis power play has been dismal and they have had sporadic efforts throughout. 

The Blues have scored 78 goals this year, one better than Carolina which has the lowest total in the NHL. 

Blues defenseman Erik Johnson, who missed all of last year, is off to a great start and is the team’s leading scorer. Johnson is fine young player but he probably shouldn’t be leading the team in scoring. 

In Pang’s opinion the next week or so is a crucial time for the Blues. They passed their first test last night and will most likely be a tough opponent for the Hawks this evening. 

The Blues are somewhat similar to the Flyers, both teams  have underachieved and can’t really blame it all on injuries. 

Philly is different though, as they have already fired their head coach so now the next shake up will be trading players. If the Blues don’t turn it around soon they will likely shuffle the deck too. It would be difficult to fire Andy Murray who was in the running for coach of the year last season but stranger things have happened. In any event that talk has been going around for awhile. 

Murray and Rick Tochett in Tampa appear to be on the hot seat. 

If one of them were to lose his job there is an assistant coach in San Jose who has a good track record with younger players. Firing the head coach is not always the answer as the Flyers seem to be finding out.  But what happens more often than not is the head coach goes before  players. 

Former Blackhawk head coach Trent Yawney deserves another kick at the can as he helped develop some of the Hawks young stars. Someday another franchise will realize he could make an excellent head coach. Yawney paid his dues in the AHL and deserves another crack at being an NHL head coach. He never really got a fair shot in Chicago. Yawney did have a short stint playing in St. Louis so maybe he would be considered there if a head coaching spot becomes available.

Joel Quenneville will continue to shuffle lines and also switch around power play personnel. He has a difficult task as not having a true second line center is a problem which won’t go away. Patrick Sharp has been doing a decent job at filling in at center but the Hawks offense is more potent when he plays at wing. 

Coach Q. also appears intent on finding another point man for the power play. 

He has been using Sharp there and at times Dustin Byfuglien instead of Brent Seabrook or another defenseman. Funny, but it appeared to me Seabrook was getting his shot through from the point as much as others but now he hasn’t had much power play ice time. Evidently there is a need for Q. to audition other point men….??? 

I expect Cristobal Huet to get the start tonight. 

He will need to defend his crease and have another top effort for the Hawks to defeat the Blues. The boys form St. Louis could be tired but they are in desperation  mode so they will be dangerous. 

Al’s Shots 

The Lightning did take some liberties with Hawk forwards the other night. So the question of acquiring a heavy weight enforcer naturally comes up. 

There is some sense to that thinking but… 

The Minnesota Wild must lead the NHL in concussions this season. Derek Boogard is still considered a bad dude.  Having a big tough bruiser on the roster might help prevent some cheap shots but so far it hasn’t helped the Wild to avoid serious head injuries. 

Right now with the inconsistencies demonstrated by officials and league hierarchy a team which doesn’t experience some concussions is just very lucky. 

On the trade rumor front not much has changed. 

Sharp is in demand and the Hawks are still shopping Barker but it is doubtful anything happens before Christmas. 

One fact should be realized,  although it is an unpleasant thought for many Blackhawk fans. 

It has been mentioned that the salary cap could increase around a million dollars for next year because of the strength of the Canadian dollar. Certainly not bad news for the Hawks but they still need to clear a bunch of cap space. 

There is no way this entire team can stay together next season. There will be significant changes. 

That would hold true even if Brian Campbell’s huge contract was traded. There is a lot of cap space which needs to be cleared before next season. Much more than Campbell’s seven million dollar cap hit is needed to go elsewhere. 

The chances of trading Campbell during this season are extremely unlikely. As much as Campbell is a whipping boy he does supply a lift to the offense. Without him the Hawks would have to change their style of play and there is no need for that to happen now.

Unless the team goes into a prolonged skid Stan Bowman has time on his side.

Bowman won’t rush to make the pot right because too much for this season is at stake. Until Dave Bolland’s injury comeback date is known,  Bowman may just wait things out. That is unless a trade offer can’t be past. 

Center Matt Stajan is playing well and Garnet Exelby finally had a strong game the other night. But Toronto has revitalized their playoff dreams so they could be cautious to change anything now. 

I have recently watched the Senators play a couple of times and there whole defensive corp looks slow.  Actually Cam Barker looks faster then most of the Ottawa dmen. Maybe that is why they are rumored to have an interest. 

There is no one currently playing for Carolina that seems to fit here. Ray Whitney does have an expiring contract but he isn’t a center and Joe Corvo is still out with an injury. 

If you want to look for team which will be trading someone soon I would look east. 

The Flyers have changed their coach and now some players will be moved unless they turn things around quickly. Their bomb last night versus Pittsburgh could mean changes are coming very soon. 

Braydon Coburn has an expiring contract but he won’t help the Hawks score more goals, but the Flyers big defenseman might keep a few more out of the net. 

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It was an unsettling summer for the Blackhawks front office.  There was the unexplainable qualifying offer escapade and then the general manager change after the NHL draft. The Marian Hossa’s shoulder concerns arose and Patrick Kane’s off ice problems in Buffalo. 

Before we all knew it training camp was upon us and the Hawks did not make a trade to clear salary cap space. Today Hawk followers are divided on their opinions concerning player transactions. 

Blackhawk fans can be separated into three groups. 

1.  Some believe the Hawks are late in starting their salary cap house cleaning and now will be forced into trades.  They feel management will not have an edge in any deals and the result will be a less productive team for this season. 

2.  Others believe there wouldn’t be any trade rumblings today if the re-signing story did not recently surface. Those Hawk followers feel there is no reason to rock the boat and rush to trade players so there can be a media splash featuring Kane, Keith and Toews. They believe there is a panic to trade players so the team can announce the contract extensions of their prized restricted free agents 

3. Lastly, some fans believe it is better to plan for the future while also trying to make the team better today. 

There are Blackhawk loyalists who are cautious, others skeptical and curious while some appear to be more pragmatic. 

We will find out soon if general manager Stan Bowman is more of the mind set of group one or three. All Blackhawk followers should hope those in group two are way off base although at this point it’s not clear if they are truly misguided. 

Time will tell what course of action management takes and their true motivation will eventually surface. 

I’ve always liked Patrick Sharp, even before he was considered a goal scorer. He is a very smart hockey player who reminds me a little of Steve Larmer. Sharp has a ways to go to justify that comparison but he does a lot of things well. 

In the summer it was brought to my attention Patrick was supposedly on the trading block. 

Through some meaningful whispers and practical analyses Sharp appeared to be headed to Toronto. It made sense in a few ways as before the Hossa surgery Sharp appeared to be expendable. After Hossa opted for a shoulder operation the Sharp to anywhere rumor quickly subsided. The Hawks couldn’t afford to trade a goal scorer while their top sniper was out of action. 

Some others who normally are in the know have told me Sharp was never really a serious part of trade talks in the summer. Take your pick on what story was accurate then because more Sharp trade chatter has arrived. 

Although I haven’t heard anything specific there are rumblings Patrick is on his way out of town again.  This is a rumor and I can’t give an opinion either way on its validity. But it has been mentioned on Hockey Buzz.com. 

For every motive there could be to trade Sharp there are as many or more reasons to keep him in Chicago. Getting shipped to another team is the downside of being a professional athlete. Trade rumors are part of the game but there is no way Sharp wants to leave Chicago at this point. Maybe the only positive for him would be a sense of relief if the trade chatter was put to rest. 

There are two facts which can’t be overlooked. 

Sharp is a $3.9 million salary cap hit through the 2011-2012 campaign. Patrick will also be 28 years old next month. 

The salary cap hit combined with Sharp’s age, may mean if the Hawks are going to trade a forward he is the likely candidate. 

There are other Hawk forwards signed to substantial multi year contracts but they are all a few years younger than Sharp. Dustin Byfuglien is 24 years of age, while Kris Versteeg and Dave Bolland are only 23. Blackhawk management may conclude they have more upside than Sharp. 

I was all in concerning trading Sharp this summer but now it is a risky move. There is no way Sharp will be dealt unless it is the perfect trade set-up for Bowman. Sharp’s departure could be disruptive as he is one of the most popular players in the dressing room. 

All is going great for the Hawks and at this point they have surpassed my early season expectations but there are concerns. 

Bolland’s 19 goals and 28 assists from last year have not been replaced. The Hawks have scored four goals or more six times in 22 games this season but two of those performances came recently against the Flames and Oilers.  In many games the Chicago offense couldn’t be categorized as explosive but there have been injuries. 

The Hawks were among the least injured teams last season. If they stay on their same pace they will be in the top 20% of the most injured clubs for this season. That is a huge difference. 

Maybe with the return of Marian Hossa the goal scoring will automatically increase, it probably should. But the Hawks are still missing a true second line center. It’s harder to find fault with the Hawks while they are on such a great run. Hossa returning should make them even better but sometime bad luck concerning injuries stays consistent. 

My thinking is unless Sharp is traded as part of a deal for a talented pivot who is  signed only through this season, he will remain in Chicago for the time being. 

There will be those which will conclude if Sharp is dealt it is because he is linked with former Blackhawk GM Dale Tallon. Sharp was part of the best trade Tallon ever made. Some believe the former Hawk general manager valued Sharp more than anyone up in the front office today. 

Those in that camp have the same thinking as those in group two from earlier. They feel non hockey factors have too much emphases on Blackhawk decision making. 

My reasons for possibly trading Sharp make a lot more sense from a hockey standpoint. 

Prudent hockey logic should be the only thing which matters. 

The other most mentioned Hawk player in trade rumors is Brent Sopel. 

Garnet Exelby has been on my radar screen since last year’s trade deadline. He is only signed through this season for approximately $1.4 million. Exelby is more physical than Sopel, but he hasn’t been playing as well. 

The key here is Sopel carries some baggage. He is $2.33 million cap hit for this season and next  and that  is a problem for the Hawks, even before the expected contract extensions. 

Exelby isn’t going to get any style points for his skating but he could provide the Hawks with some toughness. It is my belief, if he could be acquired straight up for Sopel Bowman pulls the trigger. 

The Maple Leafs, who should not have an edge on any team concerning a trade, supposedly wanted a Hawks second round draft pick along with Sopel. It’s true the Leafs would be swallowing some salary for the better part of two seasons so a mid round pick could have been included. But Sopel could play top four minutes in Toronto while Exelby has been a frequent healthy scratch. There is no need to pay up for Exelby. 

Lately the Sopel to the Leafs chatter has died down but other clubs could be interested. Sopel has rebounded nicely from an injury plagued season. 

During the summer I had a chance to speak to Stan Bowman for a few minutes. My thinking at the time was the Hawks should make a couple of deals to set up for their costly free agent re-signings.  Bowman didn’t hint he would be active on the trade front.  Actually his comments indicated probably nothing significant would happen and it didn’t.  But now he could be forced to deal someone who isn’t on an expiring contract because of CBA tagging issues. 

Trading Sopel barely puts a dent into the $10 million or so in salary cap space which has to be created for next season. His departure would have more to do with short term salary cap concerns. 

The Hawks can’t trade Sopel without getting a solid defenseman in exchange. 

If Sharp is dealt and a top six forward goes down with a lengthy injury trouble could follow. 

The Blackhawks are one of the best teams in hockey. 

Are they ready to win a Stanley Cup? 

If their goal tending stays good and the lengthy injuries subside they have a shot. What will matter most is the condition of the team when the playoffs start in April. 

So what does the Hawks rookie general manager do now?

My guess is Sopel is likely to go. 

The Hawks have some chips to throw in the pot to get a player they want in return. Ice Hogs, Jack Skille and Akim Aliu could be expendable and do have some trade value. The Hawks can sacrifice some draft picks as they will pick some up when the real salary dump starts. 

Bowman knows his team is very good and that there is a fine line between winning and losing. Sharp stays for now unless the perfect trade comes along, same with Cam Barker. 

Sopel, Sharp, Barker and other Blackhawks could have new teammates next fall.  But any trades now should happen only becuase they can’t be passed up.  

I would have preferred some trade action last summer, but what wasn’t done was done. Now there is no need to be over reactive. 

Al’s Shots 

Coach Q. probably starts Hossa out with Kane and Toews. Patrick will have to go to the other wing as Hossa has seniority. 

Look for Hossa to play on every line in the next few games. It will be interesting to watch how much playing time he gets in the next week or so. 

Although Hossa is a great player it may take awhile for him to get rolling. 

The Ladd, Madden and Brouwer line should stay together. 

My preference would be for Sharp, Toews and Kane to skate as a unit. 

But it makes sense to get Hossa going with the only true offensive center left, Toews. 

The hockey world is buzzing about the Blackhawks these days.

If they win tonight in San Jose they are set up for a very good road trip. If they can win two of the next three it will be an outstanding circus trip. 

I will be back in a few days unless something important breaks. 

Have a great Thanksgiving. 

blackhawksin@comcast.net

The Washington Capitals have had a lot of success against the Canadian teams over the last two seasons, but, as last night’s lacklustre pointed out, perhaps the Caps are getting soft on their opponents from North of the Border.

The Montreal Canadiens out-hustled and out-worked a much more talented Caps squad last night en route to handing Washington a rare home loss, something that has become less and less frequent at the Verizon Center over the last two years.

The Habs got stellar goaltending from Carey Price and were able to hold off Washington by a final score of 3-2, despite the Capitals intense last minute efforts to put the equalizer past Price.

In response to the Capitals poor display in front of their home fans last night, they have sent Michal Neuvirth back to the Hershey Bears. Obviously Neuvo wanted to have a much better season debut than his nerve-racked solo against the Habs, but his team-mates failed to pay the Canadiens the little respect they needed to and played catchup all night long to a Habs team that chose to outwork Washington from the first puck drop.

The Caps are rarely held to 2 goals, let alone having Alex Ovechkin fail to hit the score sheet. Ovechkin, who was playing in only his 2nd game of November, looked rather flat last night and was continuously pinned to the perimeter of the offensive zone by Montreal defenders Roman Hamrlik and Jaroslav Spacek.

Overall it was just a disappointing effort from the most powerful offense in the league.

Bright spots included John Carlson and Mathieu Perreault, two rookies who played inspired, heart-filled hockey. Both of the youngsters are seeking to make the most of their opportunity in DC as neither can be sure just how long they will stay in town.

A casualty of last night’s defeat to the Habs was defenseman Tom Poti. Poti did not travel with the team, remaining behind in Washington to get treatment for his undisclosed injury. Also missing out on the trip to Toronto are Boyd Gordon, Alex Semin, Mike Knuble, Milan Jurcina and Quintin Laing. Injuries are hitting this team hard so far, but unfortunately for the NHL this season, it is not uniquely a Capitals situation. Washington’s opponents last, the Montreal Canadiens, have also been utterly decimated by injuries to their most valuable players, beating the Capitals without Brian Gionta or Andrei Markov while in the process losing Scott Gomez and Travis Moen.

The AHL is getting used more than ever this year and one has to wonder if there won’t be some sort of waiver wire record set at some point.

Semyon Varlamov will get the nod in nets tonight. It was expected that Varly was going to start last night, but with the last minute decision to play Neuvo and his subsequent demotion to Hershey this morning, it’s clear to see that Jose Theodore is back with the team. Theo will be backing up Varly tonight at the ACC and will likely make his return between the pipes next week.

Leaf-less Ordinaries

The Caps are in Toronto tonight and will be facing the worst team in the NHL. The Brian Burke/Ron Wilson club has had minor ups and tremendous downs this season.

In actuality, the Leafs season can be summed up by their most recent loss on Thursday versus the Hurricanes. The Canes who have won but 2 of their last 16 games, wound up coming back from a 3-0 first period deficit to hand the Leafs their 11th loss of the year with a 6-5 shootout win.

Toronto opened against the Hurricanes with force and aggression, but then obviously fell back into familiar habits as they tried to hold onto a lead. The Leafs are not exactly an all-star team, but because they are not known for the exponential talent, they must be feared for their aggression and tenacity. Toronto’s wins this year come as a result of their hound-dogedness. They hunt down other teams and stay on them as long as they can. Their energy levels are perhaps some of the highest in the NHL, but it’s a two-way street as the Leafs overall lack of talent often costs them. Every Leaf works hard, but not every Leaf has the tools to get it done at the NHL level.

Toronto, which only has 12 points through 20 games, have truly struggled to find an identity, but with newly acquired/signed sniper Phil Kessel in the lineup, Toronto has the makings of a solid foundation. Kessel, along with Tomas Kaberle, are the driving force behind whatever Maple Leafs offense there is, so in order to shut down Toronto, the Capitals are going to have to key in on these two.

With Mike Komisarek out due to an injury and Luke Schenn enduring through his sophomore jinx, Washington will need to take advantage and expose Toronto’s defense and goaltending. I am not sure if it will be ‘The Monster’, Jonas Gustavsson or Vesa Toskala, but seeing as neither Leafs goaltender has shown much consistency as of yet this season, the Caps should not be phased by who is between the pipes.

The Capitals have had their way with Toronto over the last couple of seasons, especially Alex Ovechkin.

This is Washington’s first trip up North on the year, so hopefully a change of scenery can help clear their heads and get them back to playing a full 60 minutes of hockey.

With Tom Poti remaining behind with the rest of the injured Caps, expect Tyler Sloan to slide back onto D tonight and for Andrew Gordon to make his debut on the 4th line with David Steckel and Matt Bradley.

For more, including game notes and lineups, click here to read my extended game preview.

www.twitter.com/StevenHindle

stevenhindle@hotmail.com

Go Caps!!!!!

Looks like Jay Rosehill did enough to prove he belongs at the NHL level, as well as Viktor Stalberg who skated along the top line for Toronto with Matt Stajan and Jason Blake during practice. That is expected to be a stand-out line this season for the Leafs.

Forwards
Jason Blake
Mikhail Grabovski
Niklas Hagman
Phil Kessel*
Jamal Mayers
John Mitchell
Colton Orr
Alexei Ponikarovsky
Wayne Primeau
Jay Rosehill
Viktor Stalberg
Matt Stajan
Lee Stempniak
Rickard Wallin

Defence
Francois Beauchemin
Garnet Exelby
Jeff Finger
Tomas Kaberle
Mike Komisarek
Luke Schenn
Mike Van Ryn*
Ian White

Goalies
Vesa Toskala
Jonas Gustavsson

Micheal A. Aldred

michealaldred@hotmail.com

On the trade front Tallon appeared to enjoy dealing with the Flyers Paul Holmgren, Jim Rutherford of the Hurricanes, and the Bruins Peter Chiarelli. The Hawks always have  a ready eye on the Florida NHL teams as well. Former assistant general manager Rick Dudley and Scotty Bowman both have homes in Florida. A recent waiver claim, Radek Smolenak came from the Tampa Bay organization. 

As we approach Wednesday’s NHL roster deadline, Blackhawk management is facing some tough decisions. It will also be interesting to see who will emerge to be on Stan Bowman’s list of favorite trading partners. So far Bowman has made one trade transaction, providing a second round draft pick for the Leafs GM, Brian Burke. The deal was far more important to the Maple Leafs as they had to secure draft picks to set themselves up for the Phil Kessel acquisition. 

Will the wily veteran Burke and the youngest GM in the NHL Bowman, become frequent trade partners? 

Time will tell but the Leafs also have decisions to make soon, especially concerning their glut of defensemen.  The Leafs have three UFA’s defenders on their roster battling for the number six and seven blueline slots. Word out of Leaf Land is Ian White has secured the number five spot on the blueline, and big Garnet Exelby will be in the third pair…..Or will he still be there? The Leafs could use help up the middle as one of their weaknesses is at the center position. To frequent readers who are tired of my Exelby fixation, I will try to stop soon. 

Here is my take on the opening night roster for the Blackhawks. 

Goalies:

Huet, Niemi

Neither Crawford nor Niemi has looked bad but in the same regard neither has been a true standout. I still favor Niemi because his Blackhawk future needs to be decided before Crawford’s. 

Forwards:

Locks: Bolland, Brouwer, Byfuglien, Eager, Kane, Kopecky, Ladd, Madden, Sharp, Toews, Versteeg. 

Coach Quenneville has a lot of options concerning line partners for Toews and Kane. It could be Byfuglien or Brouwer; then again he may choose Sharp because that combo may provide the most offense. 

Other forwards most likely to survive: Dowell, Skille

It is possible 14 forwards will be kept because of the Versteeg and Byfuglien injuries, but that probably won’t be the case. If so Frasor would most likely stay up, regardless this group of grinders is tough to split. 

All of the young guys including Bickell, Brophey, Klinkhammer, and the new addition Smolenak appear to be capable fourth liners. Those boys could be rotated and shuffled from Rockford to Chicago when needed throughout the season. 

Defense: Barker, Campbell, Hjalmarsson, Johnson, Keith, Seabrook, Sopel

Jordan Hendry is the odd man out to start as he is on a two way contract, Johnson and Sopel are not. 

Somehow, I think the group of Hawk defenders will not stay the same for long. 

Maybe Stan and his new buddy Brian are chatting about that today. 

blackhawkswin@comcast.net