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Blackhawks shore up defense by trading for 39-year-old Timonen

The Blackhawks needed a veteran defenseman and Kimmo Timonen needed a place to make one last run at the Stanley Cup.

A trade announced Friday night married those quests, sending 39-year old Timonen from the Philadelphia Flyers to the Blackhawks for a second-round pick in the 2015 NHL draft and a conditional fourth-round pick in 2016.

It's a steep price, but Timonen is intent on making it worthwhile. He hasn't played this season while fighting blood clots in his lungs and legs the past six months, but he's got a clean bill of health and a strong desire to win a championship.

“Let's say I'd won the Stanley Cup before, I probably wouldn't be talking to you guys right now,” Timonen said to reporters during a teleconference Friday night. “That's the only goal I'm still trying (to get), the only thing that is pushing me to work hard.

“It wasn't easy to work out six months (just) to get on the ice. It was hard work, but it was easy at the same time, because I haven't won it. It wasn't the money. It wasn't anything else. It was just get into the playoffs and get a chance to win it.”

Timonen, who will turn 40 on March 18, has skated for the past two weeks with the Flyers. He was set to make his season debut Saturday against the New York Rangers, but instead will fly to Chicago. He'll practice Sunday and likely debut with the Hawks at the United Center on Monday against the Carolina Hurricanes.

Timonen has tallied 571 points (117 goals, 454 assists) in 1,092 career games in 15 NHL seasons. He's a five-time Olympian with Finland and has 35 points in 87 career playoff games.

His arrival comes at a good time. The Hawks lost Patrick Kane, their leading scorer, for 12 weeks with a fractured clavicle and placed veteran defenseman Johnny Oduya (upper-body injury) on injured reserve Friday. They have newfound space within the constraints of the league's $69 million salary cap because of those injuries, but still have work to do before 2 p.m. Monday, when the NHL trade deadline arrives.

They could also use an impact forward without Kane, and have been mentioned as one of the teams interested in speedy Columbus Blue Jackets forward Cam Atkinson.

Timonen was a solid start. He plays the left point, he's a puck-mover and has extensive experience on the power play and penalty kill. He also comes with a manageable $3.5 million cap hit and an expiring contract.

“I like their game, because they are a puck-possession team and that's my game,” Timonen said. “I like making plays. I like to hang onto it and just making a good first pass. That's my game.”

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