Rozner: Chicago Blackhawks in shopping mode again

When the Chicago Blackhawks went to camp five months ago, they were a team loaded with fourth-line players and sixth defensemen in search of someone to replace Brandon Saad and Johnny Oduya.

At least in this regard, nothing has changed.

With the trade deadline a week away, the Hawks are still shopping for a skill player who can finish the gifts given by Jonathan Toews and Marian Hossa on the first line, and a top-four defenseman to play with Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook and Niklas Hjalmarsson.

It's not an insult to Andrew Shaw or Trevor van Riemsdyk to say they are not Saad or Oduya. They have been fine, sometimes better than that. Shaw gives you everything he's got, and van Riemsdyk is a young defenseman learning the NHL with 79 games under his belt.

But Oduya had found something special with Hjalmarsson, just as Saad had found with Toews and Hossa.

So GM Stan Bowman works the phones in anticipation of the flurry that will hit the NHL in the hours leading up to the deadline.

Finding a quality defenseman this time of year is very difficult, but landing a quality scorer with the kind of hands necessary to finish on a line with two future Hall of Famers is just the kind of thing Bowman wants to do to put the Hawks in the best position possible to repeat as champs.

As of today, the Hawks will have about $3.7 million to play with on deadline day, and rest assured Bowman will be aggressive as the Hawks go for their fourth Stanley Cup in seven years.

Everyone assumes Andrew Ladd is their top target, and for good reason. They've had their eyes on Ladd since the season began. He's a former Hawk, a captain, a great leader, strong character guy, well-liked and respected in the room, and he can play on any line and in any situation, be it special teams or as an enforcer.

But there are no fewer than 10 teams interested in Ladd, and Winnipeg GM Kevin Cheveldayoff - the former Hawks assistant - won't be doing anyone any favors. Count former Chicago GMs Dale Tallon and Bob Murray - now in Florida and Anaheim - among those looking at Ladd.

There are plenty of skilled forwards available either because of their pending free agency or because teams are out of it and looking to rebuild with young players and picks, among them Vancouver's Radim Vrbata and Calgary's Jiri Hudler, both of whom had 31 goals a year ago and whose numbers are down this year with bad teams.

If Carolina's Eric Staal and Boston's Loui Eriksson are truly available - and it's widely assumed they are - the Hawks would consider both, not to mention the Coyotes' Mikkel Boedker. The Jackets' Scott Hartnell would be another option, and he's certain to play hard come the postseason.

This may be a longshot since the Islanders are trying to win right now, but right wing Kyle Okposo will be unrestricted, and he's a former teammate of Jonathan Toews at Shattuck-St. Mary's.

The Hawks are always in the market for role players, and Jackets center Gregory Campbell has a ring, plenty of playoff experience and would fit nicely on the third or fourth line. Buffalo's David Legwand and Montreal's Tomas Fleischmann are also up for auction.

As for defensemen, the Canucks' Dan Hamhuis would be a perfect fit, but he's born and bred British Columbia and has a full no-trade. Of course, he could help the Canucks get something in return, win a Cup here and return to Vancouver this summer as a free agent, just as Antoine Vermette did with Arizona a year ago.

Also on the market and popular will be Toronto's Roman Polak and Calgary's Kris Russell. The Rangers' Keith Yandle is intriguing, naturally, but New York will be asking for a very good, young player in return.

John Tortorella has buried Fedor Tyutin in Columbus, so he's there for the taking as well.

So Bowman has options as the Hawks approach the deadline, but he must always keep in mind that coach Joel Quenneville likes certain qualities in players, and if they don't display them fast, he's not guaranteed to play anyone Bowman buys for the stretch run.

It's a delicate balancing act, finding the right players to help in the postseason and staying under the cap while ensuring it doesn't cost the Hawks moving forward.

So far, it's pretty hard to argue with Bowman's track record.

brozner@dailyherald.com

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