Adding veteran winger could re-spark Chicago Blackhawks
It's that time of year again - trade rumor time!
With just more than five weeks until the deadline, there are plenty of reports swirling about, giving fans plenty of reasons to pay attention, whether their team is in the playoff hunt or not.
When it comes to the Blackhawks, we can almost be certain general manager Stan Bowman is not going to stand pat.
This group, which has stayed pretty much the same all season, has done a yeoman's job in putting together a 29-14-5 record that is second best in the Western Conference. As we all know, however, plenty of victories have come due to outstanding goaltending and timely goals like the one Marian Hossa potted Friday night in Boston at the 18:34 mark of the third period in a 1-0 win.
The Hawks aren't possessing the puck enough and they are giving up far too many high-danger chances, which will catch up to them in a seven-game series against the top teams in the league.
So, yes, more help is needed.
Some of the names being bandied about as potential suitors include Detroit's Thomas Vanek (12 goals in 35 games), Colorado's Jarome Iginla and Dallas' Patrick Sharp.
Iginla, who is 39, doesn't seem like a great fit, but what about Sharp? Bowman's been known to bring ex-Hawks back, and the unrestricted free agent could breathe life into the offense, plus he's a three-time Cup winner who knows coach Joel Quenneville's system to a T.
But is Sharp the Sharp of old? Or is he getting old? The 13-year veteran, who is 35, has just 4 goals in 21 games and has been out twice dealing with concussions, so Bowman will have to weigh the risks before pulling the trigger if Dallas decides to deal.
Line dancing
Bringing any top scoring threat aboard instantly makes the Hawks a dangerous four-line team, with endless possibilities. For the sake of this exercise, we'll say Bowman acquires Sharp, which allows Quenneville to deploy the following lines:
1. Sharp-Jonathan Toews-Hossa
2. Artemi Panarin-Artem Ansimov-Patrick Kane
3. Ryan Hartman-Marcus Kruger/Tanner Kero-Vinnie Hinostroza
4. Nick Schmaltz-Kruger/Kero-Richard Panik
If that doesn't work, imagine flipping Hartman and Hinostroza with Sharp and Hossa. Or what about moving Panarin and Kane up to play with Toews, while sliding Sharp and Hossa down to play with Anisimov?
How would teams defend any combinations?
And those are just three examples.
That's the kind of depth - and the kind of options - the Hawks need if they're going to make a serious run. It's exactly what they had late in the 2014-15 playoffs when the third line consisted of Sharp, Antoine Vermette and Teuvo Teravainen, and the fourth was Andrew Desjardins, Kruger and Andrew Shaw.
Who goes?
Now, here's the dilemma for Bowman: Who will he have to part with to acquire a top-six forward and/or a top-four defenseman?
It's no secret the Hawks don't want to give up their first-round pick this June because the draft is in Chicago, so that leaves any of their other nine picks and/or ones in future years. Of course, Bowman may have to move picks and players, as he did last year in shipping Phillip Danault to Montreal and Marko Dano to Winnipeg.
Among the many players other GMs might target: Defensemen Gustav Forsling, Michal Kempny and Ville Pokka, and forward Tanner Kero. Forsling, currently playing in Rockford, figures to be the most attractive of those names because he has two years left on his deal while Kempny, Pokka and Kero are restricted free agents. Perhaps Bowman packages Forsling with a draft pick and/or a player like Andrew Desjardins, Jordin Tootoo or Dennis Rasmussen.
The other young Hawks - Schmaltz, Motte, Hinostroza and Hartman - won't be going anywhere.
In the end, expect the Hawks to be much stronger come March 1 as Bowman finds at least one player who gives Quenneville, Toews, Kane, Keith and Co. a solid chance to win a fourth title in eight years.
Other business
The Blackhawks announced Saturday that they have acquired forward Michael Latta from the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for defenseman Cameron Schilling. Latta will report to the IceHogs.
Latta, 25, has notched 2 goals and 4 assists in 29 games with the AHL's Ontario Reign this season. He has played in 113 career NHL games with the Washington Capitals, tallying 4 goals and 13 helpers. The Ontario native was a third-round pick (72nd overall) of the Nashville Predators in the 2009 NHL Draft.
Scouting report
Blackhawks vs. Vancouver Canucks at United Center, 6:30 p.m. Sunday
TV: WGN • Radio: WGN 720-AM
The skinny: Vancouver (22-19-6) is 2-0-3 in its last five games and has won its last two by beating Nashville 1-0 and Florida 2-1. … Seven Canucks have between 10-13 goals, with Bo Horvath leading the way. … Heading into Saturday's games, Vancouver ranked 26th in goals per game (2.3), 28th on the power play (13.2 percent) and 22nd on the penalty kill (79.7 percent). … In the teams' other meeting this season, the Hawks rallied from a 3-0 deficit with 3 third-period goals and prevailed when Marian Hossa scored 4:04 into overtime. … Artemi Panarin has just 1 shot on goal in four straight games and 2 goals in the last 13.
Next: Tampa Bay Lightning at United Center, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday
- John Dietz