Hawks part with Vrbata for veteran center Adams

Statistics can be misleading.

Radim Vrbata was the Blackhawks' second-leading scorer last season with 41 points, but with only 14 goals and because of his reluctance to go into the tough scoring areas to be an even more dangerous player, he was expendable.

The Hawks traded Vrbata to the Phoenix Coyotes on Saturday for Kevyn Adams, a veteran center who figures to add grit to the fourth line and help kill penalties.

"He's a player who fits more of what we need," said Hawks general manager Dale Tallon. "We need to be a little grittier."

Adams also is a solid faceoff man, which adds to the Hawks' upgrade in that department. Center Yanic Perreault, signed as a free agent last month, is considered the best in hockey at faceoffs.

"The thing I like about Adams is he's a right-handed shot to go with Perreault (who is left-handed)," Tallon said. "We've got a lot of options on faceoffs now."

Adams, though, ranked just 174th in the NHL in faceoffs last season with a 45.4 percent win rate (and was minus-20). Perreault was first among forwards who played the bulk of the season at 62.8 percent.

The Hawks' best faceoff man last season was the now-departed Denis Arkhipov, whose 49.2 winning percentage was 125th in the NHL.

Vrbata figured to lose considerable playing time at wing because of the acquisition of Sergei Samsonov and the addition of No. 1 draft pick Patrick Kane.

"With our depth chart now with Samsonov, (Jason) Williams and Kane, we were looking for someone who played more of the role Adams does - a defensive shutdown guy, penalty-killer and good third- and fourth-line guy," Tallon said. "And he's a past champion and proven leader."

Adams won a Stanley Cup with Carolina two years ago.

Adams isn't going to score much, as evidenced by his 3 goals and 9 assists in 68 games with Phoenix and Carolina last season. But the Hawks expect to get more than enough scoring from their other three centers: Robert Lang, Perreault and rookie Jonathan Toews.