Hawks get winger Eager from Flyers

Looking to get bigger and tougher up front, the Blackhawks acquired 6-foot-3, 225-pound left wing Ben Eager from the Philadelphia Flyers late Tuesday night in exchange for defenseman Jim Vandermeer.

Eager was the 23rd player selected in the 2002 draft by Phoenix but has never developed into a top power forward. He was minus-8 and without a point in 23 games for the Flyers with 62 penalty minutes, averaging fewer than six minutes of ice time.

Last season with Philadelphia, Eager had 6 goals, 11 points and 233 penalty minutes.

"We wanted a high-energy player for our fourth line and Ben Eager is that kind of player," said general manager Dale Tallon. "He is just 23 years old, he can skate and he is a very gritty player."

Vandermeer's days with the Hawks were numbered. He had been a healthy scratch on several occasions, and he also is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent after the season.

In 26 games, Vandermeer had 2 goals, 7 assists and was plus-3.

With Vandermeer gone, the Hawks are likely to either call up another defenseman from Rockford or move Dustin Byfuglien back to the blue line.

Defending Nik: Hawks coach Denis Savard defended goalie Nikolai Khabibulin, who has dropped four of his last five decisions.

Khabibulin has allowed 12 goals in those 4 losses where he has been opposed by four of the best goaltenders in the NHL in Vancouver's Roberto Luongo, Anaheim's Jean-Sebastien Giguere, Calgary's Miikka Kiprusoff and Buffalo's Ryan Miller.

"He's played well, it's just that his opponent played tremendous," Savard said on Tuesday. "There's nothing he can do about that. He can't score goals."

The Hawks have been outscored 14-8 in those games Khabibulin has started.

Overall, the Hawks have lost six of their last seven heading into tonight's game against the Nashville Predators at the United Center.

"It's been a tough week and it's been tough mentally on the players," Savard said. "We don't want them to lose confidence. We just have to take it up another notch, and there is another notch.

"To lose six of seven now, we can recover from this. If we do that in March we'd be in trouble."

Let them hear it: Prior to the Dec. 26 game against Nashville, Hawks chairmen Rocky Wirtz, president John McDonough and general manager Dale Tallon will take calls on WSCR-670 AM from 6-7:20 p.m.

Fans will be encouraged in the open forum to ask questions and make suggestions regarding the team.

Return engagement: Petri Kontiola was recalled from Rockford and practiced at right wing on the third line with Dave Bolland and Tuomo Ruutu. Kontiola was plus-9 with 7 goals and 21 assists in 28 games at Rockford.