Hawks likely to be active as trade deadline nears
Buyers or sellers?
That's what Blackhawks general manager Dale Tallon is trying to decide now that the calendar had turned to February and the NHL trade deadline is only a little over three weeks away.
Tallon believes there will be quite a bit of trade activity between now and the Feb. 26 deadline, but the question is, where do the Hawks fit in?
They still are mathematically alive in the playoff chase in the Western Conference, which has Tallon trying to decide how he is going to play it.
"The results will dictate what we'll do," Tallon said. "I think obviously the next two weeks will decide a lot for us. Right now we're trying to see what people might want and what they're looking for."
The Hawks have lost three in a row heading into today's game against the Sharks in San Jose, making a run at the playoffs even more of a longshot.
Not only have the Hawks lost three straight, but their last two performances against Columbus and Colorado have been uninspired duds.
"Hopefully we'll get healthy, get through this stretch and see what happens from there," Tallon said.
All indications point to Tallon wanting to be both a buyer and seller at the deadline. Veterans Martin Lapointe, Yanic Perreault and Andrei Zyuzin are available, with each scheduled to become unrestricted free agents after the season.
Ottawa and Detroit are believed to be interested in Lapointe, with both teams in need of more grit for the playoffs. Perreault could be of use to a team such as Montreal, which is looking for a center to win faceoffs.
Tallon's goal since early in the season was to get as much as he could in return for those players becoming unrestricted free agents and not likely to be brought back.
So far Tallon has been successful in moving Jim Vandermeer, Sergei Samsonov and Magnus Johansson, with David Koci having been waived and sent to the minors.
Patrick Lalime, Jason Williams and Kevyn Adams join Lapointe, Perreault and Zyuzin as potential unrestricted free agents.
Tallon hopes to make a trade or two before the deadline to strengthen the team, with his focus still on defense and scoring. This is where it could get tricky for Tallon, since he wants to add people that also can be part of the team next season.
"We're looking for people that fit in with what we're trying to do here," Tallon said.
It's one of the worst-kept secrets in the league that the Hawks covet defensemen Brian Campbell of the Sabres and Dan Boyle of the Lightning.
Both offensive-minded defensemen may be available in the coming weeks, so the dilemma for Tallon is, does he try to get one or the other now or wait until July when he might be able to sign one or both as unrestricted free agents without giving up any assets?
The talk out of Buffalo is getting stronger that the Sabres want to move Campbell rather than risk losing him this summer and getting nothing in return, which is what happened in July when Daniel Briere and Chris Drury walked away.
The price for Campbell would be steep, as in perhaps a player or two off the present roster and a top prospect.
"A lot of people want our kids," Tallon said.
Today's faceoff
Blackhawks vs. San Jose Sharks at HP Pavilion, 4 p.m.
TV: Comcast SportsNet
Radio: WSCR 670-AM
The skinny: The physical Sharks have been a bad matchup recently for the Hawks, who haven't had an answer for Joe Thornton. San Jose leads the season series 2-0 and has beaten the Hawks six straight times over the last two seasons. The Hawks opened their seven-game road trip with an embarrassing 6-3 loss at Colorado on Wednesday. Their power play continues to look helpless and is in a 6-for-65 slump. The Sharks are just 11-11-4 at home.
Player to watch: Nikolai Khabibulin. Another start for the Hawks goalie who is looking to end his personal nine-game losing streak.
Next: Edmonton Oilers, at Rexall Place, 8 p.m. Wednesday
-- Tim Sassone