Defenseman Carney joins Hawks training camp

Veteran defenseman Keith Carney has been invited to training camp to fight for a roster spot on a tryout basis.

Carney, now 38, appeared in 61 games for the Minnesota Wild last season and was plus-8 with 11 points.

"His agent called and asked if we'd be interested in bringing him to camp and we said without a doubt," Blackhawks general manager Dale Tallon said. "He's a good, solid player who is great in the locker room. We'll give him a good shot and see how it goes. You can never have enough good goaltending or defense."

The odds might be stacked against Carney making the club, however. The Hawks have a solid top four of Brian Campbell, Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook and Brent Sopel with Cam Barker, Matt Walker, Jordan Hendry and Niklas Hjalmarsson fighting for spots as well with James Wisniewski expected to be rehabbing from knee surgery until November.

"I jumped on a plane yesterday and here I am," Carney said. "There's really nothing more to say right now."

Toews minus Kane: Despite their special chemistry last season, coach Denis Savard plans to start the preseason with Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane on separate lines.

Savard wants to see Martin Havlat with Toews while Kane plays wing on a line centered by Patrick Sharp.

"Kane and Sharp seem to have good chemistry," Savard said.

But so did Toews and Kane.

"It's not set in stone," Dale Tallon said. "We're going to see how it works, why not? If we can spread the wealth and make it more difficult to defend against, why not? Let's see how it works."

Havlat will take part in scrimmages but likely will sit out the first three or four preseason games to make sure his surgically repaired shoulder is 100 percent.

Change of plans: Scratch veteran winger Geoff Sanderson off the training camp roster.

Sanderson accepted an invitation to attend on a tryout basis only to change his mind.

"They asked if he could come on a tryout, we said yes, then he changed his mind that he wanted a contract and wasn't coming to camp without one," Dale Tallon said.

Kevyn Adams will be at camp on a tryout basis, and there's a good chance he will ultimately get a contract even though the Hawks are just $1.5 million under the salary cap.

"We have to see who takes (Robert) Lang's spot and where we are as far as cap position if he makes the team," Tallon said.

Where's the beef? Patrick Kane has bulked up to 175 pounds and looks a lot more solid above the waist.

"I didn't want to put on too much weight, but I think 175 perfect," Kane said. "I can tell my arms are bigger, my chest is bigger, my legs.

"Hopefully I have a little more strength along the boards and a harder shot. That's one thing I really worked on over the summer, my shot and my accuracy and strength of the shot."