Khabibulin should be going nowhere but in Hawks' net

It's nearly one quarter into the NHL season and the Blackhawks have shown beyond a doubt that they are capable of being a playoff team.

There's plenty of goal scoring, better-than-average special teams and an improving group of defensemen - led by the versatile trio of Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook and Brian Campbell - who are the envy of many general managers and coaches.

Which brings us to goaltending, the true strength of the team.

Here's the deal. Ever since Cristobal Huet was signed to that surprise four-year contract as a free agent on July 1, Hawks GM Dale Tallon has been trying to trade Nikolai Khabibulin to free up his $6.75 million cap hit to use on acquiring another top-six forward, a defenseman, or both.

Tallon still was trying to move Khabibulin up until a few weeks ago when it became clear to anyone watching the Hawks that this strategy needed to change.

The fact is, Khabibulin is playing so well that the Hawks no longer should consider trading him if they hope to make the playoffs. The risk now is enormous to an organization that has so much momentum behind it that making the playoffs is imperative.

The Hawks are the sexy team in town again, so the game plan should be pedal to the metal, full speed ahead and no steps backward.

Khabibulin has to stay. It's obvious the Hawks are at their very best with him in goal and play with a confidence that doesn't appear to be the same when Huet is in net.

Maybe this would change if Khabubulin were gone and Huet was anointed the man to play every night. But maybe it wouldn't, and that's a risk Tallon and the front office no longer can take.

There's just too much at stake. The team is rolling, the United Center is jampacked, the media is interested, and Blackhawks buzz is everywhere.

So what does Tallon do now to improve the team if Khabibulin is no longer in play as one of his bargaining chips? How about stand pat for now and see how this all plays out while coach Joel Quenneville plays the heck out of Khabibulin.

Tallon could offer up Huet around the league, but it's doubtful there is a team out there interested in taking on a contract that still has three years to run after this at $5.63 million per season.

Tallon might look to move defenseman Cam Barker since he has that huge $2.7 million cap hit? But why do that now when Barker is showing signs of being a real contributor?

Perhaps Tallon sees how much interest there is in Martin Havlat and his $6 million cap hit. Havlat is going to be an unrestricted free agent after the season and could interest a contender, but, really, don't the Hawks need him if they are going to make a push for the playoffs?

It would seem they do, especially when you consider there already are two rookies playing in the top six at forward in Kris Versteeg and Troy Brouwer.

Some might say Tallon is in a pickle, but he really has no one to blame but himself for signing Huet in the first place.

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