The heat's on Huet now
It's Cristobal Huet's baby now and whether the Blackhawks' new No. 1 goalie can get the job done is certain to be the key question heading into the 2009-10 season.
With Nikolai Khabibulin leaving as a free agent on Wednesday, signing a four-year, $15 million cotract with the Edmonton Oilers, the pressure is on Huet to deliver.
"Cristobal had a good year last year and I expect bigger and better things from him moving forward," Hawks general manager Dale Tallon said.
It was one year ago on the first day of free agency that the Hawks signed Huet to a four-year contract worth $22.54 million.
"We brought him here because this might happen," Tallon said. "We're looking for the future here, looking long term."
Huet split the goalie duties with Khabibulin during the regular season but never looked comfortable in that role, playing behind the guy everyone considered the No. 1 goaltender.
"He's a good goalie and it wasn't an easy situation for either one of them last year," Tallon said.
The plan now is to have either Corey Crawford or Antti Niemi be Huet's backup.
"We're going to look at every possible situation to make our team better," said Tallon, who claimed he never had any discussions in the last week about trading Huet.
Winging it: If you can't beat them, steal them. First it was Scotty Bowman leaving the Red Wings to join the Hawks' front office. Now comes Wednesday's signing of free agents Marian Hossa and Tomas Kopecky away from Detroit.
"Detroit is the ultimate team in our league," Dale Tallon said. "They're the best team. They're the best organization. Kenny Holland is the best GM, they have a great coach in Mike Babcock. They have great scouts. Why wouldn't you want to emulate what they do?
"I respect the world out of those guys. It can only help to have people from that organization get involved in our organization."
Man in the middle: Tomas Kopecky can play center or wing, but it's likely he will be slotted as a winger following the signing late Wednesday of center John Madden, formerly of New Jersey.
The 36-year-old Madden won the 2001 Selke Trophy and is considered a premier penalty-killer and shutdown center. Madden signed a one-year deal worth $2.75 million.
Kopecky was mostly a fourth-liner with Detroit, but he could play on the Hawks' third line, possibly with Madden.
"I'm looking forward to the challenge of competing for spots," Kopecky said. "I'm very excited to join this young team. They showed how improved they were and how tough they were in the playoffs. They gave us a hard time."
More to come? The Hawks still are hoping to either sign a veteran free-agent defenseman or trade for one.
"We've got lots of (cap) room left for this year," Dale Tallon said. "We'll look at the back end for a veteran guy, a stay-at-home guy who can settle things down. We'll see."
They qualify: Dale Tallon said all the Hawks' key restricted free agents were given qualifying contract offers by Monday's deadline, including Kris Versteeg, Cam Barker, Troy Brouwer, Corey Crawford and Ben Eager.