Hawks say they broke no rules with restricted free agents
Blackhawks general manager Dale Tallon is confident the team broke no rules in tendering qualifying contract offers to its restricted free agents last Monday.
Tallon issued a statement Saturday after a report late Friday night by TSN in Canada claimed the NHL and the NHL Players Association were investigating the Hawks over whether they offered his restricted free agents Kris Versteeg, Cam Barker, Troy Brouwer, Ben Eager, Colin Fraser and Aaron Johnson qualifying contracts properly.
"We followed protocol as we have in the past and we are confident that this will be resolved," Tallon said.
Versteeg, Barker, Eager, Fraser, Johnson and Brouwer could be ruled unrestricted free agents if it's determined their offers were filed incorrectly.
In an e-mail to the Daily Herald on Saturday, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly confirmed the league was investigating the matter.
"Looking into the facts and consulting with the players association," Daly said.
The Hawks maintained that the offers were filed properly with the NHL and the NHLPA. What's believed to be in question is whether the agents for the players were notified on time June 29.
Tallon told TSN the qualifying offers were mailed to the players in time on June 29, but because of the July 1 holiday in Canada, some of the players didn't receive them in time.
Most teams do not mail qualifying offers, instead using overnight delivery via courier or a fax to the agents.
Tallon said to TSN fax copies of the offers were sent to the league and the union, so he didn't expect a problem.
The Hawks so far have signed only one of their restricted free agents in center Dave Bolland.
• Martin Havlat met the media Friday in Minnesota and refused the opportunity to discuss anything that happened in his negotiations with the Hawks. This just a few days after Havlat said the real story about what took place in Chicago would come out.
"I feel that everything's behind me, and I just want to look forward now," Havlat said.
"I was really happy there and the fans were great and they were supportive those three years and the team, guys were great too. And I can say only good things about them."
Havlat signed a six-year, $30 million contract with the Wild that includes a no-trade clause, according to his agent.