Hawks' final roster still up in the air
The evaluating isn't quite over for Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville.
With four exhibition games to play, Quenneville wants to get at least another look or two at rookies such as forwards Jermey Morin, Kyle Beach, Igor Makarov and Ben Smith and defenseman Nick Leddy and Brian Connelly.
Quenneville also still considers Jack Skille, Bryan Bickell, Jake Dowell, Viktor Stalberg and Ryan Potulny in competition to make the roster.
The Hawks play the Penguins tonight in Pittsburgh and will feature a mostly youthful lineup, according to Quenneville, with Hannu Toivonen and Alec Richards splitting duties in goal.
"We've still got some time to sort things out," Quenneville said. "Nothing is etched in stone here. We've still got a lot of evaluating to do and then who's going to play with who is going to sort out as well."
Quenneville confirmed only two of the veterans going to Pittsburgh: Brent Seabrook and Patrick Kane.
Boynton is sorry: Defenseman Nick Boynton apologized Monday for the throat-slash gesture to Tampa Bay's Blair Jones following a fight that earned him a one-game suspension to start the regular season.
"It was just a stupid play on my part and I'm paying for it," Boynton said. "I was upset. He beat me up, whatever, and what I did was stupid and it cost me, that's that.
"I've been around and I know better. It hurts the team and keeps me out of a game and it looks bad for the organization. I've apologized to who I've had to apologize to, my teammates and my coaches, and it won't happen again."
Huet to Europe: The Hawks officially loaned Cristobal Huet to HC Fribourg-Gotteran in the Swiss National League on Monday after the veteran goalie cleared NHL waivers.
Huet's $5.625 million cap hit is now off the books for 2010-11, but the Hawks still are responsible for paying his salary.
Tip-ins: Goalie Corey Crawford didn't practice Monday because of a lower body injury and likely will need another day or two off the ice, Joel Quenneville said. - Centers Jeff Taffe and Evan Brophey were assigned to Rockford on Monday, leaving the training camp roster at 33.