Oduya should be Hawks keeper
When the Blackhawks picked up Johnny Oduya as a rental for only a pair of draft picks, they probably figured they would get their money's worth.
They were wrong.
They got a lot more than that.
And now you have to wonder if Oduya will be more than just a rental.
Oduya has been the Hawks' best defenseman since he arrived on Feb. 27, and the Hawks have gone 11-2-3 with the veteran on the blue line.
Sure, Brent Seabrook picked up his game with Duncan Keith suspended, but no one has been more consistent over the last month than Oduya, who has 5 points, is a plus-2 and has averaged 24:25, including nearly 28 minutes over the last four games.
He's so confident and smooth with the puck that he has made life a lot easier for Nick Leddy, and he's moving the puck so well that it's no coincidence Corey Crawford has also regained his form the last few weeks.
The question is whether the Hawks will seriously consider keeping the 30-year-old Oduya and what kind of contract he would demand.
Oduya will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, and he's coming off a contract that paid him $4 million in 2011-12.
The Hawks have the resources to get something done if there's mutual interest and Oduya will be reasonable, but you would think Oduya will have considerable value on the open market if his play continues at this level in the postseason.
If the Hawks can re-sign Oduya, they will have a top six as good as anyone with Seabrook, Keith, Leddy, Oduya, Niklas Hjalmarsson and Dylan Olsen.
They still would be small on defense, but that doesn't seem to bother GM Stan Bowman, and the Hawks haven't done much to address that the last few years anyway.
Steve Montador was supposed to add a physical presence, but he didn't even before he was injured and has been a major disappointment.
You need more than six defensemen over a long season, so the Hawks could keep Montador and hope he'll be more comfortable next season, or move his contract that has a reasonable cap hit of $2.3 million, $2.3 million and $1.8 million the next three years.
Hjalmarsson has also failed to live up to a contract that pays him $3.5 million a year, but he's only 24 and has two years left on his deal.
Sean O'Donnell (40) and Sami Lepisto (27) both earned less than a million bucks this season and both are unrestricted.
But Oduya would seem to be a guy the Hawks could keep around for a long time. He's in his prime and playing great hockey.
It's only a question of whether they can afford him.
Stalberg surge
Viktor Stalberg changed sticks to a Sami Lepisto model and in the last three weeks has become a top-line player for the Hawks, which is huge going into the playoffs.
In the last 11 games, the Hawks are 7-1-3, and Stalberg has 10 points and is a plus-7 with 43 shots on goal. More important, his puck-handling, passing and pucks on net have improved significantly, and he has found a great rhythm with Patrick Sharp.
That line, with Marcus Kruger, has given the Hawks much better scoring balance, and Stalberg could be a game-changer in the postseason.
Tiger's return
As good as Tiger Woods has been since the Australian Open, he's still missing his distance control on iron approaches. Once he finds that, look out.
Woods is leading the PGA Tour in scoring average and total driving, is No. 2 in ball striking, fourth in scrambling, fifth in sand saves, sixth in strokes gained-putting and seventh in greens in regulation.
He was fourth the last two years at the Masters when he wasn't playing well, so now that he's in form if he stays away from 3-putts (6 last year) and is patient on the par-5s, Woods has a very good chance to win this week at Augusta.
The quote
Rocco Mediate to golfchannel.com, on Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy: “Tiger moves the needle. No one else moves the needle; he is the needle! Rory is going to be a great player. I love everything about him … but no one is Tiger, man. No one … If this guy goes away, we've got a problem — a big problem … I want him to win 100 majors.”
Dishing it
CBS' David Letterman: “The Carnegie Deli down the street named a sandwich after Tim Tebow. I think when you consider Tim Tebow, you think of a kosher deli.”
Double block
ABC's Jimmy Kimmel: “The International Olympic Committee decided that at the Summer Games in London this year female beach volleyball players will no longer be required to wear bikinis. This is the saddest day in volleyball since Tom Hanks let Wilson float away.”
Best headline
Sportspickle.com: “Robert Griffin III trying to enjoy his final weeks of happiness before becoming a Redskin.”
And finally …
NBC's Jimmy Fallon: “A high school here in New York is asking Knicks point guard Jeremy Lin to speak at its graduation. Lin plans on telling the kids they can be anything they dream of — for about two weeks.”
brozner@dailyherald.com
ŸListen to Barry Rozner from 9 a.m. to noon Sundays on the Score's “Hit and Run” show at WSCR 670-AM, and follow him @BarryRozner on Twitter.