Blackhawks find themselves on opposite side of trade deadline rumors

Normally, this is one of the best times of the year for the Chicago Blackhawks and their fans.

February or early March is when general manager Stan Bowman brings in players such as Michael Frolik, Johnny Oduya, Michal Handzus, Antoine Vermette and Andrew Ladd to give coach Joel Quenneville the best possible roster to make a Stanley Cup run.

This year, of course, has the opposite feel to it as the Hawks likely will be sending players to other teams between now and the Feb. 26 deadline.

It's not an easy time in the locker room for players who might be saying goodbye to friends and teammates they've spent the season playing with, living with, eating with and joking around with.

“As a coach you live in fear of the word getting out that one of your players is available because it is a total distraction,” Dallas coach Ken Hitchcock told us when the Stars were here earlier this month. “When the word is out in your locker room … it is really difficult to keep the players focused.”

Rumors have been floating around about several Hawks, including Ryan Hartman. He was asked about them by a TSN reporter before the Hawks played Ottawa on Wednesday night at the United Center.

Said Hartman, who is from West Dundee: “We're not getting on our phones and reading into all of the rumors. We're seeing just what actually happens. Obviously this is the place I want to be and play. This is my home.”

Bowman's best trade chips are versatile winger Tommy Wingels, the gritty Lance Bouma and defensemen Jan Rutta, Erik Gustafsson and Cody Franson.

Vinnie Hinostroza and Hartman are restricted free agents and could be moved, but a team would need to make a big offer. Patrick Sharp, with 142 playoff games, offers a veteran presence and bottom-six depth, although he has just 19 goals in his past 134 games.

A whirlwind of thoughts can hit a player when he is traded — especially when he has spent his entire career with that organization. Wingels experienced them last season when he was sent from San Jose to Ottawa on Jan. 24.

“When you get moved, it's a lot of emotions,” said Wingels, who was with drafted by the Sharks in 2008. “They helped you make the NHL and you have so many memories there. And just like that, it's gone. Tough to explain.

“You have to look at the positives of the situation. That was a good place for your career and the next step is now.”

In addition to the Hartman rumors, some wonder if the Hawks could trade a bigger salary such as Artem Anisimov ($4.55 million cap hit) or Brandon Sadd ($6 million).

If Anisimov would waive his no-movement clause, it wouldn't be a shocking to see him go. As for Sadd, it doesn't make sense to move him during a season in which he has just 15 goals.

Hitchcock said he immediately goes to the team's leaders if a big name is moved because emotions are running high.

“If you don't, there's going to be this void that's in your locker room where nobody's saying what everybody's thinking, and that's what you want to avoid,” Hitchcock said.

Quenneville hasn't had to deal with that kind of trade in his tenure with the Hawks, and he doesn't know how he'd react if one were made.

Jonathan Toews, though, isn't worried.

“Management and coaches have always been good at communicating with us and our leadership group,” Toews said. “But at the end of the day, there's so much else that goes into it. Crunching numbers at the cap, seeing where guys fit and what a guy's potential is down the road.

“You just let them do their job and can't worry about it too much.”

It's fair to wonder if Quenneville is under orders to showcase players to increase trade value. He has, after all, played Wingels on Jonathan Toews' line the past five games as well as given Wingels and Bouma time on the power play.

“No, we (are) not,” Quenneville said. “As a coach, you're aware that every organization has got a different timeline on where we're at, but right now we haven't had that discussion. We're trying to win games. You're always trying to win.”

Even while trying to rebuild at the same time.

Blackhawks players that other teams may be interested in

ForwardsTommy Wingels (UFA) – 7 goals, 5 assists in 54 games. Good depth forward who can play center. Has 54 games of playoff experience, 22 of which came on San Jose when Sharks reached the Cup Final in 2015-16.

Lance Bouma (UFA) – 3 goals, 6 assists in 53 games. Second on the Hawks with 132 hits. Could help on fourth line.

Vinnie Hinostroza (RFA) – 6 goals, 12 assists in 29 games. Speedy winger coming into his own. Would probably have to be a big offer for Stan Bowman to bite.

Rya Hartman (RFA) – 8 goals, 16 assists in 54 games. Could help turn a series by drawing a penalty or two at right time. Still, he will likely return.

Artem Anisimov (3 years remaining with $4.55 AAV) – 15 goals, 7 assists in 50 games. Anisimov has a no-movement clause but may waive it if Hawks send him to a true contender.

Brandon Saad (3 years remaining with $6.0 AAV) – 15 goals, 12 assists in 60 games. Highly unlikely Hawks move him. Value is at its lowest and you have to expect a bounce-back season in 2018-19.

DefensemenJan Rutta (UFA) – 5 goals, 12 assists in 41 games. On injured reserve but very close to returning. Rutta has shown flashes and could really help solidify a team's third pairing.

Erik Gustafsson (RFA) – 1 goal, 2 assists in 13 games. Offensive-minded D-man excels at finding a team's stars in open ice.

Cody Franson (UFA) – 1 goal, 6 assists in 23 games. He's in AHL, but Franson would provide leadership and could pitch in on the power play.

UFA — Unrestricted free agent; RFA — Restricted free agent; AAV — average annual value of remaining contract