I don’t normally give unsubstantiated rumors any lip service, but there were a few beauties that surfaced over the weekend. There aren’t many days left for deals to be struck with a roster freeze going into effect from the 12th to the 28th of February. The official trade deadline is March 3rd. Anyway, here they are.
- The Tribune’s Len Ziehm regurgitated (sort of like I’m doing now) a rumor he heard or read on TSN stating that the Blackhawks have interest in Tampa Bay defenseman Andrej (which he spelled Andrei) Meszaros. In the same article he mentioned a few other defensemen the Blackhawks have been linked to – Carolina’s Niclas Wallin, Los Angeles’ Sean O’Donnell and Anaheim’s Scott Niedermayer.
Red Rising’s Take: Well, Ziehm has the right idea. The Blackhawks could use some help on defense, but Meszaros isn’t an option. I don’t think Stan Bowman would create more work for himself in the off-season by trading for a player with a cap hit of $4M with a contract that expires at the end of the 2013-14 season.
Wallin is no longer an option – he was traded to San Jose yesterday. A veteran with an expiring contract like O’Donnell would work. The Kings would likely want some offense in return, and the Blackhawks have forward depth and can spare a player. However, two conference foes bound for the playoffs don’t help each other fill holes often. I’ve already spent enough of my time and your time on Niedermayer.
- Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun wrote that the ‘Hawks “are likely to add a goalie by the March 3 trade deadline”. He then suggests that Cristobal Huet can be stashed in Rockford to make the salary-cap numbers work, and the thrity-five year old Tim Thomas could come to Chicago.
Red Rising’s Take: If this sounds like a viable option to you, please go sit in the corner. I will never be Huet’s biggest fan, but it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realize this will never happen. The Blackhawks will go into the playoffs with the current goalie tandem.
- The Daily Herald’s Barry Rozner reported that a “team source” stated the Blackhawks are interested in ex-Blackhawk defenseman James Wisniewski. He suggests Cam Barker could go the other way.
Red Rising’s Take: Barker’s name will come up a lot as the trade deadline nears. He hasn’t been all to effective on the blue line this year, and due to the length of his contract Barker isn’t in Blackhawks’ plans after the season. The Wiz is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, and he isn’t all that great in the defensive zone. What the ‘Hawks need is a third pairing defenseman with an expiring contract – who is better then average in his own end.
I usually never waist my time reading anything Rozner writes, but I saw this rumor picked up by a few others. My impression of him is that his hockey IQ is minimal, and he is controversial to remain relevant. Rozner does make some sense when he says Niedermayer is a better option, but then he ruins it hinting Bowman might trade for a goaltender.
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