OK, I get about 1/20th the number of trade rumors sent my way as compared to someone like Eklund.

Ek has scads of “sources,” where I have a handful. And some rumors I hear I either don’t put in the blog, or I bring up in order to debunk them.

What follows is one that I felt worth mentioning here because it feels like it has some validity.

Now, also bear in mind, my way of describing these rumors is sort of like a medium (think: John Edward of the tv show ‘Crossing Over’) trying to interpret signs and symbols from the Great Beyond: you get unconnected pieces of truth, a certain amount of hearsay or gap-filling, and you have to be careful to make sure everyone understands that this is just what a source is telling you.

So, all that caveating aside, I heard yesterday that the Blackhawks have contacted Carolina about the availability of defenseman Niclas Wallin.

Wallin checks a lot of the right boxes: a big, steady, stay at home defenseman (exactly what the Hawks’ back-end needs), a UFA after this season, a product of Swedish hockey (this is a bit of a generalization, but also generally true: Scotty Bowman likes Swedes).

If true, this would seem to lend credence to the belief that the Hawks will add a defenseman before the deadline, if not Wallin, then someone of his ilk.

Apparently the ‘Canes’ asking price for Wallin was a bit high for the Hawks’ tastes. The ‘Canes wanted an NHL roster player whom the Hawks felt was worth more than just Wallin. So the Hawks asked that a specific prospect be thrown into the deal. At which, the ‘Canes balked and said, essentially, “not right now.”

The NHL roster player the Canes asked for? No idea, but take your pick from Cam Barker, Kris Versteeg, or Dustin Byfuglien, or possibly even ex-Cane Andrew Ladd. Who knows, teams might be inquiring more now about Troy Brouwer. Though, as Brouwer is signed at $1 million a year through next season, I think the Hawks would be very reluctant to deal him.

The prospect the Hawks supposedly asked for? This is totally my guess: defenseman Brad DuMoulin, skilled American winger Drayson Bowman or big Swedish winger Matthias Lindstrom.
Another thing to note here, this move feels a lot like last season’s move for Sammy Pahlsson, which sent James Wisniewski to Anaheim: not a seismic move, but a pre-playoff salary dump/tweak.

A couple more things the tea leaves might be saying here. It sounds like the Blackhawks were initially not looking to part with one of their larger trade chips, but more likely 4th liners or prospects. Again, this would indicate either that the Hawks want to maintain the present chemistry as much as possible, OR, just as possible, they have another larger deal in the works or on the horizon. Bear in mind: some of those chips will have to be dealt at some point.

So stay tuned on this one, as it seems to have the elements of a perfect, albeit small, storm.


JJ

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