I heard from two sources this morning.
The first filled me in more on the Jeff Carter Drama; what happened, what didn’t and why.
The Hawks, while apparently interested in Carter, were very leery of the way Columbus GM Scott Howson came to them about his player earlier this week. They were allegedly worried that any offer they might make would be used as mere leverage to extract a better offer from another team. They asked Howson to give his parameters for a deal—and then, supposedly, they sat on it. Meanwhile, Howson went to L.A. and, I’m told, informed them that if they could not meet his price, another team would. Was that the Hawks? I don’t know. The rest is history.
Another source informed me that three targets are front and center on the Hawks’ radar presently: center Mikhal Grabovski and Derek Roy, and defenseman Lubomir Visnovsky. I am not as sure of the accuracy of these rumors.
Apparently the sticking point on both centers is that both Toronto’s Brian Burke and Buffalo’s Darcy Regier are asking for a first round draft choice in addition to a player and/or prospect. And the Hawks are said to not want to part with that pick.
Now, let me editorialize here.
I don’t know how reliable this Grabovski/Roy information is. But I will say it fits a pattern recently of rumors that the Hawks don’t want to part with a 1st round draft pick that will likely be between 20 and 30 overall.
The Hawks have had
nine selections in the first two rounds over the last two years. To then quibble over a pick around #25 overall versus a pick around #55 overall in this year’s draft strikes me as the height (or depth) of vacillation and weakness.
It is not about “value” in this market, where teams win bidding wars only by what some call “overpayment.” It is about actual intent.
Do you want the player or not?
If you’re serious about going for the Cup and confident in your team, then you further assume that pick is a #29 or #30 overall. Fact.
So if Bowman is indeed waffling over his first round pick, he is not showing an all-in attitude or a lot of confidence in his team. As, Ken Holland, for example, did last week. Also, very hard to argue with.
Fear can be smelled.
Visnofsky is bordering on a pipe dream, as his club, Anaheim, is making noises about making the playoffs; he has another year left on a $5.8 million per season deal, and he will cost a lot in return.
And, of course, the Hawks have not shown the willingness to spend big in this market.
One of the sources told me the Hawks were basically back to square one this morning on their trade efforts, and both sources implied that the organization is now on pretty tight lockdown.
I did hear there is no truth to the rumors of Hawk interest in Sheldon Souray.
The Hawks handed Dallas two points last night—almost directly due to Bowman’s inability to address his blueline. Dallas is now 7 points behind the Hawks with 20 games left to play. As is tomorrow’s opponent, L.A., now bolstered by an offensive weapon they’ve been missing in Carter.
Niklas Hjalmarsson, Jonathan Toews and Steve Montador will not be making the trip to the West Coast. So all the air pumped into the balloon by the four game winning streak appears to be gone. While Apologists for the regime might still feel better days are just around the corner, it’s hard not to feel that this season, at least, hangs in the balance in the next 70 hours.
Can the Hawks salvage even 1-2 points against two playoff hungry clubs? And if they don’t, will their hesitancy to make deals turn into a complete surrender?
Thanks for reading,
JJ
Chicago Blackhawks Blogger • 
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