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The deal I heard was close last night for Patrick Sharp with the Florida Panthers may be dead. Let me go through the usual caveats.
Great source. They know most of the people involved. And they spoke with someone yesterday who regularly speaks with both GMs. They have no reason to lie nor do I. You'd think by now I'd be pretty tired of "making things up" then dealing with all the cretins on Twitter when the deals don't go through (for whatever reason).
No, I can't tell you who the source is.
I reported that a deal may be close. It appeared it was. Terms between the teams agreed upon.
But . . .
As I mentioned here and on Twitter last night, Sharp is alleged to have a had a condition for waiving to go to Florida that would probably have had to have been approved by upper management in Florida—and I hear it wasn't. Or hasn't been yet.
I was asked not to share it, so I won't in any detail. Were I the management/ownership of Florida, it would give me pause. I would still trade for the player because he could help my club, and in the end, I probably have nothing to lose on the ice. It's nothing scandalous or outlandish.
Patrick Sharp wants to win. And evidence is emerging that suggests he would probably prefer to do so in a Northern US or Canadian city.
So I think the "optics" of GM Dale Tallon trading for another "ex-Blackhawk" who might not come to Florida 100% committed to the situation long-term might have been a negative for Florida ownership—especially with the team not on the best financial ground in that market. Some of that is conjecture, but a lot of dots connect.
So where does that leave Sharp and the Hawks? I don't know that any Florida deal is dead.
I do know that I keep hearing from multiple sources that he or the team has rejected multiple offers—with because the price isn't right for Chicago or Sharp refuses to waive.
There are those on my message board thread who insist there's no proof the Hawks have rejected offers for Sharp—or that there have even been offers.
No, there is no proof that steel girders are made of billions of electrons, but you push the up button in the elevator every morning don't you?
To say that there have been no offers for sharp is ridiculous. To say that the Florida Panthers have had no interest in Sharp is also foolish. There are just too many reasons they would. And there are valid sources saying they were as of 5PM Eastern last night.
Problem is, in the case of NHL trades where there's a no-movement or no-trade clause in effect, it takes three to tango.
So you probably also have a dwindling market for Sharp that may call for the Hawks to accept salary back and just take what they can get to clear the cap room necessary, not just for next year but to possibly retain Johnny Oduya and Marcus Kruger.
No news yesterday on Kris Versteeg or Bryan Bickell. Which could elevate the possibility of Corey Crawford getting traded sooner rather than later.
I'll have more as I hear it.
Chicago Blackhawks Blogger • 
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