On the Chicago Blackhawks …
Mark Lazerus of the Chicago Sun Times: The Blackhawks currently have more than $10 million in salary cap space. They are needing to add a goaltender – Carter Hutton, Robin Lehner, and Cam Ward are free agents, with Scott Darling possibly available for trade.
Forward Artem Anisimov has a no-movement clause at the moment, but it becomes a partial no-trade on July first – list of 10-teams he’d accept a trade too.
GM Stan Bowman on free agency.
“It’s our job to have a lot of talks over the next few days, and I can’t really predict where it’s going to go,” Bowman said. “We have to wait and see what the agents have in mind. But we’re going to certainly talk a lot, and it’ll all play -itself out over the next week or so.”
Mark Lazerus of the Chicago Sun Times: Blackhawks top priorities this offseason.
1. A top-four defenseman – The Blackhawks have nine defensemen under contract for next season, but they may need some changes.
‘‘I’m not trying to shake things up just to shake things up,’’ he said. ‘‘If we can find a way to improve our team, then we’re going to look at that.’’
Do they try to move Connor Murphy and his $3.85 million cap hit and try and sign someone like Calvin de Haan or Ian Cole? trade for Justin Faulk?
2. Find a goaltender – They need a contingency play, a 1B type goalie. Source saying the Blackhawks reached out Carter Hutton. Other goaltender options include Robin Lehner, Cam Ward, Scott Darling, Ondrej Pavelec, Jaroslav Halak, and Kari Lehtonen.
3. Find a scorer – The Blackhawks could use a left winger. If you can sign James van Riemsdyk for $6 million, you sign him Max Pacioretty and Jeff Skinner at the right price are options.
4. Find a taker for Marian Hossa‘s contract – If they can’t find a taker they can always put him on the LTIR. If they are able to move him it gives them more cap certainty and more flexibility during the season.