This article from Darren Dreger of TSN confirms what I think most of us still believe at this point:
Chicago is in the market for a top left winger, however like so many other teams the Blackhawks deal-making is being held up by the waiting game surrounding Mats Sundin.
Chicago has assets general manager Dale Tallon would consider trading.
Veteran goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin is at the the top of the list.
Khabibulin has informed the Blackhawks he wants to play 60 games this season.
With newly signed Cristobal Huet soon to make his debut, that’s unlikely to happen.
Also unlikely is a team willing to give up more than a draft pick or a prospect for Khabibulin who has one year left at 6.75 million dollars.
Tallon isn’t desperate to move Khabibulin, but he is eager, and will patiently wait to see if an injury pops up around the league that may heighten interest.
I wasn’t really aware that the Hawks might be in the market for a left winger right now, but it makes sense because that’s something they could definitely use, and perhaps they could get a forward in exchange for Khabibulin. As I have said before, I really cannot see this team heading into October with both Khabibulin and Huet both on the roster. As Dreger later mentions in his article, the Hawks could be in cap trouble if they don’t move Khabby, and might be forced to put him on waivers, which probably isn’t something Dale Tallon wants to do. I see Khabby gone by training camp, if not then, before opening night. If he wants to play 60 games this year, he’ll be doing it somewhere else.