Trade talk heating up
Posted by TimS on Fri, 02/25/2011 - 01:36
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Just a quick update on some trade talk involving the Blackhawks and the defenseman general manager Stan Bowman is trying to add before Monday’s deadline.
As I wrote for Friday’s print edition, according to a source, Tampa Bay’s Brett Clark apparently is in play, but it might cost the Hawks a forward off their present roster.
Clark is a solid and mobile defenseman with a reasonable $1.5 million cap hit on a contract that runs through next season. Clark is averaging 19 minutes a night in Tampa and has 8 goals, 15 assists and is minus-1.
Late on Thursday night by friend Jim Matheson, the Edmonton Journal’s Hall of Fame hockey writer, tweeted Hawks pro scout Martin Lapointe has been following the Oilers. Matheson wrote he believes the Hawks are scouting defensemen Ladislav Smid and Jim Vandermeer.
Smid has a $1.3 million cap hit and would be a restricted free agent after the season. Vandermeer has a cap hit of $2.3 million and would be an unrestricted free agent.
Smid plays 19 minutes for the Oilers and was minus-10 with 9 assists before Thursday’s game. Vandermeer brings toughness and was plus-5 with a goal and 8 assists.
It should be an interesting next four days.