The Third Man In - An Independent Chicago Blackhawks Web Site

As if the Blackhawks need to be any more unlikeable.

ESPN.com Sunday extended a rumor Tim Sassone of the Daily Herald began floating the other night that the Hawks have thrown their proverbial hat into the Dany Heatley ring.  But hey, if it happens then maybe he and Patrick Kane go out drinking and riding together?  (Maybe just slightly poor taste?  It's been a long weekend.)

Sam over at SecondCityHockey.com wonders if this could be signs of a three-way deal in the works leading to a Patrick Marleau arrival in Chicago?

Marleau is entering the final year of a contract which will pay him $6.3 million this coming season.  He'll turn 30 on the 15th of this month and almost assuredly test un-restricted free agency next summer.  A summer the Blackhawks will already be handing 19-20 per season to Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith and team captain Jonathan Toews.  The upside is Marleau should be motivated to have a career-best season due to his contract status, but then again it's Patty Marleau we're talking about here.  A guy whose never broken through to his expected potential and has failed to lead San Jose to anticipated heights year after year in disappointing playoff returns.

Dany Heatley has six years and $45 million remaining on his deal with the Senators.  Heatley wants out of town because rookie coach Cory Clouston doesn't trust Heatley in playing in all situations or 22 minutes a night.  Those circumstances likely wouldn't change under Joel Quenneville.  Nor should they.  Heatley's a malcontent and selfish and players with those traits shouldn't be perceived as pieces to the championship puzzle in Chicago.

How could it happen?  A package involving Seabrook, who Ottawa consistently requests in any trade discussions with the Blackhawks (and another reason a potential deal involving Heatley and the Senators makes little sense), Kris Versteeg and/or Dustin Byfuglien.  Jack Skille has so little value right now I don't know how his name earns inclusion into these speculations?  Mathematically, Brian Campbell is the simplest answer, but for one; try convincing a team to take the seven years and $50 million left on his deal.  Additionally, losing a player of Campbell's ability on the blue line would result in damaging affects to the Hawks' transition game, the one facet which sets them apart from much of the Western Conference.  Could it be Bowman is looking to unload Kane?  Doubtful at this stage, especially since Kane has the ability to exceed Heatley's annual scoring production with some added experience and muscle.  Marleau makes more sense than Heatley, but the Hawks would have to give up one of their big three (well, they're not moving Toews under any circumstance but Keith or Kane) and subsequently locking Marleau up long-term.  In dropping Bolland back down to the third line where he belongs, that would give the Blackhawks the depth up the middle they need to seriously challenge the best in the West, the Penguins, Capitals, Bruins and Flyers in the East if they're serious about winning a Cup this season and beyond.

-- CT and "Forklift" return from a one-week hiatus for a visit with Toronto Maple Leafs bloggers Down Goes Brown and Pension Plan Puppets.  Plenty of hockey truculence on this week's HockeeNight PuckCast~!  And it wouldn't be a PuckCast I suppose without further discussion of Chris Block in a thong.

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