Patrick Sharp Trade Rumors: Latest Buzz, Speculation Surrounding Blackhawks Star

With the NHL trade deadline approaching and rumors and speculation surrounding a number of players, conflicting reports have emerged about the future of forward Patrick Sharp with the Chicago Blackhawks.

Continue for updates.  

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Sharp's Agent Maintains His Client Won't Be Traded at Deadline

Sunday, March 1

Despite rumors suggesting Sharp was on the block and could be traded before Monday, his agent, Rick Curran, spoke to Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman and insisted that Sharp wasn't going anywhere, per Mark Lazerus of the Chicago Sun-Times:

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“He’s got no intentions of trading Patrick Sharp,” Curran said.

Two sources told the Sun-Times that Sharp was indeed in play, and that the Washington Capitals and Detroit Red Wings have shown at least some interest. Over the years, several teams have inquired about Sharp’s availability, and a source said last spring that the Hawks were shopping him around. Curran said at that time that Bowman had given him a similar assurance, and in the end Sharp wasn’t moved.

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Chris Kuc of the Chicago Tribune also reported that the Blackhawks and Capitals were discussing a potential trade, per a source.

Curran was less definitive about Sharp's prospects with the team beyond this season, however.

“Stan Bowman doesn’t ever want to trade Patrick Sharp,” Curran told Lazerus. “Having said that, what happens over the summer is something all clubs have to go through, with respect to the cap.”

Sharp, 33, has notched 10 goals and added 22 assists in 49 games this season. It's certainly been a drop in production for a player who scored 34 goals and 44 assists last season and has scored 20 or more goals in seven of the last eight seasons coming into this year.

A resurgence from Sharp has never been more important for Chicago as they deal with the loss of superstar Patrick Kane for at least 12 weeks. The Blackhawks have never needed a proven goal scorer more than they do now, and if Sharp can regain his form, it would be a huge boost for the Blackhawks.

In other words, it's not hard to see why the Blackhawks might be hesitant to deal him before Monday's deadline. The hope will be instead that Sharp goes on a goal-scoring tear down the stretch.