Chicago Blackhawks: 5 Goaltenders They Could Trade for

It is getting very hard to watch the Blackhawks lately.

They are in the midst of a six-game losing streak, and they have lost eight-straight on the road. Plus, they still have five games left on this nine-game road trip.

I would say things could get ugly, but they already are.

There are so many things currently wrong with this team that it is hard to put a finger on what the biggest problem is.

For this article, I'm going to look at the goaltending, and some guys who could maybe help in that area.

So far this season Corey Crawford hasn't been able to cut it, and Ray Emery hasn't been that much better.

In 37 starts, Crawford has a record of 18-13-5, with a GAA of 2.94 and a save percentage of 90.

In 17 starts, Emery is 11-5-2, with a GAA of 2.8 and a save percentage of 90.1.

Both have given up soft goals, and both at times have gotten very little help from the defense in front of them.

So with the trade deadline approaching (February 27), who are some guys that could possibly be on the market, and that the Blackhawks could use to protect their net?

Cam Ward

There has been a lot of talk about the Carolina Hurricanes having a fire sale. So far it has yet to happen, but if it does, maybe Stan Bowman should ask about Cam Ward.

If they are looking for a goaltender with Stanley Cup experience, this would be the guy. He helped the Hurricanes win the cup in his rookie season.

The best part is that he is about to turn 28, so he could also be the goalie for the foreseeable future.

Ward has struggled a bit this season, but that is also due to his supporting cast. The Hurricanes are in last place in the Eastern Conference with points.

However, Ward would come with a huge financial commitment of four years, with a yearly cap hit of $6.3 million.

Maybe a package of Corey Crawford, along with Brandon Pirri and Sami Lepisto would be enough to convince the Hurricanes to part with Ward.

Ryan Miller

Last year, it would have taken at least Patrick Kane to get the Buffalo Sabres to part with Ryan Miller. Now, the story is very different.

Miller, who helped Team USA win the silver in the last Olympics, appears set to lose his job to Jhonas Enroth, who is eight years younger than him.

While he doesn't have the Stanley Cup on his resume, he is playoff proven, leading the Sabres to the conference finals twice.

However, in the last two seasons they have failed to make it out of the first round, and are only one point ahead of the last place Hurricanes in the East.

Like Ward, Miller comes with a hefty price tag, but for less time. He has an average cap hit of $6.25 million over the next two seasons.

Maybe a package of Bryan Bickell, Crawford and Jeremy Morin could be enough for a guy having a down season.

Miikka Kiprusoff

Miikka Kiprusoff is a machine. For the last six seasons he has started at least 71 games each year.

And the really amazing thing is that even at the age of 34 he isn't slowing down. Already this season he has started 44 of the team's 53 games, so his streak could be in jeopardy.

This season he has a save percentage of 92, and a goals allowed average of 2.29.

While his cap hit is pretty large, at $5.83 million over the next two seasons, he is actually only owed $6.5 million. $5 million of that is due next season.

Currently, Calgary finds itself only three points out of the final playoff seed, but there are three heads ahead of them. It would probably take them falling completely out of the playoff picture for them to part with Kiprusoff, but if they do then Stan Bowman needs to be on the phone with Calgary.

My guess is that they would want good young prospects, or draft picks to begin the rebuilding project.

Evgeni Nabokov

Here is the one guy that might be the easiest to obtain.

Evgeni Nabokov is one of three goalies the Islanders have, and they are just as far out of the playoffs as they are from last place, so they are in a position to sell.

Nabokov, you may remember, used to be the goalie for the San Jose Sharks, whom the Hawks swept on their way to the Stanley Cup finals in 2010.

While his record doesn't show it, at 11-12, he has done pretty well this season. He has a save percentage of 92, and a goals allowed average of 2.31.

Here is the best part: his contract is up at the end of this season, so it might not cost much to get him either.

Nikolai Khabibulin

I don't know what it is, but I have a soft spot for former Hawks.

Nikolai Khabibulin could be just what the doctor ordered, to cure all the Hawks' ills.

While his play has declined as the season has gone on, some of that has to do with his supporting cast in Edmonton.

If Khabibulin hadn't gotten hurt in 2009, against the Wings in the conference finals, maybe the Hawks would have been going for a repeat in 2010.

Khabibulin, who just turned 39, is under contract for next season with a cap hit of $3.75 million, so he isn't much of a long-term plan.

With Devan Dubnyk set to be the goalie of the future, the Oilers would probably be happy to be rid of Khabibulin's contract, and get a few players in return.

Maybe they would like Bickell, Lepisto or even Rostislav Olesz, who is still only 26.