NHL Trade Rumors: Does Moving a Core Player Save the Chicago Blackhawks Season?

The Chicago Blackhawks, mired in a nine-game losing skid, seem to be having trouble getting active in this season's trade market. Would offering a more attractive trade piece get things going?

Forget dipping a toe in the water. A lot of frustration on the part of 'Hawks fans is bringing out a lot of talk of the possibility of dealing from Chicago's vaunted "core" of talent. Is GM Stan Bowman willing to part with a top name, and does that move pull the Blackhawks out of the doldrums?

First, let's define "core" for the sake of this discussion:

Forwards: Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Patrick Sharp, Marian Hossa, Dave Bolland.

Defense: Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook, Niklas Hjalmarsson.

Goalie: Corey Crawford

(Note: I put on and took off Bolland, Hjalmarsson and Crawford several times because, although they are core guys to me, they aren't the sacred cows the others are. They do merit mention because trading your starting goalie could be considered a big move in some circles.)

Let's touch on the guys at the bottom of the list.

Crawford: If he is part of the package, that gets you a top-tier starter for the next three or four seasons, sure. Just remember that we have little depth in the organization in terms of NHL-ready goalies.

Hjalmarsson: He may not have the value he did last summer and Chicago should be careful with shipping off a guy who's willing to get in front of as many pucks as he does. Plus he's currently hurt and possibly nursing a concussion, which hurts is value immensly.

Bolland: If you take Bowman at his word, he has the next Bolland all set up in Marcus Kruger. Are they confident in Kruger's ability to replace the Rat right now? I think Bolland stays on the third line for the immediate future.

Now, let's move up to the bigger names.

Seabrook: I don't see him being moved. He's just starting a five-year, big-money deal and also starts on Chicago's top pairing.

Keith: Regardless of how Norris-worthy his play has or hasn't been, he's signed forever and his contract seems like a hard one to move.

Hossa: See Keith, plus the Blackhawks have finally gotten a healthy season from the guy. Moving him this month makes no sense in the short-term.

Sharp: How does someone tell their fan base: "We just picked up a sniper with a broken wrist. I think he's ready to break out and lead us on a playoff run?" Like Seabrook, a big contract kicking in next year doesn't help any attempt to move him.

Toews: Not if his hand plain falls off. Never. No way. That would be no.

Kane: Here's our huckleberry...

Kane's name has been tossed out as bait in trade rumors ever since he failed to maintain his prodigious start to the season. Kane is lazy, he doesn't play defense, and he isn't scoring goals, goes the chant. But, hey, he could fetch us an elite player in his prime in a trade.

Of the core players, Kane's game is by far the most one-dimensional. He's an offensive player and that's it. He is also, however, a number-one overall pick who is just 23 and has four-plus seasons under his belt. You don't trade those guys on a whim.

The 'Hawks have traded two top-three picks in their past. Denis Savard was a top-three pick with five 100-point seasons who was traded at age 28. Of course, that deal netted them Chris Chelios, who won a pair of Norris Trophies. It also came in the offseason.

The 'Hawks also parted with 1984 third overall pick Eddie Olczyk, sending him and Al Secord to Toronto in 1987. Olczyk, who was 21 at the time of the trade, had two 20-goal seasons under his belt and would go on to collect nine more before hanging up the skates.

That deal came before the 1987-88 season, not during it.

History has shown that the 'Hawks have been willing to part with a young player with offensive potential (heck, Edzo was a local product to boot) to improve their team. However, would a trade of Kane before the trade deadline make you a better team heading into March?

I'm not in favor of a deal involving Kane. On the other hand, you can never say never. If someone comes in and blows Bowman away with an offer that makes Chicago better, you would think he would at least listen to the pitch.

In my opinion, that's more likely to happen over the summer than in the next two weeks.