With Their Playoff Run Over, the Blackhawks Focus On the Offseason

It was a great run, but the Chicago Blackhawks finally met their match in the shape of the Detroit Red Wings. It is not time to dwell on the past, rather it is time to look towards the future.

The scouting combine, free agency, and the draft should keep us Chicago Blackhawks nuts busy until the puck drops next fall.

The first thing that Dale Tallon will focus on this off-season will be the players that are unrestricted free agents, namely Martin Havlat. Havlat enjoyed his first injury free season with the Chicago Blackhawks in three years and will likely be looking to get a lucrative contract from the 'Hawks, or some other NHL team.

But with the uncertain status of the NHL salary cap, teams might not be willing to dish out the big bucks for a player who has been riddled with injuries in the past. I could see Havlat signing a deal worth $5 million for two years with the Blackhawks, and then test the market when the economy has turned around.

If the Blackhawks cannot resign Havlat they will need to look to free agency to fill that need, possibly with a player like Ales Kotalik or Brian Gionta.

Next on the free agent pecking order is trade deadline acquisition Samuel Pahlsson. Pahlsson will be 32 in December and has made $1.4 million over the last two seasons. The Blackhawks are still a young team and do need to have veteran leadership on their team.

Pahlsson has been a good fit on the 'Hawks third line and has helped elevate the play of winger Dustin Byfuglien. It is likely that Pahlsson's services could be had for a similar if not lower contract and I believe a deal will get done before the free agency period starts.

The final big name that Blackhawk management will need to address this off-season is goaltender Nikolia Khabibulin. Like Havlat, Khabibulin had not been living up to his contract until this season when he became a key cog in the Blackhawks deep playoff run.

But can the 'Hawks support two number one goaltenders?

It is unlikely, and I don't think that Khabibulin will be wearing an Indian head sweater next season. Some other team will give him a lucrative contract to start for them.

The 'Hawks will also have a few restricted free agents that they will need to take care of this off-season, including Dave Bolland, Ben Eager, Cam Barker, and Kris Versteeg. Each of these players will likely get a big raise in their contracts which could limit the 'Hawks flexibility in the free agent market.

It is also likely that the 'Hawks will look into extending their core group of players such as Duncan Keith, Jonathan Toews, and Patrick Kane, all of whom will be restricted free agents in 2010. Although their RFA status is not until 2010, it is not to early to address their contracts and fend off anyone from putting out an offer sheet on the young Blackhawk stars.

Even though the Blackhawks off-season will likely be a busy one and one that will keep Blackhawks fans on the edge of their seats, with this amount of drama it should keep us interested and loving hockey until this fall.