Antti Niemi Likely To Be Traded: Chicago Blackhawks Sign Marty Turco

*UPDATE: WGN television has reported that the Blackahawks and former Dallas Stars goaltender, Marty Turco, have come to an one year agreement worth $1.75 million. This move has been rumored to happen once the offseason began. 

Now it's inevitable that Niemi will be moved, whether he will be traded or the Hawks just won't agree to the $2.75 million set at arbitration. 

New information about the arbitration hearing has come out, and it implies that the Antti Niemi will most likely not be in a Blackhawk uniform next season. 

Sources familiar with thew hearing say the Hawks gave the arbitrator a figure of $1.75 million. Niemi's team countered with $4 million, and it looks like the arbitrator just split the difference, awarding Niemi $2.75 million. 

This means the Hawks were hoping to land Niemi around that $1.75 million area, in hopes of that not hurting their salary cap problem too much as the $2.75 million does. 

It seems like the only way the Hawks were going to keep Niemi is if they got a extremely favorable decision. Now it the most likely situation is a sign and trade, leaving the goaltender spot wide open. 

Not singing Niemi and just letting him go is very unlikely because they would get nothing in return for him.

A few days ago there seemed to be some hope that the fans would have their favorite goaltender back in the net for at least one more year, but now it's back to reality. 

After learning about this, it looks like the Hawks will possibly have a new face in the net.