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He’s heard the rumors but has been around long enough not to let it affect him. Marty Turco will take the ice for the Dallas Stars on Tuesday against the Chicago Blackhawks, but will he still be a Stars goaltender come the trade deadline?

Rumors persist he could be on the move, and if the Hawks are looking for a goaltender, he fits their profile: playoff-tested and in the last year of his contract.

He’s not sure what will happen, and the Stars being for sale only complicates matters. Either way, it’s hard for him not to hear the talk.

“Of course we all think about it,” Turco said after Tuesday’s morning practice. “We don’t know if anything is going to happen. All you can do is continue to try to do your part to win where you are. And if things change down the road, I got a great wife and loving family, and we can adapt to anything. But right now my heart is in Dallas. We want to get closer to the playoff picture.”

Dallas enters Tuesday's game three points out of a playoff spot with one team between them and the eighth seed. It’s the proverbial “caught in the middle” scenario, as Turco put it. Are they buyers or sellers? He doesn’t know, and the Stars may not know until days before the deadline.

Turco understands the position the Hawks are in, because he was once there as a young goaltender. Even though their numbers are good, Cristobal Huet and obviously Antti Niemi don’t have Turco's playoff experience.

“It’s splitting hairs,” Turco said. “I’ve been involved in both situations. You’re never going to get experience until you get it. Playoffs [are] a different animal, but I think being in this city with this team with the expectations, they’re under a lot of pressure, and they’re being professional. It comes back to things [trade talk] they and I can't control.”

Turco is impressed with the Hawks.

“They have the puck most of the time, low goals-against, not many shots [against], and a good defense that plays 200 feet,” Turco said. “To say that they have it all is an understatement. We have a couple of confidence-building wins, but it doesn’t mean much if we don’t bring it [Tuesday night].”

Dallas is 2-0 against the Hawks this season, and Huet has had two sub-par games against them. It’s one reason Joel Quenneville will start Niemi. Plus, Niemi stymied the Blues on Saturday to break a Hawks' three-game losing streak.

“Either reason,” Quenneville said after the Hawks' Tuesday morning practice. “Antti hasn’t played against them and [us] not winning [against Dallas this season]. Antti gets a chance. He’s coming off an outstanding win against St. Louis, and it’s a good opportunity to get a back to back game here and see how he responds.”

One sore spot lately has been the Hawks' power play. They are 0 for their last 16 over a five-game span. Quenneville was asked to analyze it. It took him about a half of a second to respond.

“Not very good,” Quenneville said. “It’s an area where we need some production. Going five or six games without a goal can really slow down your offense and momentum in games. We want to go into the break getting this power play going. We know it can be the difference-maker on a lot of these nights. It can separate a close game and break it open for us. This has gone on long enough. We are due for something good to happen.”

NOTES

Ben Eager did not participate in Tuesday morning’s practice due to an ongoing “lower body injury.” Quenneville is hopeful he might try to play this weekend but said “certainly after the Olympic break.”

He may not say it but Tomas Kopecky must have been as surprised as anyone when coach Joel Quenneville announced new line combinations in meetings before the Chicago Blackhawks took on the St. Louis Blues on Saturday.

Kopecky wound up playing with fellow Slovakian and friend, Marian Hossa, with Dave Bolland as their centerman.

“We had a meeting in St. Louis and [Quenneville] wrote down the lines and that’s when I realized I was going to be playing with Marian and [Dave Bolland]. Actually, I was hoping [to be on a line with Hossa] the whole year. Now the chance came and now I have to grab it and don’t let it go.”

It’s a far cry from riding the bench, which Kopecky did just the night before -- or from playing on the fourth line, which he’s done most of the season. Kopecky thinks his line played well in the Hawks own end on Saturday and he knows what his role will be on it.

“The last game we played really good defensively,” Kopecky said. “We didn’t give them any chances against. We’ll get our chances offensively. Hossa is a top player in the NHL and [Bolland] is a great passer. My job is to get the puck to Hossa or Bolly and go to the net. Every time you get them the puck something good is going to happen, and driving the net is what I need to do.”

One advantage the two Olympians have playing on the same line is using their native tongue when they need to. The only problem? Dave Bolland doesn’t know any Slovak.

“Yeah, already, sometimes they start talking Slovak and you don’t know what to say [back] so I figure it’s between them. As long as they’re not talking about me,” Bolland joked.

Bolland is getting used to playing with a talent like Hossa. While different than his linemate of last year, Martin Havlat, their similarities are in their world-class talent.

“From playing with Havlat to Hossa is a bit of a difference,” Bolland said. “There’s little things you have to get used to. Every game you start to find out where he is and where to get him the puck. That [part] is the same as Havlat last year. The first few games [with Havlat] I was stunned. He’s everywhere, he’s so quick. With Hossa it’s a little different, but we’re getting there.”

Kane on Caps: Patrick Kane watched the Washington Capitals thrilling come-from-behind win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday. It was Washington’s 14th consecutive victory. He’s impressed by the Capitals, though knows that streak hasn’t involved much travel.

“Those Eastern Conference teams get a little bit of an advantage,” Kane said. “They make one trip west a season and then play in the same time zone most of the year. But I’d be surprised if Washington didn’t make it [to the finals] this year. They are head and shoulders above teams in the East.”

As for Alex Ovechkin's game, Kane said, “I like [Ilya] Kovalchuck’s style more, but at the same time Alex Ovechkin is the best player in the league. Anybody would tell you that.”

NOTES:

• Antti Niemi will start a second consecutive game on Tuesday against Dallas.

• Ben Eager missed practice with a lower body injury that kept him out of the Blues game on Saturday. Joel Quenneville also missed practice. He and Stan Bowman attended the wake of Brendan Burke, who was killed late last week in a car accident. Brendan is the son of Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brian Burke.

• Sources say there are “plenty” of teams calling Anaheim Ducks general manager Bob Murray inquiring about his defensemen. The Daily Herald reported on Sunday the Hawks may be interested in re-acquiring James Wisniewski, who they traded to the Ducks last season for center Sammy Paulson. Sources confirm the Ducks are unsure if they will be able to re-sign Wisniewski. He is set to become a restricted free-agent and could be the depth guy the Hawks are looking for if his teammate, Scott Niedermayer, is unavailable for a bigger trade.

CHICAGO -- Antti Niemi will get another chance at starting back-to-back games as he's been tabbed by Joel Quenneville to be in net Tuesday against the Dallas Stars.

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It’s Monday, so time to answer your questions.

With all these rumors about the Hawks going after goalies like [Tim] Thomas and [Dan] Ellis, who could you see them trying to get? Thomas scares me as his confidense is shot (or just saving his stuff for the Olympics). I don't think the Predators' goalies can handle the pressure of Chi town. If they do or are looking what would the possibility of getting [Marty] Turco from Dallas. Maybe a good teacher for [Antti] Niemi. Unfortunately, with their ownership situation, I can see them taking on [Cristobal] Huet's salary. What are your thoughts? How much would it cost if we buy him out or if he clears waivers? Keep up the good work see ya on Twitter.

KC Gulbro, Geneva

KC,

I don’t think they are going to pull the trigger on a goalie. But if they do, Turco makes a lot of sense. He is the best puckhandling goaltender in the league, and that fits perfect for the Hawks' puck possession game. Heck, if he played a whole season with this team, he might break the assist record for goalies. I’m fairly sure any trade for a goaltender would have to send Niemi back to the other team, not Huet, so keep that in mind. I certainly am not advocating a trade for a goalie, but it’s not out of the realm of possibility.

Jesse,

Thanks for your excellent work. If Stan Bowman decides to add a defenseman at the trade deadline, which ones do you think would be available and which ones would be the best fit for the Blackhawks?

Dave Morris, Ottawa, Ontario

Dave

That’s the $64,000 question, isn’t it? I still can't believe Scott Niedermayer won’t be available. Five to seven points out of the eighth spot is enough to give up, in my opinion, but I’m sure it may not feel that way for Anaheim. It may not sound like a lot but when you’re the 12^th seed, I believe that it’s time to start looking to next season. And they can always re-sign him. So if he’s available, I would go after him big time. Otherwise you are looking at depth guys. The New York Islanders' Andy Sutton is a name I kind of like, but I haven’t heard good reports on him. I think either Carolina guy that’s left, [Joe] Corvo or Aaron Ward, could help. There’s a few for you. If the Hawks could get [James] Wisniewski back from the Ducks, we know the chemistry would work. I’m surprised he might be available.

Jesse,

Curious if you have any insight into Chris Versteeg's struggles of late. He seems very unsure of what to do when he's got the puck. Is it because he's been playing on the "checking" line with [John] Madden? The constant trade rumors? I'm just not seeing the offensive skills he displayed last year.

Dave, Crystal Lake

Dave

He has been streaky this season, no doubt. Started out OK, then had a dip, then had a great stretch after missing a couple games with the flu, and now a dip again. Don’t think it’s the whole checking line thing. He had his best 10-game segment playing on that line with Madden and [Dustin] Byfuglien. And I can’t tell you how the trade rumors are affecting him. I just don’t know. Plus, those rumors are coming from fans and media. No one from the team has said anything bad about him on or off the record, to me, at least. I think this is how he his. Sometimes his fancy play will lead to turnovers and sometimes it will be a highlight reel move.

Jesse,

How would you rank Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook both as a pair and individually against the rest of the NHL's defensemen?

Tommy P, Wheaton

Tommy,

Most people believe they are better together than apart. I agree. They know each other so well, it makes their individual games better when they are both on the ice. I think Keith, especially, thrives off playing with Seabrook, whose game wouldn’t change much with someone else back there with him. It’s a major reason the Canadian Olympic team picked them. In fact, team officials said taking them together was a key aspect in choosing the whole defense. There might be a couple that are better individually, but as a pair, Keith and Seabrook are right there with the best. They have had some negative moments lately, but it doesn’t take away from what they’ve done. As they go, so will the Hawks down the stretch.

Jesse,

People were freaking out after the Hawks lost three in a row. I wasn't worried ... were you?

Johnny2toews, South Side Chicago




Johnny,

No, because it’s hard to go through a whole season without losing three in a row. And if it was going to happen, somewhere around that road trip made sense. It did change my thinking on this Olympic break a bit. Whereas a lot of people were saying it could hurt their momentum, I think now, the rest will get them re-energized. I know it will for other teams as well, but as much as the Hawks have the puck and like to skate, maybe they need it more. That’s the only thing about the losing skid that got me thinking. And remember, shootouts can go either way so to me, that’s not the same as a regulation or five-minute overtime loss. So was it really three in a row? Kind of.

If this is how Antti Niemi plays coming off the flu, here’s hoping he gets a cough more often. It took a late 5-on-3 power play goal by the St. Louis Blues to ruin the shutout bid, but Niemi and the Chicago Blackhawks held on for a 2-1 win Saturday night.

Niemi was supposed to start against St. Louis last Wednesday, but called in sick. He felt bad enough that the Hawks had to call up an emergency goaltender to back up Cristobal Huet. They lost that game and the next one, but Niemi stopped the losing right there. In doing so, he lowered his league-leading goals against average and rebounded from a poor showing in his last outing.

“He’s a heck of a goalie that’s for sure,” Patrick Sharp said on Comcast SportsNet after the game. “There’s times when players have open nets and it looks like he’s down and out and he doesn’t give up. He continues to work and compete harder than anyone I’ve seen in there.”

And this was no 18-save performance. Niemi stopped 34 shots, including two in the opening seconds of the game as he denied Eric Brewer and Brad Boyes. From there it was one pad save after another as he and the Hawks broke a season-high three-game losing streak.

“He was more than fine,” Hawks coach Joel Quenneville stated.

Last time he played, Niemi had been on a roll but lasted only one period in Vancouver. That was two weeks ago. He showed no signs of rust. In fact he was as technically sound as ever. He’s excelled as a backup goalie, admitting early in the season he wasn’t sure how he would react to days and weeks of inactivity. I think we know the answer.

Though he flopped in his opportunity to start back-to-back games on a recent road trip, Saturday put him back on track as a viable option for Quenneville down the stretch. Sharp echoed what his teammates have been saying all year about him and Huet.

“That’s another thing that we hear a lot about, is our goaltending situation,” Sharp said. “Inside our locker room we just kind of chuckle and shake our heads. We’re confident with whoever is in the net back there. And we feel good about it.”

Quenneville was pleased with his new line combinations and the intensity his team displayed but added that “it certainly helps when you get a goalie win.”

It does, indeed.

NOTES:

• Joel Quenneville completely jumbled his lines even breaking up Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, and Troy Brouwer. It was the first time that trio had not skated together since December 13.

• Toews was very critical of his team after Friday’s loss to Phoenix. On Saturday, he put his money where his mouth is with a huge game. He was plus two with a goal and an assist. He also won 68 percent of his faceoffs.

• Quenneville wasn’t mincing words on Comcast SportsNet about a late unsportsmanlike conduct call against Brent Sopel. It allowed St. Louis a two man advantage with just minutes remaining. “I’ve never seen that called in that situation before,” Quenneville bluntly stated.

• Ben Eager was scratched with a lower body injury. Quenneville called it a “short term thing.”

For those who enjoy post-trade information, sources say the Chicago Blackhawks were never serious about obtaining star forward Ilya Kovalchuk.

Kovalchuck was traded to the New Jersey Devils on Thursday for defenseman Johnny Oduya, rookie forward Niclas Bergfors, junior prospect Patrice Cormier and a first-round draft pick. Other than a cursory conversation or two, the Hawks and Thrashers never got serious about the impending free-agent.

The implication of such information is that the Hawks are not bent on dumping salary before this year’s trade deadline. Both general manager Stan Bowman and Hawks owner Rocky Wirtz have said as much in recent interviews. Winning now and worrying about the cap later has been intimated -- if not outright declared -- in those interviews. This non-interest in Kovalchuk backs that up and also implies the Hawks are satisfied with their offense.

On paper, there seemed to be a fit between the teams if the Hawks had wanted to pursue Kovaluchuk. In fact, the players the Devils sent back were exactly the type that conceivably were expendable for the Hawks. The only difference is in the money that they make. Atlanta would have had to take on more if a trade with the Hawks had been consummated. And its unknown if the Hawks would have had a prospect to the Thrashers liking.

It’s a moot point now. With the biggest name off the market, the Hawks will more than likely look to add a defenseman or do nothing. Then there’s that goaltending situation, but any move in that department would be a long shot.

Are the Hawks caught in between?

On Wednesday, against St. Louis, they had the puck on their stick a lot, just like they normally do. But they turned it over to the Blues one too many times, which forced coach Joel Quenneville to demand a simplified game. Did they go too far on Friday against Phoenix?

The simpler game helped in cutting down turnovers but not in providing offense. Jonathan Toews said as much after it was over.

“When we chipped it in … we didn’t have support for our forecheck,” he said. “When you don’t have puck possession, like tonight, nothing’s going to happen for you.”

It was one of the few times all season that you could say it was an even game -- not many scoring chances either way, and neither team had the puck in the offensive zone much more than their opponent. In plenty of losses this year, the Hawks have out-chanced and outplayed the other team. That simply wasn’t the case against the Coyotes.

So if the simpler game didn’t provide enough offense and the “cute” play turned the puck over too much, what’s the answer?

There’s one option left. Get dirty. The Hawks have shown they can win a gritty game. See Pittsburgh or previous St. Louis contests. Combining puck possession with some gritty play is the formula for the Hawks to win, no matter the style of the opponent.

The irony of a good player like Dave Bolland returning is you may not reap the rewards right away. He has to get his game back and more important, new chemistry has to develop with adjusted line combinations.

Quenneville has elected, for now, to keep Patrick Sharp at center. That may have more to do with John Madden than anything. Madden has disappeared in the boxscore and seemingly on the ice. He hasn’t had a point in 10 games and is minus five over that span. Friday night was the first time in those 10 he was a plus player, having been on the ice for Colin Fraser’s goal. His minutes have decreased, especially with the return of Bolland. He played a season low 10:57 on Friday. Maybe this is all a good thing. Nothing wrong with resting 36-year-old legs until they’re really needed in the spring.

Coincidence or not, the Hawks offense has dried up twice this season after big wins in San Jose. They scored 10 goals in their next seven games after beating the Sharks in November. Now, it’s been five goals in three games since their latest win there. After that first dry spell Quenneville made dramatic line changes, this time he was forced to, due to the return of No. 36.

It may be prudent, if the top seed continues to be an arms length away, to just forget about it. Maintain the comfortable lead for the second spot in the conference and get ready for the playoffs. If Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook aren’t experiencing some fatigue, they certainly will after the Olympics. Watching their minutes and getting a little help for them via trade seems like a good strategy.

Going a whole season without a three game losing streak is pretty hard to do. Of course, so is winning 13 in a row. The Washington Capitals are on that roll but haven’t traveled any further than New York or Florida during the run. At least the Hawks can claim more frequent flyer miles. The schedule is no excuse, but it can prevent you from getting on a roll and that may be what this latest trip has done. Everyone is wondering if the Olympic break will bad for the Hawks and their momentum. Maybe it will be good for them and then they can re-start their engines and begin—so to speak--from scratch. There is no doubt that the impending return of Adam Burish will provide an energy spark of its own.

All is not lost. This game has such a fine line. In both of the home losses this week, the Hawks scored first. That’s a good thing. They also had the better chances to get a second goal before the other team had its turns. If Marian Hossa misses on another break-away or shootout attempt, maybe the Hawks should ask for their $8 million back. In St. Louis, Andrew Ladd led a three-on-one, but could not convert to tie the game. Seconds later, on the other end, his home run pass was picked off and turned into the Blues’ third goal. Not a great shift for Ladd, but that’s how fine the line can be.

NOTES:

The Hawks announced the largest crowd of the season Friday night at 22,169. It’s the 78th consecutive capacity crowd.

Though Hossa missed on a shorthanded breakaway, it did look like he was hooked near the goal. Quenneville agreed with that assessment after the game.

Duncan Keith earned his team leading 40th assist on the Fraser goal Friday night. He’s tied for most assists among defensemen in the entire league.

It may have been overlooked at the time, but the Coyotes lone goal in regulation came on a power play after the dreaded “too many men on the ice” penalty. It’s always a tough pill to swallow when scored upon after that kind of an infraction.

“We went for the wrong guy. That was all,” Quenneville said after the game. In other words, there was miscommunication on a line change.

Three former Hawks accounted for pucks going in the Hawks’ net for the Coyotes. Radim Vrbata scored in regulation while Robert Lang and Adrian Aucoin tallied in the shootout. Aucoin has won two games in a row for Phoenix, having scored in the 10th round of a shootout in Nashville on Tuesday. Friday, Coach Dave Tippett moved him up to third in the batting order.

The Hawks are 5-6-2 against the Pacific Division this season. They’re 23-6-2 against the rest of the Western Conference.

He sat at his locker stall with that infamous Jonathan Toews stare. The one that helped dub him “Captain Serious.” The one we haven’t seen much of this year. But a season-first three-game losing streak brought it out, and Toews didn’t mince words about the latest loss, 2-1 in overtime to Phoenix.

“We got no jump to our game and you’re not going to get any breaks when you’re playing like that,” Toews said. “When you don’t have puck possession, nothing is going to happen for you.

“It comes to our energy level. We have to find a way to push ourselves and motivate ourselves for these games. I don’t know what we’re thinking about right now, but our focus isn’t there.”

Joel Quenneville was less critical of his team, but he is interested in how the Hawks will respond -- considering the three losses in a row -- to the most adversity this team has faced all season.

“I think all year long things have been rather smooth and now it’s a test for us to try and capture some momentum here and find out what it’s like to win [again],” Quenneville said. “We get right back at it [on Saturday], so that’s what we’re anxious to find out.”

Wednesday night against the St. Louis Blues the Hawks were sloppy with the puck and were told to simplify their game. Against Phoenix, it was even worse, considering they didn’t have the puck enough to get sloppy with it.

“Our puck protection, our puck possession game was virtually not there,” Quenneville said.

Toews said the lack of energy is especially offensive considering the excitement the team showed coming home from their long road trip.

“I don’t know if we thought it was going to be easier playing here but teams are going to come in here and step up their game ... and we have to be ready,” Toews said.

Now it’s back to the road against the team that beat them Wednesday. If that isn’t motivation enough, the Hawks might be staring at their first four-game losing skid while the top seed in the conference becomes an even further reach.

Talk in the Chicago Blackhawks dressing room after their Friday morning practice revolved around two things: avoiding a three-game losing streak for the first time this season and the trade of Ilya Kovalchuk from the Atlanta Thrashers to the New Jersey Devils.

The former “problem” the Hawks can take care of Friday night is against the upstart Phoenix Coyotes. As for the latter issue, the players that spoke about it weren’t surprised Kovalchuk didn’t land in Chicago, and frankly, were just fine with it.

“I didn’t think he was going to come here to be honest,” Patrick Kane said. “For a team like the one we have its more of a depth team than a one- or two-man show … I know in Atlanta it was the Kovalchuk show and that was about it. We’d rather have our team in here I think, and the depth we have.”

“As of right now there is no need to change the team,” Troy Brouwer said. “If something does happen it happens, its part of the game and everyone will tell you that…There was a little bit of whisper he might be coming here but no one is that surprised and we’re real happy with the lineup that we have.”

Kris Versteeg has often been mentioned as a guy that could be on the move in a salary cap saving trade, so maybe he was talking about himself as much as anyone in regard to the Kovalchuk deal.

“Seeing him go to that team, maybe some guys can relax a little more and play but you never know what is going to happen,” Versteeg said. “It’s a game where you just have to go out there and play and let the off ice stuff take care of itself.”

On the ice, the Hawks realize they’re falling behind San Jose for the top spot in the West and a two-game losing streak is about all they can stand. The Sharks are five points ahead of Chicago entering play on Friday.

“They’re kind of pulling away a bit so we want to slow that down a bit here and make sure we don’t lose three in a row,” Kane said. “We’ve lost two in a row a couple times and bounced back pretty good. Hopefully we can do the same tonight.”

“Obviously there are no excuses. We’re at home, the road trip is over, and there shouldn’t be any reason we can’t do it [win].”

Phoenix doesn’t make for an easy opponent anymore. They are only five points behind the Hawks and have about 100 percent less publicity. Their goaltender, Ilya Bryzgalov, ranks in the top 10 in every major goaltending category but coach Joel Quenneville is more concerned with his team. He reiterated the need for simple plays that will avoid turnovers but admits with the Hawks' style, the balance isn’t the easiest thing to find.

“It’s a fine line there,” Quenneville said. “We want the puck on our stick. We want a puck possession game … [You have to] recognize the balance where maybe safe plays, chip plays, simple plays ... is the situation to be in.”

Quenneville has elected to keep Patrick Sharp at center but move Dave Bolland up to play with Marian Hossa and Andrew Ladd. That means Sharp will be between Dustin Byfuglienand Versteeg. John Maddencenters the fourth line and Quenneville said Colin Fraser will be back in the lineup indicating he may play wing which would send Tomas Kopecky to the bench.

“I think Fraser’s awareness and positioning no matter where he is, is pretty astute,” Quenneville said. “He’s got a good awareness for the game. I don’t think it will be an issue.”

“[Assistant coach] Mike Haviland coached me in the minors for three years, and I played more wing than I did center,” Fraser said. “I’ve played wing many times before. It’s not an issue for me. I’ll play defense if I have to. Whatever gets me in the lineup.”

As always with new lines, they are subject to change. Only the top line of Kane, Jonathan Toews, and Brouwer remains intact. Cristobal Huet will start in goal with Antti Niemi returning from the flu to back-up.

NOTES

Though he was fine with Kovalchuk not coming to Chicago, it doesn’t mean Patrick Kane doesn’t like him as a player.

“I think a player like that would definitely be fun to play with…He's probably my favorite player in the league just to watch, Kane said.”

The two “hung out” together at last year’s All-Star game. Kane said he especially likes his goal celebrations.

Colin Fraser didn’t love sitting out last game but understood the reasoning behind it.

“When you have a deep team, it has to be somebody,” Fraser said. “It happened to be me. Nothing you can do. Coach’s decision. Just when I do get my chance I just have to play well.”

He also got the “impression” that there would be a rotation of players that will be healthy scratches based on play and fatigue.

Versteeg is one of several Hawks not shocked by the Coyotes' record.

“It’s not a surprise with all the good players they have on their team,” Versteeg said. “I guess it's about time they had a good season with those guys.”

I arrived at practice late on Thursday, having attended the Rocky Wirtz “Lunch With a Legend” radio show on ESPN 1000. The theme with the Chicago Blackhawks right now is avoiding the turnovers and making the simple plays. It’s actually been a narrative for a while. Turnovers are killing them. There’s no need to attempt to make the “perfect play.”

Here are some other news and notes as the Hawks try to avoid their first three-game losing streak of the season:

• Marian Hossa is now tied for the league lead in shorthanded goals with four. The Hawks have nine on the season -- tops in the NHL. A third of those came in one game against San Jose.

• Hard to get down on the Hawks for losing to a Central foe for the first time since Dec. 4. It breaks a streak of nine wins in a row against division opponents. They are 12-4 against the Central this season.

• Troy Brouwer earned his 30th point on Wednesday. The Hawks now have eight players with at least 30 points. Only the Washington Capitals can claim that many with at least 30.

• Dave Bolland spent more time centering Hossa and Patrick Sharp on Thursday. He had several third period shifts with them Wednesday night.

• Joe Fallon was sent back to Rockford on Thursday. Antti Niemi did not practice, but should be ready for the game Friday against the Phoenix Coyotes. Cristobal Huet will start.

• The Coyotes should be ready for this game. They’ve been in Chicago since late Tuesday night after beating Nashville 1-0 in a shootout. Wednesday marked one of the few times, if ever, three teams practiced on the same day at the United Center. After the Hawks and Blues participated in their morning skates, Phoenix took to the ice as they did on Thursday as well. The Coyotes are 34-18-5 and, considering their history and current situation, Coach Dave Tippett can take home the Jack Adams Award today.

• Last, but certainly not least, cross Ilya Kovalchuk off the chalk board for the Hawks. He’s a New Jersey Devil now and while it seemed on paper that he had a chance of becoming a Hawk, the reality and timing just wasn’t right. Look for the Hawks to add, if anything, a defenseman before the March 3 trading deadline.

CHICAGO -- He knew in sixth grade that he would someday run the Chicago Blackhawks, and now Rocky Wirtz is arguably the city’s most popular owner. The Hawks boss was the featured guest on the “Waddle & Silvy” Lunch with a Legend series Thursday on ESPN 1000, and his honesty as an owner is refreshing.

Wirtz held court on a myriad of topics from the trade deadline to his business strategies. He may have been most blunt about the NHL stopping play for two weeks in February, so its players, including six Hawks, can participate in the Olympics.

“Of course it’s a great honor [for the players],” Wirtz said. “From an ownership standpoint, in the middle of the season, we just as soon skip it. It doesn’t add any more to our sport. I hate to see two weeks in February [without hockey]. It tears down the sport more than builds it up.”

The NHL trading deadline comes this season just a few days after the Olympics. The Hawks have been near the top of the standings all season and Wirtz doesn’t see “wholesale changes” or doing anything to “rock the boat.” As for those impending salary cap issues, the Hawks owner echoes most fans: let’s wait.

“You’re not looking at doing stuff with the cap just for the sake of doing it for the cap,” Wirtz said. “I think what you want to do is see if you can win something and then you worry about it at the end of the year.”

And that includes, apparently, a new goaltender. Wirtz indicated he likes the netminders the team has, despite what former Hawk Jeremy Roenick recently said on ESPN 1000.

“That’s what’s nice about living in the United States, you can voice your opinion,” Wirtz joked. “Jeremy was a great forward but he wasn’t a goaltender.”

Like most fans, players, and coaches, Wirtz wasn’t thrilled with the league scheduling regarding the recently completed eight-game, near coast-to-coast road trip.

“You would think with computerized scheduling you could find another way to do that,” Wirtz said.

On that trip, three Hawk players were photographed partying with their shirts off in a limousine. Wirtz found out about it when his wife brought him the newspaper at six in the morning. He reiterated the team stance that the issue was handled internally, but he thinks lessons can be learned.

“Twenty nine other teams are looking for excuses and reasons to tear down the Blackhawks and their players and I think it’s important not to give them any fodder,” Wirtz explained. “In the long run, as unfortunate as it was, to be embarrassing to the players and the rest of the team, it will make a much stronger team because of it and we’ll become closer.”

He also said it’s over and done with.

“Today’s news is tomorrow’s bottom of the parakeet cage,” Wirtz said.

Wirtz, like all NHL owners, is well aware of the dispute between the Versus network and DirecTV. He thinks the league has quietly been working on the problem behind the scenes, but admits there’s not much he or the Hawks can do about it.

“It’s a league issue and there’s nothing we can do about it from a Blackhawks standpoint except voice our displeasure,” Wirtz said.

Wirtz has been asked many times what kind of influence Scotty Bowman has in the organization as senior adviser of hockey operations. Wirtz indicated that Bowman, the winningest coach in NHL history, is available to anyone that needs advice in any department.

“You value his counsel and his wisdom,” Wirtz said. “He’s there for advice, but he’s not going to force it down anyone’s throat. He’s there to help out.”

Wirtz doesn’t like to “micromanage” but is informed, obviously, of big decisions like the signing of Marian Hossa.

“If it’s a major trade or we’re going to sign someone for 12 or 13 years, I want to at least know about it before I read it in the newspaper,” Wirtz said.

His first reaction when he heard the Hawks might sign Hossa was surprise.

“You mean he sought us out? He really wants to play with us? Because that’s the first time, to my knowledge, that we’ve had a world-class player that looked to play with us, that his agent contacted Dale and said, ‘Marian wants to play with the Blackhawks and he’s very serious about doing it,” Wirtz said.
Wirtz thinks the league is headed toward every team playing against every other team both at home and on the road. And while he can live with the shootout, he wouldn’t mind a couple other rule changes.

“When you miss a penalty shot it should be a two minute power play [as well],” Wirtz said. “I also don’t like having to touch up for icing. They should just blow the whistle.”

Wirtz might just get whatever he wants considering the roll he’s been on. With a long sellout streak, a team at the top of the league standings, and a core of players signed for many years, the only thing he’s missing is a Stanley Cup. He might get it this year -- and then he wants one more thing.

“I want the Hawks to competitive for many years,” Wirtz said. “You look at Carolina. They won the Cup four years ago and now they are at the bottom of the standings. I don’t want that for the Hawks.”

Rank it up there with the first period against Calgary when the Hawks gave up five goals, or the third in Minnesota where they blew a four-goal lead. Wednesday’s second versus St. Louis was that bad.

It was 1-0 Hawks on Wednesday and the Blues had only three shots on net when the middle 20 minutes began. Nine shots and three goals later the Hawks trailed and could never recover. How did it go so bad so quick?

“We just got sloppy,” said Brian Campbell after the 3-2 loss. “We started to play a cute game [and] Joel [Quenneville] wasn’t happy with that obviously. We have to get back to playing grittier and simplifying it.”

It started with some missed chances to extend the lead. First, Marian Hossa went over the net with a shot on a mini-breakaway, though he drew a penalty. Then, Dave Bolland made a nifty behind-the-back pass to Tomas Kopecky, who had a step on the defense but couldn’t settle the puck. An inadvertent whistle stopped Patrick Kane from an odd man rush, and then things got really bad.

Duncan Keith had his second glaring giveaway of the night and the Blues pounced to tie the game. A Ben Eager offensive zone holding penalty led to a power play goal and a sloppy homerun pass attempt by Andrew Ladd was intercepted and turned into another Blues tally. The last two goals came with under two minutes to play in the period and 69 seconds apart. The home team went 9 for 22 in the faceoff circle in the middle 20. I’d say that’s a bad period.

“Definitely not the period we wanted,” Kane said. “We had a couple chances on two on ones and different things where we could have made better plays. Definitely a tough loss and definitely a tough second period.”

“We weren’t happy,” Quenneville went on. “A lot of their goals we generated the turnovers…A lot of our puck possession game led to their offense.”
Bolland, playing for the first time since November 5 saw 13:46 of ice time and as you’d expect, he felt better as the game wore on.

“[In the] first period I was just getting back into the tempo and the speed of everyone moving the puck,” Bolland said. “By the second and third [periods] I started coming into myself and my game started coming back.”

Bolland started on the fourth line but played some shifts with Hossa and Patrick Sharp.

The Hawks recovered to put up a fight in that third getting to within one, but like the Bulls the night before, the dreaded first game back from a road trip bit the Hawks, and now they’ve dropped two in a row since the big win in San Jose.

NOTES:

The expected chippy game against St. Louis never materialized. The teams combined for only 10 penalty minutes and no fights.

The Hawks outshot St. Louis 34-19. Jonathan Toews had a team high eight shots.

Colin Fraser was a healthy scratch along with Jordan Hendry.

Dave Bolland will have a nice, easy, skating game on Wednesday in his return from November back surgery.

Not.

The St. Louis Blues are in town, which means nothing will come easy. The Blues like to muck it up, and at times, play the physical angle instead of actually playing hockey. With two wins under their belt against their Central division foe, the Hawks know what to expect.

“They play a hard game,” Patrick Kane said after morning practice on Wednesday. “Some games are tough against them and some we’ve had a lot of success. Sometimes they try to make hits, and you just make a simple play, and you have two on ones and different things.”

Kane talked about “taking advantage” of the Blues' style. He also said it might be a good idea to “keep your head up.”

“You always have to expect someone running at you even in areas you don’t think people will run at you,” Kane said. “It’s a little bit different. That’s the way they play. It’s always an entertaining game against them. It’s always physical. We enjoy the games against them, sure.”

Bolland will play for the first time after missing half the season but won’t be thrown to the wolves. Coach Joel Quenneville likes his lines as they are, so he doesn’t feel a need to rush Bolland. He will start on the fourth line centering Ben Eager and Tomas Kopecky.

“He’s useful in all areas,” Quenneville said. “But I think he’s going to have to grow and earn some of that quality ice time as we go along here, so if he gets double digits [minutes] it’ll be something to look at.”

Once he is up to speed, Bolland will take over the second line center spot between Marian Hossa and Patrick Sharp. That is where he skated at practice on Monday.

“He plays so well defensively and all areas of the game that he’s a really easy guy to play with,” Sharp said. “We’re excited to have him back.”

The return of Bolland means the Hawks will have an extra forward on the roster for the first time since he went down. Colin Fraser drew the short straw on Wednesday and will be a healthy scratch for the first time this season.

“I don’t think anybody is happy when they have to watch,” Quenneville said. “It doesn’t necessarily always have to be him. That depth gives us some more ammunition as far as our options go and creates some appetite as well.”

The Blues game marks the first time the Hawks will play at the United Center since Jan. 14. They are well aware of how hard first games back at home can be and even made note of the Chicago Bulls' loss, in the same situation, on Tuesday.

“Not even talking about our opponent, it’s always difficult playing that first game at home after a long trip, but it’s something we are aware of as a team,” Sharp said. “Whether it’s the Blues or the Red Wings, we have to make sure we come out with intensity and take advantage of this home ice.”

“Dangerous game,” Quenneville said. “Having a couple days off, we should come energized and refreshed and look to take advantage of the home ice.

Antti Niemi will miss the game against the Blues with flu-like symptoms. The Hawks have called up Joe Fallon from the Rockford IceHogs. Cristobal Huet will start in net.

NOTES

Sharp is asked often about preferring wing over center but never takes the bait. His teammates, however, tend to “out” him. Brian Campbell said Monday on "The Afternoon Saloon" on ESPN 1000 that Sharp has told him he likes wing better. Sharp’s response?

“My teammates are idiots,” Sharp joked. “They really don’t know what they’re talking about. I really don’t care. It doesn’t matter.”

The Hawks have won nine consecutive games against the Central division.

Wednesday is Duncan Keith bobblehead night. Keith got a first look at his likeness after the morning practice on Wednesday.

“Not bad,” he said.

By JESSE ROGERS

Dave Bolland was centering the second line on Tuesday. Click here to read who else is on the line.

I’m pretty certain there is a contingent of Chicago Blackhawks fans quietly not happy that Jean-Sebastien Giguere was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs over the weekend. Forget facts such as he is signed for next year which means the Hawks would have no interest.

They want a new goalie and darn it, Giguere was available. He’s gone, so where’s the phone number for the Dallas Stars? We hear Marty Turco can be had. We win the Cup with him for sure.

Some version of those thoughts is going through the minds of people from Jeremy Roenick to the diehard of all fans. If the Hawks don’t improve their goaltending, they won’t win it all.

I don’t buy it. It’s too easy to blame everything, or at least most things, on Cristobal Huet. I’ve said it and written it before and I will say it here again: How often has a team, in the history of the game, traded for a goaltender when it already is at the top of the league in defense? How much less can they give up?
And who is to say they will give up less?

When did Marty Turco become Patrick Roy? Maybe I’m exaggerating, but if you don’t think he’s Roy than he’s not good enough to give up the one or two valuable assets you have to trade. The point is, you better be sure your new goaltender is better than what you have or it's a wasted trade. I’m all for a Kris Versteeg and Cam Barker trade for Martin Brodeur, but wishes don’t come true very often.

Let’s talk about Turco, just as an example. In a lot of ways, because he handles the puck so well, he would fit in well with the Hawks' puck possession game. I’ll ask the same question people ask of Huet: What has he done in the postseason?

Until two seasons ago, he was a major flop in the playoffs, and this was for several very good Dallas teams. In 2003, the Stars were the No. 1 seed and had trouble with the eighth seed before losing in the second round to the seventh seed. OK, they won a round. In the next three playoff years, they didn’t.

Finally, in 2008, they won two rounds before losing to Detroit in the conference finals. To describe Turco's career in the postseason as a moderate success is being overly kind. More importantly, many saw a different goaltender in the playoffs than in the regular season. Maybe the pressure got to him. Maybe not.

Turco has done more than Huet, for sure, but not enough to warrant the big trade of the season. I like Turco. He used to kill the Hawks when they were a dump and chase team but he is not needed.

And don’t forget, Turco might be available because his team isn’t having a good season. It may not be all his fault, but if he was having a Vezina type season, he wouldn’t be on the market. And that goes for just about any goaltender who is available.

Like you, in October, I was nervous. Huet was off to a bad start and his backup couldn’t be picked out of a police lineup of one. The style of the team hadn’t quite been established yet either. But then things came together, including Huet’s game. It has been my contention that he, as well as Antti Niemi, needed to get used to the Hawks' puck possession game and the idea of going 10-15 minutes without seeing a shot.

It’s harder than you think. Along with Huet’s game coming around, we also got to see the nearly unflappable Niemi rise to the top of the goalie rankings. He is still the only netminder with a goals-against average under 2 (1.99). Now coach Joel Quenneville, at least on paper, has a viable option if Huet falters.

It's part of the reason I’ve come around to the idea of not trading for a goalie.

Most importantly, goaltending is not where they need help. People just assume they will be healthy the rest of the season and even if they are, a defenseman is the route they should go.

What if one of the top four do go down tomorrow, or in the Olympics, or the day before the playoffs start? I have nothing against Jordan Hendry or Brent Sopel or Barker, but to ask them to win a Cup as a top four guy is asking a lot. They need the depth along the blue line.

Of all the players traded over the weekend, including Dion Phaneuf, the one that should have caught your attention wasn’t Giguere but Ian White, who went from Toronto to Calgary. White is the type of guy the Hawks would want if a Scott Niedermayer isn’t available. I’m not saying he was the guy but it’s the sort of defenseman on the last year of his deal that the Hawks should be looking at. A depth guy. Maybe it won’t cost you a big name off the roster but it will help nonetheless. The Carolina Hurricane have several of those types of players and would make a good trade partner now that Toronto has pulled the trigger.

Trading for a goaltender seems to be a bit of a psychological ploy. You want to feel like the Hawks realize they have a tenuous situation in goal and trading for a new model would make you feel that much better. But the reality is so much different.

Everyone keeps asking the question, “how would the Hawks chemistry change if a trade happens?” But they don’t ask it when it comes to the goaltending. For almost three quarters of a season, this team has rallied around their goalies. They have gone to bat for Huet when no one else would. Now the team is going to turn around and replace him? And when I say replace him, I don’t mean on the roster. Make no mistake, almost assuredly, a trade for a goaltender means Niemi is going back to the other team, not Huet.

So now, you have a disgruntled back-up goalie (and he will be disgruntled) and a new one with the pressure of the world on him, in the most important position in sports. It doesn’t happen as easy as it sounds.