Blackhawks GM on the look-out for help

Chicago Blackhawks GM Dale Tallon tells Chris Kuc of the Chicago Tribune that he is actively shopping to bolster his injury-depleted lineup.

“I’m having discussions with a few different GMs to see what we can do,” said Tallon, who indicated he was most interested in acquiring a defenseman. “They’re like vultures now. They know we’re hurt, so we have to be patient. I don’t want somebody to come in here for a four-week period to take some young guy’s position and we have to deal with it for another year or two. If it makes sense, I’ll pull the trigger.”

But that doesn’t mean Tallon is looking at just adding to his roster.

Despite injuries to Jonathan Toews (knee), Kevyn Adams (knee), Brent Sopel (finger), Martin Havlat (groin), Jason Williams (groin), Dave Bolland (finger), Ben Eager (concussion) and James Wisniewski (knee), Tim Sassone of the Chicago Daily Herald reports that pending unrestricted free agent forwards Sergei Samsonov and Yanic Perreault may not be part of the Blackhawks’ plans.

Samsonov, who has already been waived and demoted to the minors, would only return to the club if the Blackhawks suffer even more injuries and need someone to fill a roster spot. It’s also possible that rather than playing in the minors the Russian forward will retire from the NHL.

As for Perreault, he may very well be the next to be shipped out of Chicago. Tallon has apparently shopped the struggling forward with the hope of shedding his $1.5 million salary.

Sassone also suggests that the trade of blueliner Shane Hnidy to the Boston Bruins signaled that the Anaheim Ducks are going to keep Mathieu Schneider on their defense, meaning any chance of the Blackhawks acquiring the puck-moving defenseman have disappeared.