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What the Blackhawks did at the trade deadline, in classic Stan Bowman form, was not much—but the one they deal they did make felt-lopsided toward the Hawks (good value in return for a second round pick), picking up a puck-rushing defenseman, and a Swedish one to boot.
Again, classic Stan Bowman form.
“We like our group here,” was the quote from Bowman yesterday, channeling his inner-Mike Smith.
What never really got reported was how close the Hawks came to landing the prize of draft day rumors—Vancouver center Ryan Kesler. Nor that there is apparently a possible deal “in place” for around draft day, involving Nick Leddy, possibly Andrew Shaw and, yes, top Hawk prospect, Teuvo Teravainen.
Teravainen, in fact, is the key.
A top source informed me this morning Canucks didn't move Kesler, although they had good offers from Anaheim and Pittsburgh, because they knew that Kesler might only waive his NTC to play with Patrick Kane.
Conversely, and like a lot of GMs, Mike Gillis covets Teravainen, and wanted (and still wants) him as a focal point of any deal.
Being up against the cap—as Bowman himself pointed out in his presser yesterday—the Hawks were unable to make the moves necessary to free up the cap space to make the deal yesterday.
Teravainen, I’m told, will be showcased for the Canucks after his season ends in Finland. The cap space would come from moving Johnny Oduya (to possibly Toronto or Calgary for picks, and Leddy as part of the Kesler deal). The Hawks have made it known that they not only like yesterday’s acquisition, blueliner Rundblad, but also defense draftees Stephen Johns and Klas Dahlbeck.
Why all this subterfuge around Ryan Kesler?
Because he is Jonathan Toews-lite, a known commodity who plays hard at both ends of the ice—and could be key to re-signing one Patrick Kane.
It was Kane, as first reported here, who went to Hawk management after the Olympics and lobbied for them to acquire Kesler as his center.
It is Kane, who unlike Jonathan Toews, has not sounded like his re-signing in Chicago is a slam dunk.
Read. Digest. Process. Connect the dots.
That’s all I have for now.
JJ
Chicago Blackhawks Blogger • 
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