Now what for the Chicago Blackhawks?
The team announced Monday that it would match San Jose's four-year, $14 million offer sheet for defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson, a restricted free agent. That means someone else has to move for Chicago to meet its salary cap.
Sources told ESPN.com on Monday that one of the players the Hawks are dangling is Brian Campbell. Mind you, moving his hefty contract seems to be a long shot. He has six years left on his deal, which pays $7.14 million per season; plus, he has a no-trade clause that features his right to choose eight teams to which he will accept a trade. A source said Campbell had not yet been asked for his list of eight teams.
Our ESPN Chicago colleague Jesse Rogers is also reporting that Patrick Sharp could be another option. He's got two years left at $3.9 million, a much easier contract to move. But Sharp is also one heck of a player.
Elsewhere Monday as we await the results of Ilya Kovalchuk's meeting with the Los Angeles Kings:
• The Teemu Selanne watch continues in Anaheim with a source telling ESPN.com on Monday that the veteran winger is scheduled to talk with Ducks GM Bob Murray sometime next week.
• If UFA winger Alexander Frolov doesn't land with an NHL team this week, don't be surprised if he ends up going to the KHL, where there's interest. He's only 28 years old and is a two-time 30-goal scorer. Sure, he only scored 19 goals last season amid a benching from the Kings, but those 19 goals were scored from a third-line role. If I was an NHL GM needing some offense, I'd be all over this guy.
• Hearing some teams are interested in UFA winger Alexei Ponikarovsky, but all of them first need to make cap room before making an offer.
