Only Blackhawks fans can decide if the following statement is worrisome.
”I can see us getting through the season and doing a trade after,”
general manager Bob Pulford said.
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Pulford quickly added that he didn`t mean the Hawks absolutely won`t deal. In fact, he added he`d probably be speaking again Monday with Edmonton general manager Glen Sather about free-agent holdout Joe Murphy, a 35-goal winger for the Oilers last season.
”It`s getting frustrating,” admitted Pulford about the dragging pace of these negotiations. ”I don`t think you can wait to make a deal for him
(Murphy) at the March deadline, because he hasn`t played all season. Unless they agree in March to take a player for him after the season.”
The difficulty facing Pulford is trying to decide which of his aging veterans to let go in a deal. While he would prefer to trade a defenseman, possibly Igor Kravchuk, he is wrestling with whether it`s time to trade an aging forward-but still valued commodity-such as Steve Larmer, 31, or Dirk Graham, 33.
Murphy is 25 and the Hawks want to get younger. While Larmer and Graham are several years older, they also are considered important parts of a team that has started out pretty well this season.
”I know sooner or later I`m going to have to trade someone I don`t want to trade,” Pulford said.
But if a serious slump doesn`t drive Pulford to make a trade, he just might take his chances with his present club.
A new era: The NHL is expected to decide Jan. 5 at a meeting at the Plaza Hotel in New York whether Anaheim and Miami, the two newest entrants in the league, can open play next season or must wait for 1994-95.
If they each receive the go-ahead, the league then has to decide about the rules for an expansion draft, what order teams will choose in next June`s entry draft and how divisions will be realigned.
There is speculation that Anaheim and Miami want an expansion draft different than the one for Tampa and Ottawa. Anaheim and Miami want tighter restrictions on protected lists, so they have a chance to get some decent players off other rosters for their $50 million entry fee.
By the way: Speaking of expansion drafts, Hawks coach Darryl Sutter wanted to leave Rob Brown unprotected in the last expansion pool and protect Mike Peluso. Ottawa took Peluso and he is one of the Senators` best players.