Hawk Talk 10.27

October 27, 2:59 PMChicago Blackhawks ExaminerDieter Kurtenbach

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Jake Dowell, 28, scraps with Shane Hnidy of the Minnesota Wild Monday night in Chicago.

AP Photo / C.Rex Arbogast

Dowell riding the Skille Express
The Blackhawks will take on the Nashville Predators in the Music City on Thursday, but Jake Dowell will not be practicing with the team before the trip. Dowell was sent back to the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs on Tuesday. Dowell’s trail has been well blazed by Jack Skille, who was given the roster yo-yo treatment earlier this month.

With forwards Ben Eager and Jonathan Toews still tending to concussion-like symptoms, Dowell might be recalled to the NHL before Thursday if neither Eager or Toews are in condition to play.

Dowell, who played his collegiate hockey at the University of Wisconsin, has played two games for the Blackhawks this season and has five penalty minutes.

Los Angeles to host draft
The Kings and Anze Kopitar have found their offense groove this year and have 16 of a possible 24 points to show for it. If the Kings keep up this kind of play, they won’t spend too much time looking to draft a missing piece to their team at the 2010 NHL Draft, which the NHL announced will be held in Los Angeles’ Staples Center this upcoming summer.

Chicago was in the running to host the draft, which was expected to go to a city with a up and coming team. I’m sure that Chicago is willing to make the trade-off for another annual summer event in hockey, but with Los Angeles playing so well, it would be hasty to cast them off as pretenders for the Cup. Perhaps it could be a summer of puck for Los Angeles.

Brent Seabrook: Mr. Underrated
Blackhawks fans know how important Brent Seabrook is to his squad, but his play is starting to get some more recognition from the international media. Rory Boylen named Seabrook the most underrated player in the game. At the same time, Boylen also noted two other Blackhawks, Troy Brouwer and Jonathan Toews as possible most-underrated candidates. High praise for the Blackhawks organization.

Last year, I firmly felt that the aforementioned Anze Kopitar was the most underrated player in the game. Now, Kopitar leads the league in scoring. Blackhawks fans certainly hope that Seabrook has a similar breakout into trophy contention.

As it stands now, Seabrook is the Blackhawk’s best hitter, shot blocker, second best powerplay quarterback and second best penalty killer. On a team with Duncan Keith, Brian Campbell and Cam Barker, that is no small feat. I fully endorse Boylen’s assessment of Seabrook.

TRADE WATCH 2010
If Cristobal Huet isn’t distracting us, the elephant in the rink for the Blackhawks is resigning the “big three” of Toews, Kane and Keith. WIth the Blackhawks’ current salary cap situation, there is no way the ‘Hawks can resign all three without moving some salary. That’s why TRADE WATCH 2010 is vital to the Blackhawks long term success.

When it comes to straight salary dumps, the main question is, Who can do what they do for far less? On the TRADE WATCH 2010 scoreboard, there are four current players. All have large, but movable, contracts:

CAM BARKER $3.083 million to 2012
KRIS VERSTEEG $3.083 million to 2012
DUSTIN BYFUGLIEN $3 million to 2011
PATRICK SHARP $3.9 million to 2012

Two of these players will have to go, and, as of now, it appears that Byfuglien and Barker are the leaders (or really losers) of the pack with plenty of time to prove their worth.

Barker’s early play has earned him no favors. Defensively, Barker has regressed significantly and his powerplay prowess isn’t making up for it. With Keith, Seabrook and Campbell all capable of working the powerplay, Barker’s shortcomings might make him the odd man out.

Byfuglien leads the team in goals, but with the very underrated (thanks for the vindication Boylen) Troy Brouwer impressing on the powerplay, as well as in 5-on-5 action, Byfuglien’s role might be better filled by the more cost effective Brouwer.

Versteeg has played his breezers of this year and is earning the contract the Blackhawks were forced to give him after the RFA fiasco in the offseason.

Sharp has also played very well for the Hawks in the early going, leading the team in scoring and contributing on both the powerplay and penalty kill.

So, in what will be a running commentary, TRADE WATCH 2010 has two front runners in the early-goings. Those players will have to make up some subjective difference between their counterparts on the board.