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Bowman: Blackhawks are ‘pretty close’ to making a trade

Stan Bowman

Tuesday, July 14, 2009 in Chicago, (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Charles Rex Arbogast

Chicago Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman feels like he’s “pretty close” to making a trade, and it seems like he’s just as open to landing a defenseman or forward, as he told CSNChicago.com.

“We’re open to either one,” Bowman said. “I know it’s a generic answer, but there’s more than one way to improve your team. It doesn’t have to be just a replacement for Patrick. Sometimes you’re going to improve your team in different ways, bringing in different kinds of players. We’re open to that. We’ll see where it goes.”

Those who love concocting hypothetical deals should be delighted to hear that Bowman’s aims aren’t broad in terms of position alone. It sounds like he’s just as willing to acquire a rental as he might add someone with term on his contract.

The message seems to be “if you have an idea, run it by me.”

The juiciest bit comes from the Chicago Tribune’s Chris Kuc, who reports that the Blackhawks are aiming pretty high with some of their ideas, possibly targeting a player at the higher end like Jeff Skinner or Michael Cammalleri.

Replacing Patrick Kane would obviously be a tall (and borderline impossible) task, but imagine Skinner on a team as talented as Chicago?

It’s possibly more likely that Bowman’s moves don’t make waves at that level, but we’ll find out soon enough, as the March 2 trade deadline looms.

(Chicago’s first full game since Kane suffered his injury went well as they blanked the Florida Panthers 3-0 on Thursday night.)

Follow James O’Brien @cyclelikesedins