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Coach Q thinks the ‘Hawks could use another forward or two

Joel Quenneville

Chicago Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville smiles as he talks during a news conference, Sunday, June 7, 2015, in Chicago. The Blackhawks and the Tampa Bay Lightning are tied 1-1 in the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final after the Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 4-3 in Game 2. Game 3 is scheduled for Monday. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

AP

When the Chicago Blackhawks put Rob Scuderi on waivers yesterday, our initial reaction was to wonder if GM Stan Bowman would try to add another defenseman prior to the trade deadline.

Well, Scuderi was sent to AHL Rockford today, giving Bowman a bit more cap space to work with.

However, based on what Chicago’s head coach had to say, bolstering the defense might not be the priority.

“I think up front we could use a player or two,” Joel Quenneville said, per the Chicago Sun-Times.

More on that from the newspaper:

The Hawks have needed a top-line left wing all season and with Marian Hossa out for a couple of weeks with a lower-body injury, the need is even more glaring. Winnipeg’s Andrew Ladd is a likely target, and Arizona’s Mikkel Boedker, Carolina’s Kris Versteeg, or Toronto’s P.A. Parenteau are among the many options that Bowman could go after.

The Blackhawks, of course, lost a couple of top-six wingers this offseason in Brandon Saad and Patrick Sharp. Artemi Panarin has more than replaced one of those spots, but tonight against the Rangers, Jonathan Toews could be flanked by Andrew Shaw on the left side and Richard Panik on the right.

No disrespect to Shaw and Panik, but imagine if it was Toews between Ladd and Hossa.

The trade deadline is Feb. 29.

Related: Jets will take one more crack at re-signing Andrew Ladd