I've been getting a lot of flack lately for my calls for the Blackhawks to ship Nikolai Khabibulin off somewhere. When trade rumors have failed to materialize, I've even tried to invent other ways to get rid of him.

Then Khabby turns around and plays well to start the season, thus making me look like an idiot.

To be clear, it's nothing personal. Nor do I think Khabibulin is a terrible player. It's just that the Hawks invested big dollars in a guy who they think is better in Cristobal Huet.

The Blackhawks have yet to find a taker for goalie Nikolai Khabibulin, probably because of the exorbitant contract GM Dale Tallon gave him years ago. Nobody in the NHL wants him. So what will the Hawks do with him?

Here are a few suggested destinations:

By Chris Pummer
Staff Writer

The defending Stanley Cup champion Red Wings are used to having the last laugh against the Blackhawks. This time the Hawks are at least stealing a chuckle. The NHL's all-time winningest Scotty Bowman is leaving the Wings to join the Hawks.

Bowman's body of work speaks for itself. At least it speaks better than Bob Pulford's resume does.

This still doesn't make up for having to see Chris Chelios in a Red Wings sweater, but the Hawks are still going in the right direction.

By Chris Pummer
Staff Writer

It's no secret the Blackhawks would like to unload goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin. Not only did they recently add Cristobal Huet in net, but Khabibulin is the top-paid goalie in the game and eating up the Hawks' salary cap space.

If the Hawks could unload him and get something useful back, well.... that might qualify as a miracle.

The Toronto Sun says it could happen with a three-way deal between the Hawks, the Senators and the Kings.

To summarize, the Hawks would give up Khabibulin and either Cam Barker or Brent Seabrook and get back 20-year-old Anze Kopitar, who scored 32 goals to go along with 45 assists (77 points) last season.

To put that in perspective, Patrick Kane had 72 points last season, and that was by far the most by a Hawks player since the end of the NHL lockout.

With the Hawks now deeper on the blue line with the addition of Brian Campbell, it would be quite a coup if GM Dale Tallon package one of his young defensemen with Khabibulin and get one of the best young centers in the game back in the deal.

That's why this rumor sounds too too good to be true.