Blackhawks Roster Breakdown: Niklas Hjalmarsson

Flickr Photo via BridgetDS Now that it’s the end of July, I’m sure that there’s more than a few people surprised that Niklas Hjalmarsson is still a Chicago Blackhawk. The subject of trade rumors going back to last season, Hjalmarsson’s future in Chicago has been a question ever since he was retained in the summer of 2010. Hjalmarsson was one of the few players from the Stanley Cup squad that was actually kept, which hadn’t already been locked up on a long term deal. A restricted free agent, the Blackhawks surprisingly matched the four-year, $14 million offer sheet that Doug Wilson and the Sharks had signed him too. Since then, we’ve been hearing about how the Blackhawks could attempt to unload the 24-year-old Swede. Trade speculation was especially rampant heading into this offseason, in which the Hawks were expected to deal either Brian Campbell or Hjalmarsson to free up some extra cash. But it was Campbell to be dealt, with the Hawks sending him...