Kimmo Timonen, considered a top catch going into the stretch before the BRHL2 trade deadline, is the newest member of the Chicago Blackhawks.In return for Timonen, the Lightning acquired centre Torrey Mitchell, Rob Schremp and blueliner Hal Gill.
Timonen, who didn't have a no-trade clause, is set to become an unrestricted free agent July 1. He is earning $2.47 million US this season.The blueliner was second in Lightning blueliner scoring this season with 21 points in 37 games.
"Any team that gets this guy he's a real good person, a great team guy," Chicago Blackhawks forward Dan Cleary told CBCSports.ca reporter Phil MacCraken on Wednesday.
Cleary and Timonen played with Mora of the Swedish Elite League during the NHL lockout that wiped out the 2004-05 season.
Timonen, 32, joins a Blackhawks team that includes plenty of firepower but looked to reload with the prospect of facing some of the other top teams in the league..
The defense is second to none in the league boasting a top 6 of Timonen, Markov, Green, Volchenkov, Visnovsky, and Mark Streit."We'll see what the coach [Bryan Murray] is going to say, what the [defensive] lines are going to be, but definitely I'm looking forward to it," Timonen told cable sports network TSN.
Other teams in Timonen race
There were several teams vying for Timonen, but ultimately the Lightning were satisfied with what the Hawks had put on the table..
In 699 career NHL regular-season games he has 373 points.
If there is a knock on the slick Finn, it is his ability to handle the rough going."I'll try to do the best I can this year to prove I can do it in the playoffs," he said.
With 58 points, Chicago trails the Western Conference-leading Avalanche by one points.
Mitchell, 22, had 3 goals and five assists in 31 games for the Hawks this year.
The 32-year-old Gill, also a pending UFA had put up 1 goal and 10 assists for 11 points in 43 games.
Schremp, 21, had 2 assists in 8 contests for the Hawks.
The Hawks expect they are mostly done making moves for the playoffs although rumours persist they maybe be looking to improve on the wing.
