Sharp's Agent Vehemently Denies Trade Rumors
(CBS) Near and far, Blackhawks winger Patrick Sharp has been the center of trade speculation this offseason.
Sportsnet's Nick Kypreos -- one of the sport's most plugged-in media members -- reported earlier this week that Sharp was available and on the block, and there's been speculation elsewhere, too. The line of thinking goes that to acquire a much-needed second-line center -- such as the Canucks' Ryan Kesler -- the Blackhawks would need to move someone with a similar salary.
Considering Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane are essentially "untouchable," that's made Sharp a center of attention -- much to the chagrin of his agent, Rick Curran, who told the Chicago Tribune he's been in contact with Chicago general manager Stan Bowman and that Sharp's not going anywhere.
"I had met with Stan about six or seven days earlier and I knew there was absolutely no truth to anyone suggesting that in spite of whatever negotiations were going on on behalf of Toews and Kane that Patrick Sharp was available for trade, because he's not," Curran said, according to the Tribune. "Then when Kypreos said it, knowing that it wasn't true, I just got really pissed off. There's no way a guy should say it with such certainty when it's absolutely not true. So I called Stan, because I recognize that things can change, and said 'Is there any change?' And he said, 'Absolutely not.'"
"There is a consistency in (Bowman's) position that Patrick Sharp is not available for trade."
Sharp's set to make $5.9 million next season.
