Scott Powers, ESPN Staff Writer 10y

Leddy, Oduya focusing on camp, not rumors

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- The Chicago Blackhawks' players are as aware as anyone the team must still get under the salary cap before the season begins.

Blackhawks defensemen Nick Leddy and Johnny Oduya have been associated with trade rumors throughout the offseason and into training camp. Both players acknowledged the rumors the last few days.

“It’s a tough question,” Oduya said on Friday. “I know it’s there. I think everybody does. I try not to worry about it too much. It’s out of my hands, really. For me, I want to focus on being here and performing and working hard. That’s what I have on my mind.”

Leddy had a similar answer Saturday.

“I think it’s always in the back of your mind, but I think for me I just have to focus on my play, making the team better and getting better every game,” Leddy said. “I’m focused on camp right now. It’s been a great camp so far and exciting as always, the start of a new season. Just looking forward to helping the team out.”

Leddy’s and Oduya’s agents both dismissed trade rumors during the offseason as well.

“No such discussions,” Oduya’s agent Don Meehan wrote in an email in July. “They like him very much.”

Leddy’s agent Neil Sheehy also thought the Blackhawks weren’t interested in trading his client.

"I expect Nick to stay with the Blackhawks," Sheehy said during a recent phone interview. "[Blackhawks general manager] Stan Bowman said he's not looking to trade Nick. I think the big thing is he's the youngest defenseman on the team at 23 years of age, and he has four years of NHL experience. He's part of the future of the team.”

Both players are set to become free agents after next season. Oduya, who has a cap hit of $3.375 this season, will become an unrestricted free agent. Leddy, who has a cap hit of $2.7 million this season, is set to become a restricted free agent.

Bowman said Thursday he wasn’t worried about getting the Blackhawks under the $69 salary cap before the season begins. The Blackhawks need to reduce at least $1.3 million of cap payroll to be compliant. They would need to find more cap space to include players like Teuvo Teravainen, their top prospect, to their NHL roster.

“I think leading into training camp most guys want to get going,” Bowman said on Thursday. “Like I said, everyone sort of has a plan that they like how things go. Then a week from now, your plan might have to be changed because players you expected to do something [don’t do something].

“A lot of teams have some high hopes for some of the young players and then you get them in games and you realize, well, they’re a young player, they’re not going to be able to do what I thought they might. It’s a bit of a waiting game at this point. We’ve had a lot of discussions over the last weeks or months, but until guys get on the ice not a lot changes from July until now. I think we’ll see that play itself out over the next couple weeks here.”

If the Blackhawks don’t get under the salary cap before the season begins, they are open to a number of penalties under the league’s CBA. The NHL can impose fines, take away draft picks and force the Blackhawks to forfeit games.

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