Blackhawks Hunt for a Veteran Blue-Liner to Guide the Kids

Chicago is looking for a steady veteran defenseman, which is the kind of move that tells you the organization wants its young talent protected, not tossed into the deep end. That search usually says as much about timing as it does about skill, because young cores need structure before they need fireworks. The Blackhawks are trying to balance growth with sanity, and that is rarely a simple equation.