“We’ve been spending a week going through Plans A, B, C and D,” Bowman told the Tribune. “You just can’t go ahead and say, ‘We’re going to get this guy’ because you don’t know if you’re going to get that guy. In some scenarios, we look at different positions or different styles of players. We’re going to make a lot of phone calls, I know that.”

Bowman said if it makes sense to bring in a top free agent, he wouldn’t hesitate. Maybe Martin Brodeur?

“We’re fortunate because we have a lot of guys already under contract. It doesn’t mean we won’t add players but some teams are in a different spot where they’re looking at adding four or five players. We probably aren’t going to be doing that but it doesn’t mean we’re not going to be active.”

Defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson could be moved. Blackhawks are looking for anyone to take Steve Montador who has a cap hit of $2.75 million through 2014-15. They could look to improve along the blueline and maybe in net. If they are looking to make a big splash, they’ll look at Parise, Brodeur or Suter. Alexanders Semin, Shane Doan,  Jiri Hudler or P.A. Parenteau would help upfront and Matt Carle or Jason Garrison would help on the blueline.