"He's one of the most popular Chicago Blackhawks, if the crowds around Patrick Sharp at the team's annual fan convention mean anything.

Sharp is entering the final year of a contract which pays him $3.9 million in 2011-12. Unless he has an unexpected drop-off in his game, he's due a raise after this season and already the questions are starting: When will a new deal be completed?

"I don't have much to say about it," Sharp said. "I stated I want to stay here and hopefully the organization wants me to stay. Besides that, I'm not really going to focus on it. I'm just going to be the best player I can be and be a good teammate and those things kind of sort those things out.""