"Now that Stan Bowman's offseason plan for the Chicago Blackhawks is nearly complete, fans have turned their attention to the next order of business: signing star forward Patrick Sharp to a contract extension.

Bowman, Chicago's vice president and general manager, is thinking along the same lines, though his timeline for getting a deal done probably isn't as urgent as the fans. Bowman, who couldn't start negotiating with Sharp's camp until July 1, was in the same position regarding star defenseman Brent Seabrook last year.

That one wasn't resolved until late in the season, and Sharp's new deal could take just as long -- or it could be announced quicker. Neither side is giving much indication about far along talks are at this point, and there's also a chance no deal is reached and Sharp hits the open market as an unrestricted free agent next July."