Perhaps the bigger surprise surrounding the benching of defenseman Adrian Aucoin on Sunday was the way Blackhawks coach Denis Savard handled the captain's duties.

Throughout last season and again this season, whenever Aucoin was out of the lineup because of injury, no other player wore the "C." Instead, the Hawks went with three assistant captains in games.

When Aucoin eventually was sidelined for the remainder of last season with a shoulder injury, then-coach Trent Yawney, after consulting Aucoin, made Martin Lapointe captain for the remainder of the year.

But in Sunday's 4-2 loss to the Phoenix Coyotes, Lapointe wore the "C' while Aucoin was a healthy scratch for the first time in his Hawks tenure.

"Whenever [Aucoin] is going to be out of the lineup, I'll have a captain lined up at all times," Savard said Tuesday. "It's nothing against Aucoin. I just feel that when he's out of the lineup, we need a `C' on one of our leaders."

Savard admitted it was a change from previous philosophy. Aucoin was out of the lineup with a groin injury for Savard's first nine games as coach and no other player was designated as captain.

The team voted Aucoin captain right before the beginning of last season. Yet it has been a rocky stewardship. Injuries and subpar play while in the lineup diminished his leadership stature last season. Yawney wanted to change captains, but general manager Dale Tallon vetoed the idea.

Again this season, after a disappointing start, Yawney and the coaching staff attempted to make a change and were rebuffed. Savard was asked Tuesday if he is pleased with Aucoin's leadership.

"We have to be better, no question," Savard said. "It's not just Aucoin. Our leadership core has to be stronger and those guys know who they are, the veteran guys. Those guys have to show by example on the ice first."

While saying he was surprised and disappointed by his benching Sunday, Aucoin said the issue of Lapointe wearing the "C" wasn't a problem.

"That wasn't really an issue at all," he said. "We talked more about my play, [Savard] just mentioned quickly that he wanted a captain in the lineup."

By any measure, it has been a disappointing 1 1/2 seasons for Aucoin in Chicago. He was Tallon's first marquee free-agent acquisition after the lockout, signing a four-year, $16 million deal.

With three goals and 15 points in 63 games, it's believed the Hawks would like to get out from the two-plus years and nearly $10 million remaining on his contract.

But in the salary-cap age, teams are punished for bad contracts and it's unlikely the Hawks would be able to move Aucoin without having to take an onerous contract in return.

The Hawks still are paying Curtis Brown and Matthew Barnaby after buying them out last summer. To buy out Aucoin this summer could cost roughly $1.3 million for the next four years.

Aucoin said his benching was the first time he has been a healthy scratch since his days in Vancouver in the late 1990s.

"It was tough," he said.

Savard said Aucoin will be back in the lineup Wednesday night when the Hawks play host to the Buffalo Sabres and that he will be wearing the "C." Savard also said he's not considering changing--or at least trying to change--the captaincy.

"Adrian Aucoin is our captain," Savard said. "When he's not in the lineup, someone else will be the captain."

One-timers

Martin Havlat skated briefly Tuesday but will not play Wednesday. Savard hopes Havlat will be ready Saturday in Detroit, although the Hawks also play Sunday, and playing Havlat in back-to-back games could risk aggravating the injury. . . . The Norfolk shuttle continues. After sending Brandon Bochenski and Colin Fraser back Monday, the Hawks recalled Adam Burish and Craig McDonald on Tuesday. . . . In 28 games at Norfolk, Cam Barker has five goals, 13 points and is a plus-3. Two of the goals have been on the power play. . . . Blackhawks minor-leaguers Bochenski, Troy Brouwer, Martin St. Pierre, and Dustin Byfuglien, as well as the Wolves' Darren Haydar, Brett Sterling and Jason Krog, will play in the AHL All-Star Classic in Toronto later this month.

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rfoltman@tribune.com