The free-falling Chicago Blackhawks need a goaltender, and they can afford to trade All-Star Patrick Kane to get one, former Blackhawk and current NBC analyst Jeremy Roenick said Wednesday.

Chicago dropped its ninth straight game Tuesday, a 3-2 defeat to the Nashville Predators, and has sunk to sixth in the Western Conference after sitting atop the standings when the skid started Jan. 21. They are just two points ahead of eight-seed Phoenix's 63 points.

At the heart of the struggles has been the play of goalies Corey Crawford and Ray Emery. With no answer on the roster, Roenick believes the biggest need before the Feb. 27 trade deadline is to acquire a goaltender. And the price for a good one will be steep.

"Everybody knows I am a huge Patrick Kane fan, but when you're talking something of this nature, is Patrick Kane dealable? As much as I don't want to say it, they can afford to get rid of Patrick Kane," Roenick said Wednesday on "The Waddle & Silvy Show" on ESPN 1000. "They can afford to -- with the season he's having -- maybe with his off-ice reputation, maybe with the skill they have on their team -- it's doable.

"Do I like it? No, because I love Patrick Kane. He is one of the most talented and one of the best players in the NHL. But if you really want a top-end goaltender you're going to have to give up somebody."

Kane has 45 points in 57 games, including 33 assists, which is tied for 14th in the NHL. The 2012 calendar year has not been kind to the 23-year-old Kane, who has 10 points in 20 games since Jan. 2. He has just two points during the current nine-game slide.