'Tis the season for trade rumors in the NHL, and one in particular has the Blackhawks' Patrick Sharp and his agent hopping mad.

Earlier this week, Sportsnet in Canada's Nick Kypreos reported the Hawks had made Sharp available for trade. According to Sharp's agent, Rick Curran, the rumor is "a complete fabrication" and the veteran winger isn't going anywhere.

Curran told the Tribune he recently met with Hawks general manager Stan Bowman to get a lay of the land because Bowman is in the process of negotiating contract extensions for Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane that will affect the Hawks' salary-cap space for seasons to come.

The Hawks likely also are looking to acquire a No. 2 center to fill the void that has been there for the last few seasons and middlemen such as Ryan Kesler, Jason Spezza and Joe Thornton are reported to be available.

Curran said Bowman assured him Sharp, who led the Hawks in scoring last season with 34 goals and 44 assists, was not being shopped.

"I had met with Stan about six or seven days earlier and I knew there was absolutely no truth to anyone suggesting that in spite of whatever negotiations were going on on behalf of Toews and Kane that Patrick Sharp was available for trade, because he's not," Curran said. "Then when Kypreos said it, knowing that it wasn't true, I just got really pissed off. There's no way a guy should say it with such certainty when it's absolutely not true. So I called Stan, because I recognize that things can change, and said 'Is there any change?' And he said, 'Absolutely not.'

"There is no way this guy should get away with saying what he said and have Patrick and his family have to suffer the consequences of an absolutely irresponsible remark."

Curran said he has been in contact with Sharp and the player is upset about his name being bandied about in trade rumors.

"Why wouldn't he be?" Curran said. "You feel you have the confidence of the hockey club and all of a sudden because one (media member) makes a stupid remark that catches fire in Canada in particular because, let's face it, it's the time of the year and that's what happens.

"And then all of a sudden (Sharp) is getting calls from everybody and anybody wondering if he's on his way out and why. Then people start speculating and rumors and innuendo take on a life of their own and it's hurtful and it's not fair. That's the part that's unprofessional about it."

With the draft set to take place Friday and Saturday in Philadelphia, there is a very strong possibility Bowman will make at least one move to tinker with the roster for the 2014-15 season. The general manager is scheduled to address the media on draft matters Thursday.

"There is a consistency in (Bowman's) position that Patrick Sharp is not available for trade, and anyone who suggests otherwise is (wrong) and is just fabricating it," Curran said.

ckuc@tribune.com

Twitter @ChrisKuc