It’s that time of year when NHL teams are having more and more discussions.



Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman has already pulled the trigger on a few deals this season and is undoubtedly exploring some more. With the playoffs likely out of reach, Bowman has said he’ll assess his team for next season and beyond. He’ll certainly be doing that in the coming weeks.



The trade deadline is still a few weeks away, but there are some pieces of information starting to trickle out.



Here’s what I’ve been hearing about Blackhawks in regards to possible trades, signings and their recent decisions:



• The Blackhawks’ decision to assign Henri Jokiharju to the Rockford IceHogs is telling in terms of how they see his development. A source said Thursday that the organization decided to make the move in order to get Jokiharju regular ice time and further his development. Not everyone, including probably Jokiharju, agrees...