NHL Rumors: Minnesota Wild Linked to Chicago Blackhawks Forward

Last month, Minnesota Wild GM Bill Guerin made it known to reporters that he is hoping to add a scoring winger to the team's lineup. As a result of this, one forward who could certainly be on the Wild's radar is Andreas Athanasiou of the Chicago Blackhawks.

Athanasiou is one of the Blackhawks' notable pending UFAs and is expected to be dealt as a rental. So far, the 28-year-old has had mixed results, as he has six goals and three assists in 22 games. However, he has been creating a plethora of scoring chances due to his excellent speed and tenacious forechecking ability. Perhaps joining a team with better offensive weapons could help him find his scoring touch a bit more.

Athanasiou can play all three forward positions, so he could be a solid addition to Minnesota's middle six. We will have to wait and see if these two Central Division rivals strike a deal from here.