Alex Auld is now on waivers in Dallas.

When the Dallas Stars traded for Kari Lehtonen, the rumor mill began swirling around their net. With aging Marty Turco unhappy with his playing time, he instantly became the center of most of the whispers coming from Texas.

On Wednesday, though, it appears the Stars have taken steps to clear out their crowded crease. Alex Auld has been placed on waivers.

Auld, 28, has just a $1 million cap number and, like Turco, is in the final year of his contract. In 21 games this year, Auld is 9-6-0 with a 3.00 goals against average and a .894 save percentage.

Coupled with the news of an extension to Pekka Rinne in Nashville, Auld’s availability at low cost is another option for NHL teams looking to bolster their depth in net.

Troy Brouwer puts a wicked hit on Karlis Skrastins, but the Stars got the last laugh.

Does Dallas have Cristobal Huet’s number?

Coach Joel Quenneville pulled Huet less than two minutes into the second period after he had allowed four goals on Dallas’ first 10 shots. Oddly enough, the last time the Blackhawks played Dallas on Oct. 17 was when the bandwagon to bench Huet reached it’s hottest. In that game, Huet allowed four ugly goals, including one that hit off a loose section of glass in the corner and bounced into the net past a seemingly uninterested Huet.

After a breakout week in which he posted consecutive shutouts, Huet hasn’t look much like a star. Since shutting out Detroit on Dec. 20, Huet has allowed eight goals in 50 shots, with Tuesday night’s early exit being the latest troubling outing from the Hawks’ goaltender.

Antti Niemi relieved Huet and performed admirably, though he took the loss. He allowed just one goal on 14 shots, but it was the game winning goal to Steve Ott on an early third period power play that ended up being the difference. The goal was Ott’s second of the game, and seventh of the season, as the Stars improved to 2-0-0 against the first place Blackhawks.

Patrick Kane led an offensive attack that did all it could to buoy the struggling goaltender. Kane scored two more goals, giving him seven in his last five games and extending his total to a team-leading 17. Duncan Keith, Brian Campbell and Jonathan Toews all continued their strong play as Keith and Campbell were credited with one assist and Toews two in the loss. Dustin Byfuglien had two assists in the game, nearly doubling his season total from three to five.

The Blackhawks had plenty of opportunities, and took advantage many times. A struggling power play unit had two goals in four attempts in Dallas, as Troy Brouwer opened the scoring with the advantage and Kane scored his first of the game on the power play later in the first. But the Hawks’ normally-excellent power play killing defense wasn’t as good on Tuesday, allowing two goals in five opportunities for the Stars. Ott’s game winner was with the advantage, a Cam Barker penalty for high sticking. Coming into the game, the Hawks had killed their opponents’ last 25 power plays.

Quenneville didn’t have much to be concerned about with his offense after the game, as they converted four of 37 shots and skated well on the power play. Colin Fraser finally scored his first goal of the season as the offense was bouncing early, but his goaltending was certainly an issue, and could continue to be moving forward. After the game, Quenneville said about the change in net, ”I had to do something. They were going in too easy. It was an easy call.”

If you wanted a worst-case scenario to magnify the issues in net for Huet, it comes in the form of Martin Brodeur and the Atlantic Division-leading New Jersey Devils at the United Center on New Year’s Eve.

One of four times on Saturday that Cristobal Huet found the puck behind him.

On Saturday night, the red hot Blackhawks were cooled off by their own goalie.

Cristobal Huet allowed four goals on 25 shots as the Hawks lost to the Dallas Stars 4-3 before a capacity crowd that let Huet know exactly what they thought of his effort. The only applause Huet received was mocking Bronx cheers, on the occasion that he stopped a puck before it got behind him.

On at least two, if not three, of the goals scored by Dallas, the blame can be aimed directly, and solely, at Huet. The third goal, scored by Toby Peterson in the second period, was a lazy shot from the blue line that passed Huet roughly letter high on his glove side.

A junior high shortstop could have made the play, but the Blackhawks $5.6 million goalie was unable to do as much.

The fourth and final goal would have embarrassed Helen Keller. A simple dump in from Stephane Robidas bounced off a loose partition and bounced toward the net. Huet watched helplessly as a puck moving at maybe 15 miles per hour bounced up at his waist, hit his forearm, and wound up behind him in the net.

This was a play my two-year old son has made in our living room five times this week. Huet, not so much.

Many of the Blackhawks have their own theme songs. Patrick Sharp’s is ZZ Top’s classic “Sharp Dressed Man.” Patrick Kane has Scorpion’s “(Rock You Like A) Hurricane,” while Jonathan Toews is Chuck Berry’s “Johnny B. Goode.”

Perhaps the Blackhawks should start playing the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ classic “Give It Away” for Huet from now on. 

The Blackhawks’ offense gave a solid effort in the losing cause, trying to come back time after time. Three Hawks got off the schnide on Saturday night, as Toews, Troy Brouwer and Niklas Hjalmarsson all scored their first goals of the season. Dustin Byfuglien, Dave Bolland and Patrick Sharp were credited with assists.