The Blackhawks are set to sign young stars Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews to contract extensions, a source close to the organization confirmed Monday.

The announcement of the signing of the forwards, both restricted free agents after the season, is expected in the next day or two before the team leaves for a 10-day, six-game trip beginning Thursday night in Calgary.

In addition, the Hawks are said to be near an agreement with defenseman Duncan Keith, and the team could announce all three signings as early as Tuesday.

There has been much speculation that the Hawks would not be able to sign the players because of salary-cap concerns for the 2010-11 season, but general manager Stan Bowman has maintained that deals would be worked out for all three.

"Our goal like I've said from the beginning is to keep the core of our team together, and they're core players," Bowman said before the season. "That's the strength and the way you have to do it in the game today. Evaluate your players, determine who the core players are and keep that group together and fill in around them."

The salary cap this season is $56.8 million. It's expected to remain the same or drop slightly next season, which could handcuff the Hawks, who already have 13 players signed for around $43 million for 2010-11. With the addition of the new salaries of Kane, Toews and Keith -- terms of the contracts aren't yet known -- something likely will have to be done to trim payroll.

Other Hawks who will be free agents next season are Andrew Ladd, Ben Eager, Adam Burish, John Madden, Niklas Hjalmarsson, Antti Niemi and Colin Fraser.

The largest cap hit on the Hawks' roster is defenseman Brian Campbell's $7.1 million, with goaltender Cristobal Huet's hit at $5,625,000 and Marian Hossa's hit at $5,275,000. The Hawks gave Hossa $62.8 million over 12 years to help ease the cap hit.

Many believe Toews, 21, and Kane, who will turn 21 on Thursday, will sign similar extended-term deals. But that may not be the case as it would make sense for them to sign for fewer than Hossa's 12 years or Campbell's eight, putting them in the prime of their careers the next time they're free agents. They could then be in position to demand even bigger paydays.

Kane and Toews entered the league together during the 2007-08 season and were immediate sensations on and off the ice for the Hawks, who have marketed them as the cornerstones of the franchise. Kane won the Calder Trophy as the NHL's rookie of the year, and Toews finished third in the voting. Toews led the Hawks with 34 goals last season, his first as the team's captain, and Kane leads the Hawks in scoring this season with seven goals and 10 assists.

Keith, 26, is a former All-Star who has developed into one of the top defensemen in the league and is off to a strong start this season with five goals and 10 assists.

Bowman and Pat Brisson, the agent for both Kane and Toews, reportedly have been in negotiations for months on new contracts. Pierre LeBrun of "Hockey Night in Canada" and ESPN.com said Saturday that new contracts for the Hawks' dynamic duo could happen "sometime in the next two weeks."

The Blackhawks and three of their young star players have agreed to long-term extensions.

Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane each will sign five-year deals worth $6 million annually, according several published reports, including the Tribune. Duncan Keith will sign a 13-year deal, according to TSN, for less money annually.

MCKENZIE: LEADING UP TO THE 2010 NHL DRAFT - TAYLOR OR TYLER?

It will be the most oft-asked question leading up to the 2010 NHL Entry Draft - Taylor or Tyler?

NHL Central Scouting weighed in with its early answer by ranking Plymouth centre Tyler Seguin No. 1, ahead of Windsor winger Taylor Hall, on CSB's preliminary rankings for the Ontario Hockey League.

Hall was the pre-season consensus No. 1, according to a survey of NHL scouts by TSN, with seven of 10 ranking him first. Seguin was No. 3 on that list, behind Hall's Windsor teammate, defenceman Cam Fowler.

NHL's CSB ranking of Seguin ahead of Hall is by no means outrageous. Seguin has been spectacular, starting with the Under-18 tournament in August and carrying over to the OHL season. Hall leads all OHL scorers with 21 goals and 45 points in 25 games for the first-place Spitfires. Seguin has two fewer goals, 19, and nine fewer points, 36, but has played in seven fewer games with fifth-place Plymouth than Hall.

There is no reason to believe the two dynamic offensive talents won't have a see-saw battle all season long. Scouts concede there's not a lot to choose between the two. In light of CSB's choice of Seguin, TSN conducted a flash survey of seven NHL scouts, asking the simple question: Taylor or Tyler?

Five ranked Hall No. 1; two opted for Seguin, but they said they could easily change their minds over the next two weeks as scouts from all teams scramble to size them up.

Hall looks like he'll be a lock on wing to play for Team Canada at the World Junior Championship and Seguin is a strong candidate to win a spot in the middle, although there will be stiffer competition in the centre slot than on the wing.

Regardless, the question is bound to be asked over and over and over again - Taylor or Tyler?

Los Angeles Kings forward Ryan Smyth will be sidelined for "up to a month" due to a lower-body injury, head coach Terry Murray told the L.A. Times on Wednesday.

Smyth suffered the injury on Monday during the second period of the Kings' 4-3 shootout victory over the Florida Panthers. He left the game and did not return for the third period.