NHL Playoffs Thoughts & Theories 4/16/12
NEW YORK– By Daniel Friedman
Things I Think
1) I think the Pittsburgh Penguins had all the potential in the world to win this series and, by losing their composure, they became nothing but a “humongous big” waste of talent and depth. I also think Pens owner Mario Lemieux owes the entire hockey world an apology for all this hypocrisy, though I doubt he’ll deliver one. I’m not shocked that head coach Dan Bylsma couldn’t control the situation, but where’s captain Sidney Crosby? I’ll tell you where Sidney Crosby is, he’s “leading by example.” And he’s not setting a very good one right now. This is what happens when you think you’re entitled to everything and do nothing but whine and complain. For a team that’s been to a pair of Stanley Cup Finals, they sure don’t look like one.
2) I think Rangers F Carl Hagelin’s three-game suspension was a bit too hefty. There’s no question he deserved a suspension — he left his feet and targeted the head of Daniel Alfredsson. He deserved one, maybe two games. But three? Give me a break. Of course, the fact that Nashville’s Shea Weber got away scott free only adds to the confusion.
3) I think the Flyers will not win another round after they dispose of the Penguins. Don’t be fooled by the high goal-totals; they’re facing a Pittsburgh team that is unorganized and way off their game right now, and a goaltender in Marc-Andre Fleury who’s as shaky as one can get. Ilya Bryzgalov has been awful as well and the defense in front of him hasn’t been particularly effective, either. They will not be able to pull this shtick against a team like Boston or the Rangers.
4) I think Vancouver’s 3-0 series deficit is far from surprising. I picked the Kings to win before this best-of-seven began and by the looks of things, that was a pretty good move. The Canucks aren’t as dangerous as they were last season and they have no response to LA’s physical style. Also, Jonathan Quick’s been a wall; Roberto Luongo, not so much. I also said Cory Schneider would be the starting goalie for the Canucks before this series ended; he’s starting Game Four.
5) I think the Florida Panthers are going to be a more formidable opponent than we thought. The Devils should win this series, but they need to stay out of the box. If they put the Cats on the power play too many times, they’re going to fall behind in hockey games because Florida is deadly with the man advantage.
6) I think the Rangers deviated a bit from their style towards the end of Game Two and that’s why they lost. The Blueshirts are usually more aggressive and, instead, it was almost as if they were retreating further and further into their own zone. Ottawa had them hemmed in and New York couldn’t clear the zone; they got burned for it. Also, Henrik Lundqvist was visibly ticked off after a puck ricocheted of Michael Del Zotto and into the net. That cannot happen again. If you think that had no psychological impact on his teammates, think again. It had a negative effect and he needs to be calm between the pipes.
NHL Thoughts & Theories 4/2/12
The morning after Boston’s Northeast Division clinching win over the Rangers, SprungOnSports NHL writer Daniel Friedman answers a few hot topic questions around hockey.
1) Which teams would you not want to play in the first round of the playoffs right now and why?
Pittsburgh. Don’t be fooled by the fact they’ve “cooled off” over the last few games. They’re extremely dangerous, especially with Sidney Crosby back in the lineup.
2) With Vancouver’s hot stretch of late, are they the team to beat in the league going into the postseason? Explain.
They are not the team to beat. Vancouver’s very talented but they have a goaltender who tends to go M.I.A come playoff time. Also, the Sedins haven’t been as dominant as they have been in recent years. They’re a very good team, but there are better ones. I don’t think they are at the same compete level as Detroit or Nashville. And I also don’t think they’re particularly well-coached.
3) What has the chance to be the most compelling first round playoff matchup and why?
The consensus would be Pittsburgh against Philadelphia, but I’ll go with Detroit and Nashville. I think that matchup has “game seven” written all over it. both teams are four lines deep, both teams have premiere defensemen in Shea Weber and Nicklas Lidstrom. both teams are disciplined, both teams are well-coached.
4) Which coach do you think could get the boot with a poor showing in the playoffs and why?
Washington’s Dale Hunter, because he has failed to impress since taking over and, barring a miraculous playoff run, he’s gone. Washington has too much talent for them to be underachieving like this. They have no direction, and it starts at the top.
Gauthier’s Ouster Is No Surprise
NEW YORK– By Daniel Friedman
When Pierre Gauthier replaced Bob Gainey as GM of the Montreal Canadiens, the consensus was that, surely, Gauthier couldn’t possibly do any worse than his predecessor. Considering that Gainey was directly responsible for the Scott Gomez trade and ensuing fiasco, theoretically, that line of thinking should have held true.
How wrong we were.
Gauthier’s demise did not necessarily stem from the fact that Montreal stumbled out of the gate. It had more to do with Gauthier’s inability to stop the bleeding. Not only that, Gauthier managed to rub salt in his team’s many wounds, and in doing so, he managed to turn a slump into an all-out catastrophe.
He completely mishandled the situation, no matter what angle you want to view it from. He fired assistant coach Perry Pearn just a few hours before game time and his decision to axe head coach Jacques Martin backfired tremendously. To me, this was a general manager who sensed his impending downfall and therefore vowed to take everyone else down with him.
I will say that Gauthier did make some very solid moves, signing free agent Erik Cole and acquiring Lars Eller for Jaroslav Halak. Having said that, he failed to solve the most gaping hole in the Habs’ lineup, on defense, opting to re-sign the oft-injured Andrei Markov instead of going out and signing a reliable, top-tier blueliner.
The Canadiens have become a sideshow, both on and off the ice, and Pierre Gauthier is the one most-responsible for that.
2012 NHL Trade Deadline: Winners & Losers
Did you miss it? Right there, it just flew by. Yeah, that was the trade deadline, it’s gone…in case you didn’t notice.
But why would you? Unless you were glued to a Twitter list of NHL analysts and personalities you probably were more excited by your work or chemistry lab or Chinese water torture.
All jokes aide, there were some exciting moments during yesterday’s NHL trade deadline. While it’s safe to assume that the best of the day came after the 3 pm EST deadline, some hockey clubs got their man and are now looking forward to the final playoff push.
Ok, so let’s see who impressed and who embarrassed overall in the trade deadline.
Winners:
Nashville Predators: hands down this is one of the best/upcoming teams in the NHL in the last few years, and arguably one of the best expansion teams in all of sports in recent memory. Overall in February the Preds made three trades, including two solid ones yesterday:
***D Hal Gill from Montreal for Blake Geoffrion and a 2nd rounder – There was more to this trade, but these are the pieces that matter. A prospect and a second round pick for a BIG defender that will definitely help this the top defense tandem relax during the playoffs. Win.
***F Andrei Kostitsyn from Montreal for two 2013 picks – Another deal with the Habs brought the second Kostitsyn brother to Nashville to give them a Sedin-style feeling in Music City. Gaining a solid forward who can enjoy playing with his brother for two picks next year – neither of which were first round?? Win.
***F Paul Gaustad and a 2013 pick from Buffalo for a 1st round pick this year – This might have been the biggest deal of deadline day. Gaustad is a solid forward who will help bolster the depth of the Preds’ lineup. Sure it was tough to give up a first round pick, but it’s not like the Preds will be drafting in the top 10 anyway so this is a great move for the team. Win.
Boston Bruins: the Bruins are already a very strong team, and they didn’t do much to mess up their lineup, which is always a plus when you’re winning. They managed to acquire three solid depth players in D Greg Zanon, F Brian Rolston and D Mike Mottau while giving up next to nothing in some prospects. Boston now has three experienced players to add to their lineup in hopes of repeating their Stanley Cup victory from last season.
So-So:
Toronto Maple Leafs: Leafs Nation was hoping all day long that the club would pick up a big-name star (or two…or three) and a goalie, but they ended up with a solid young forward and defensive prospect. In picking up Carter Ashton from the Lightning, Toronto added a solid third-line forward for their playoff push and sent away Keith Aulie who was, for lack of a better word, expendable. Sometimes the best trade is the one you don’t make, right? GM Brian Burke is hoping his current team with Ashton is a playoff team and that more deals can be made in June if need be.
San Jose Sharks: There was some serious speculation about big names being shipped out of San Jose, but the they stayed put. The Sharks managed to add some depth in a big deal with the Avalanche in picking up F Daniel Winnik and F T.J. Galiardi. The Sharks are already a playoff team and they’re hoping these guys will help give them the depth they need for a long postseason run.
Losers:
Columbus Blue Jackets: More specifically, a losing grade to their GM Scott Howson. They lost Jeff Carter last week, then Samuel Pahlsson yesterday for two 4th-round picks AND couldn’t ship out captain Rick Nash for the king’s ransom they were hoping for. Then, after all that, Howson threw Nash under the bus saying Nash requested the trade and made it public how frustrated the star was in Ohio. Real classy. So now the team has a disgruntled star who will for sure be gone in the off-season, and a young defender who is still unproven. Good job guys.
Washington Capitals: The Caps are a strong team and have been perennial playoff contenders for a long time now. Right now they’re clawing at a playoff spot and only made two minor moves all month? That’s not going to cut it for this team that has been struggling offensively this year.
Now it’s time for the rumors to be done with and for the real season to begin. The fans can now only hope their teams made the right moves, or held back from making bad ones.
Do you think anyone else won or lost in yesterday’s trade deadline? Let’s hear it.
NHL Trade Rumors 2/27/12- Deadline Day
News
-Zack Kassian and Marc-Andre Gragnani are going from Buffalo to Vancouver for Cody Hodgson and Alexander Sulzer.
-Toronto acquired D Mark Fraser from Anaheim for minor leaguer Dale Mitchell.
-The Rangers acquired D John Scott from Chicago for a 5th round pick.
-Boston has acquired Greg Zanon from Minnesota for Steve Kampfer.
-Nashville has acquired Paul Gaustad from Buffalo. Nashville sends a first round pick to Buffalo in the Paul Gaustad trade but the Predators also get a 4th round selection.
-Boston has acquired Brian Rolston and Mike Mottau from the Islanders for two minor leaguers.
-Chicago has acquired D Johnny Oduya from Winnipeg for 2nd and 3rd round picks in 2013.
-Vancouver has acquired Samuel Pahlsson from Columbus for a pair of fourth round picks.
-Ottawa has traded Brian Lee to Tampa Bay for Matt Gilroy.
-San Jose has acquired Daniel Winnick, TJ Galliari and a 7th round pick from Colorado for Jamie McGinn, Mike Connelly and Michael Sgarbossa.
-Toronto has traded Keith Aulie to Tampa Bay in exchange for Carter Ashton.
-Minnesota has sent Nick Schultz to Edmonton for Tom Gilbert.
-Tampa Bay has acquired D Mike Commodore from Detroit for a conditional 7th round pick.
-Montreal trades Andrei Kostitsyn to Nashville for a second round pick in 2013 plus a conditional 5th round pick in 2013.
Rumors
3:40 p.m. Eastern
-Zack Kassian and Marc-Andre Gragnani are going from Buffalo to Vancouver for Cody Hodgson and Alexander Sulzer.
3:35 p.m. Eastern
-There’s talk of Zack Kassian going from Buffalo to Vancouver in a big trade.
3:33 p.m. Eastern
-Toronto acquired D Mark Fraser from Anaheim for minor leaguer Dale Mitchell.
3:28 p.m. Eastern
-Minnesota keeps G Josh Harding.
3:20 p.m. Eastern
-Nashville sends a first round pick to Buffalo in the Paul Gaustad trade but the Predators also get a 4th round selection.
-The Rangers send a 5th round pick to Chicago for John Scott.
-New Jersey is done.
3:18 p.m. Eastern
-Logan Couture and James van Riemsdyk would not be included in Rick Nash deals.
-The Rangers acquired D John Scott from Chicago.
-Detroit is done.
3:15 p.m. Eastern
-Steve Kampfer goes to Minnesota in the Greg Zanon trade.
-More moves are coming, including one from the Rangers. Jaroslav Spacek will stay in Carolina. Philadelphia and Pittsburgh stood pat.
3:10 p.m. Eastern
-The Rangers made a huge offer for Rick Nash that was declined, says Darren Dreger.
-Washington and Ottawa are done, PA Parenteau stays an Islander and Calgary re-signed Tim Jackman.
3:08 p.m. Eastern
-Boston has acquired Greg Zanon from Minnesota.
-Detroit is done dealing and Buffalo did not trade Derek Roy.
3:05 p.m. Eastern
-The Islanders will get back two minor leaguers from Boston for Brian Rolston and Mike Mottau.
3:03 p.m. Eastern
-Toronto is expected to announce one more trade.
3:02 p.m. Eastern
-Rick Nash has not been traded.
3 p.m. Eastern
-Nashville has acquired Paul Gaustad from Buffalo.
2:58 p.m. Eastern
-Mike Mottau is going from the Islanders to the Bruins along with Brian Rolston.
-Anaheim has made a trade.
2:55 p.m. Eastern
-Boston has acquired Brian Rolston from the Islanders.
2:50 p.m. Eastern
-Nashville will look for depth in the last 10 minutes.
2:48 p.m. Eastern
-Will the Rangers cave and give Columbus what they want for Rick Nash? There’s certainly a possibility.
2:45 p.m. Eastern
-It seems as if San Jose is out of the Rick Nash sweepstakes as well since they would not give up Logan Couture, says Pierre LeBrun.
-All is quiet on the Flyers front.
2:40 p.m. Eastern
-Toronto is out on Rick Nash as the Rangers and Sharks continue their last minute pursuit.
-Chicago is still looking to make another move, says Pierre LeBrun.
2:38 p.m. Eastern
-Montreal has not yet asked Tomas Plekanec to waive his no-trade clause.
2:30 p.m. Eastern
-The Rangers’ “glimmer of hope” to complete a Rick Nash trade is fading, Darren Dreger reports.
2:28 p.m. Eastern
-Things are getting frantic in Columbus, with suitors making a final push for Rick Nash, says Aaron Portzline.
-Vancouver and Nashville are among the teams actively trying to swing deals, says Pierre LeBrun.
2:25 p.m. Eastern
-The Rangers are going hard after Rick Nash, SOS’ Daniel Friedman reports.
2:20 p.m. Eastern
-Chicago and Buffalo are discussing a trade, possibly involving Derek Roy.
2:18 p.m. Eastern
-Rick Nash has not been asked to waive his no-movement clause just yet.
2:13 p.m. Eastern
-The Rangers are back in on Rick Nash, with the Leafs, Flyers and Sharks also interested.
-Winnipeg will get two draft picks from Chicago for Johnny Oduya. 2nd and 3rd round picks in 2013.
2:10 p.m. Eastern
-Daniel Friedman’s thoughts as the deals fly in: “Tampa Bay is serious about improving on defense. Assuming Columbus doesn’t lower its price for Rick Nash, he’s not going to the Rangers despite rumors resurfacing.” Teams are making a late charge.
-A Roman Hamrlik deal should be done soon.
2:08 p.m. Eastern
-Chicago has acquired D Johnny Oduya from Winnipeg.
-Colorado gets Jamie McGinn, Mike Connelly and Michael Sgarbossa from San Jose for Daniel Winnick, TJ Galliardi and a 7th round pick.
2:05 p.m. Eastern
-Columbus gets a pair of fourth round picks from Vancouver for Samuel Pahlsson.
2:03 p.m. Eastern
-Rick Nash talks are heating up in the final hour.
-Boston is still in the mix for David Jones.
2 p.m. Eastern
-Vancouver has acquired Samuel Pahlsson from Columbus.
-Ottawa has traded Brian Lee to Tampa Bay for Matt Gilroy.
1:58 p.m. Eastern
-San Jose has acquired Daniel Winnick, TJ Galliari and a 7th round pick from Colorado.
-Philadelphia is not willing to give Buffalo a first round pick for Paul Gaustad.
1:55 p.m. Eastern
-San Jose has acquired Daniel Winnick from Colorado. They may have also acquired TJ Galiardi.
1:50 p.m. Eastern
-Detroit is still looking for a forward.
1:48 p.m. Eastern
-Is a Jaroslav Spacek trade close?
-Philadelphia has interest in Buffalo’s Paul Gaustad.
1:45 p.m. Eastern
-San Jose is close to acquiring Daniel Winnick from Colorado, says Bob McKenzie.
1:43 p.m. Eastern
-Carter Ashton was a first round pick in 2009.
1:40 p.m. Eastern
-Tampa Bay traded Carter Ashton to Toronto for Keith Aulie.
1:38 p.m. Eastern
-Toronto has traded Keith Aulie to Tampa Bay, says TSN. Aulie is a 22-year-old defenseman.
1:35 p.m. Eastern
-PA Parenteau is staying with the Islanders, says Arthur Staple. The offers were not good enough.
1:33 p.m. Eastern
-The Rangers and Islanders are both looking to make a couple of minor trades.
1:25 p.m. Eastern
-Vancouver is close to a depth move, possibly Greg Zanon.
1:20 p.m. Eastern
-Brad Stuart is not being traded from the Red Wings to the Rangers.
1:18 p.m. Eastern
-Bryan Allen is off the market for Carolina, but Jaroslav Spacek will be traded.
-Boston trade rumors are heating up.
1:10 p.m. Eastern
-False alarm…It doesn’t seem like Brad Stuart is going to the Rangers.
1:05 p.m. Eastern
-Conflicting reports on Detroit sending Brad Stuart to the Rangers.
1 p.m. Eastern
-Detroit is looking for a forward but won’t trade Brendan Smith.
12:58 p.m. Eastern
-Johnny Oduya is likely going to Chicago or Boston.
12:55 p.m. Eastern
-Minnesota has sent Nick Schultz to Edmonton for Tom Gilbert in a swap of top six defensemen.
12:53 p.m. Eastern
-Toronto could pull off a minor move before the deadline.
12:50 p.m. Eastern
-Dallas won’t trade Steve Ott unless there’s a great offer, says Darren Dreger.
12:48 p.m. Eastern
-This sets the Red Wings up to make another move after dealing Mike Commodore to Tampa Bay.
12:45 p.m. Eastern
-Tampa Bay sends a conditional 7th round pick to Detroit for Mike Commodore.
12:40 p.m. Eastern
-Tampa Bay has acquired D Mike Commodore from Detroit, says Nick Kypreos.
12:30 p.m. Eastern
-Evgeni Nabokov is considering a contract extension and the Islanders will not be moving him.
12:28 p.m. Eastern
-Nashville backup G Anders Lindback is not in play.
12:25 p.m. Eastern
-Chicago has interest in Washington’s Dennis Wideman.
-The Islanders are shopping G Al Montoya.
12:20 p.m. Eastern
-Steve Ott does not want to be traded from Dallas, says Darren Dreger.
-Boston and Chicago are among the teams interested in Johnny Oduya.
12:15 p.m. Eastern
-Vancouver is among 10 teams interested in Steve Ott of Dallas.
-The Islanders may shed money before the deadline.
-James van Riemsdyk and Mikhail Grabovsky won’t be traded, with the latter making progress in contract extensions. No progress between Edmonton and Ryan Smyth.
12:10 p.m. Eastern
-Winnipeg is considering multiple offers on Johnny Oduya.
-PA Parenteau will probably not be traded. Brian Rolston is among the players who cleared waivers.
12:05 p.m. Eastern
-Winnipeg claimed Grant Clitsome off waivers.
Noon Eastern
-Columbus has had 15 offers for players but none that they like yet, says Aaron Portzline.
-Nashville is still looking to do more today.
11:58 a.m. Eastern
-Toronto has no current interest or discussions with Edmonton regarding Nikolai Khabibulin.
-The Islanders are risking losing PA Parenteau in July, says Chris Botta.
-Roman Hamrlik and Mike Knuble have not asked for trades.
11:48 a.m. Eastern
-SOS’ Daniel Friedman expects the Rangers, Capitals and Maple Leafs to all make moves today. “They can’t afford not to.”
11:45 a.m. Eastern
-Chicago had an offer out for Toronto’s Mikhail Grabovsky, but it was shot down, according to The Fourth Period. The Blackhawks are moving on to other options.
11:43 a.m. Eastern
-It’s unlikely that Toronto trades Mikhail Grabovsky today, though a contract extension is unlikely. The Leafs also turned down an offer for James Reimer.
11:40 a.m. Eastern
-Chicago is looking for a center and a physical defenseman.
11:35 a.m. Eastern
-Some of the players surrounded with the most interest include Paul Gaustad and Derek Roy of Buffalo, Carolina’s Bryan Allen and Columbus’ Samuel Pahlsson.
-Kevin Allen reports that PA Parenteau won’t move today and neither will Ryan Smyth.
11:33 a.m. Eastern
-As of now, Toronto GM Brian Burke doesn’t think he’ll get what he wants today.
11:30 a.m. Eastern
-It looks like there’s a ton of interest in Colorado’s David Jones.
11:28 a.m. Eastern
-PA Parenteau’s agent denied that he’s looking for a four-year deal from the Islanders.
-Teams are calling Anaheim regarding Lubomir Visnovsky, but nothing is close.
11:23 a.m. Eastern
-The Islanders are still listening to offers on PA Parenteau but there’s certainly no guarantee something gets done.
11:20 a.m. Eastern
-Daniel Friedman of SprungOnSports would not be surprised if the Rangers were the next team to make a deal.
-PA Parenteau could be looking for a four-year contract.
11:15 a.m. Eastern
-Boston is among the teams interested in Winnipeg’s Johnny Oduya and the Bruins also have interest in Colorado’s David Jones, says Darren Dreger. San Jose and Detroit also like Jones.
-Now Antii Niemi may not have been offered for Philadelphia for James van Riemsdyk.
11:13 a.m. Eastern
-Goalie market? Evgeni Nabokov isn’t being traded and Tomas Vokoun has not been asked to waive his no-movement clause.
11:10 a.m. Eastern
-We now have conflicting reports on Detroit’s interest in Buffalo’s Paul Gaustad.
11:08 a.m. Eastern
-Toronto is getting close to a deal, says The Fourth Period, but nothing done as of yet.
11:05 a.m. Eastern
-Ottawa is not interested in rentals, says Bruce Garrioch. That would likely rule out PA Parenteau.
11 a.m. Eastern
-Nashville will try to make more moves today, says Bruce Garrioch. All is quiet in Phoenix.
10:55 a.m. Eastern
-Nashville is reportedly not on Rick Nash’s approved trade list.
-Detroit is not trading for Buffalo’s Paul Gaustad.
10:53 a.m. Eastern
-Toronto is close to completing a trade, says The Fourth Period. Hockey Break says the same.
10:50 a.m. Eastern
-San Jose has changed its offer for Rick Nash, Bruce Garrioch reports, but Logan Couture will not be dealt.
10:45 a.m. Eastern
-SOS insider Daniel Friedman would not be surprised if Nashville packaged Andrei Kostitsyn for a better forward. Montreal gets a second round pick in 2013 plus a conditional 5th round pick in 2013, says Pierre LeBrun.
10:43 a.m. Eastern
-Montreal may be getting a draft pick from Nashville in exchange for Andre Kostitsyn.
10:40 a.m. Eastern
-Minnesota is getting calls on G Josh Harding, says Craig Custance, but the Wild hasn’t decided what to do with him.
-Other Canadiens on the block include Chris Campoli, Ryan White and Yannick Weber, says TSN.
10:38 a.m. Eastern
-The Fourth Period reports that the Andrei Kostitsyn trade could be part of a larger deal or that the Canadiens are working on another trade.
10:30 a.m. Eastern
-Chicago has interest in Winnipeg’s Johnny Oduya and that Oduya will likely be moved today.
-More from Daniel Friedman on the pending Sergei Kostitsyn move: “I think Barry Trotz is they type of coach who’ll keep these two brothers in check.”
10:28 a.m. Eastern
-No word on Montreal’s return for Andrei Kostitsyn, but SOS’ Adam Davis says that the Predators need depth and that Kostitsyn would provide that. Daniel Friedman says that being traded to a contender with his brother Sergei already on the team should help.
10:23 a.m. Eastern
-Montreal has traded Andrei Kostitsyn to Nashville, awaiting on who it was for.
10:20 a.m. Eastern
-Andrei Kostitsyn may have just been traded to Nashville.
-Philadelphia may be done making trades.
10:18 a.m. Eastern
-Another team that has put out a strong offer to Rick Nash is Nashville, but it seems unlikely Columbus would trade him within the Central division.
-Vancouver is still interested in Steve Ott but Mason Raymond won’t cut it, says Pierre LeBrun.
10:15 a.m. Eastern
-SOS’ Daniel Friedman reports that the Sharks and Maple Leafs have offers to Columbus for Rick Nash, but that’s it for now. Things are quiet for the time being, says Aaron Portzline. San Jose is looking for an impact move.
-One possible name to watch is Vancouver’s Corey Schneider.
10:10 a.m. Eastern
-There are very strong rumors of an Andrei Kostitsyn trade to Nashville to pair him with his brother Sergei, says Bob McKenzie.
10:08 a.m. Eastern
-Montreal is the favorite to make the first move of the day, says Bob McKenzie. Travis Moen will likely stay, though, according to Craig Custance.
10:03 a.m. Eastern
-Toronto and Colorado are in talks on a trade, says Hockey Break.
-Florida is not doing too well in contract talks with D Jason Garrison, so he could be traded today.
9:58 a.m. Eastern
-From TSN: Expect the Sabres to trade Paul Gaustad today. However, the price (first round pick) needs to go down for that to realistically happen.
9:48 a.m. Eastern
-John Shannon does not expect PA Parenteau to be traded. He could be a major topic of discussion all day.
9:43 a.m. Eastern
-It’ll likely take a first round pick to trade for PA Parenteau, according to Bruce Garrioch. SprungOnSports insider Daniel Friedman thinks Parenteau will stay with New York.
9:38 a.m. Eastern
-It’s going to take a lot to get PA Parenteau from the Islanders.
9:30 a.m. Eastern
-The Islanders and Evgeni Nabokov are still discussing a contract and a no move clause may be the sticking point.
9:28 a.m. Eastern
-The Islanders are taking offers on PA Parenteau in a change of pace, according to Darren Dreger.
9:25 a.m. Eastern
-Florida would only deal D Jason Garrison for a top six forward, says Darren Dreger.
-Jets D Johnny Oduya could be a name to watch for the Rangers, says Katie Strang.
-Edmonton will continue contract talks with Ryan Smyth today.
9:23 a.m. Eastern
-Montreal is expected to be active today, says Bob McKenzie.
-Toronto is not expected to add a goalie today.
9:18 a.m. Eastern
-Buffalo is asking for a first round pick in exchange for Paul Gaustad, says Pierre LeBrun.
9:15 a.m. Eastern
-Chicago could deal a first round pick and a prospect to Toronto for Mikhail Grabovsky, says the Fourth Period.
9:13 a.m. Eastern
-Here’s the link on San Jose offering Antii Niemi to Philadelphia for James van Riemsdyk. It won’t be happening.
-Florida is considering dealing D Jason Garrison.
9:10 a.m. Eastern
-From TSN: Darren Dreger said that the Sharks tried trading G Antii Niemi straight up for James van Riemsdyk and Pierre LeBrun said the Penguins are looking for depth.
9:08 a.m. Eastern
-San Jose could deal Ryan Clowe and they have interest in Minnesota’s Greg Zanon.
9:05 a.m. Eastern
-San Jose is among the teams that made an offer for James van Riemsdyk, but so far the Flyers have been unwilling to move him.
8:55 a.m. Eastern
-Washington has placed Nicklas Backstrom on long term injured reserve, freeing up $7.6 million in cap space.
8:50 a.m. Eastern
-Washington will be busy today, with Roman Hamrlik almost certainly being moved.
-Islanders drawing interest: Parenteau, Okposo, Grabner, Bailey, Staios, Jurcina, Eaton, Nabokov. Ottawa has a ton of interest in PA Parenteau, but he’ll be tough to get.
8:45 a.m. Eastern
-Pittsburgh is looking for depth but won’t trade their first round pick because the draft is in PGH this year.
-All signs are that PA Parenteau won’t be traded.
-Brian Rolston and Grant Clitsome could be claimed on waivers today.
8:40 a.m. Eastern
-Steve Staios of the Islanders is on the market.
8:38 a.m. Eastern
-Expect Carolina players Bryan Allen and Jaroslav Spacek to move today, says Craig Custance. Also, five or six teams are in on Samuel Pahlsson.
-Montreal is very active today, looking to move Andrei Kostitsyn, Tomas Plekanec, Chris Campoli and Travis Moen.
8:33 a.m. Eastern
-Teams are being told that Evgeni Nabokov is not available. That means Toronto may not get a goalie, says Craig Custance.
-Boston and Detroit are among the teams interested in Samuel Pahlsson.
8:30 a.m. Eastern
-Boston is looking for help up front, while the Islanders are not expected to be very active today.
8:27 a.m. Eastern
-Bruce Garioch: Ottawa is looking for depth and the Blues, Canadiens, Blackhawks and Leafs are among the teams interested in Buffalo’s Derek Roy.
8:23 a.m. Eastern
-Carolina’s Bryan Allen has a no move clause but is on the table in trade talks today.
-St. Louis has injuries, so they’ll be exploring their options today.
8:20 a.m. Eastern
-Vancouver really wants Dallas’ Steve Ott but he’s not likely to be moved.
-Toronto has a lot of firm offers but nothing imminent yet, says Darren Dreger.
-From Andy Strickland: The Islanders are expected to re-sign Evgeni Nabokov with Buffalo, Colorado and Montreal all likely to sell.
8:13 a.m. Eastern
-Expect Montreal to be sellers today, with Tomas Plekanic among the guys who could move.
-Chicago is looking to add defense but will only part with picks, says Matthew Barnaby.
8:10 a.m. Eastern
-Nashville is a team to watch out for, says Bruce Garrioch. They even asked about Rick Nash. San Jose is still in on Nash.
-TSN’s players who could move: Jonathan Bernier and Dustin Brown of LA, Clarke MacArthur and Luke Schenn of Toronto, Sheldon Souray of Dalas, Jaroslav Spacek of Carolina, Lubomir Visnovsky of Anaheim, Montreal’s Andre Kostitsyn and Mason Raymond, Philly’s James van Riemsdyk and more!
7:40 a.m. Eastern
-Ryan Malone could be on the move today if he doesn’t exercise his no movement clause and Pittsburgh could be interested in bringing him back.
7:25 a.m. Eastern
-Jets players of interest today are D Johnny Oduya, F Kyle Wellwood, Jim Slater, Tanner Glass and Randy Jones.
7:20 a.m. Eastern
-There is no change on the Evgeni Nabokov front, says Darren Dreger, and the Islanders intend to re-sign him and not trade him today.
7:10 a.m. Eastern
-On the Columbus front, players who could be traded today include Rick Nash, R.J. Umberger, Derick Brassard, Sammy Pahlsson and Steve Mason.
6:55 a.m. Eastern
-Toronto Sun: All eyes will be on Toronto to see whether they can acquire a goalie like Nikolai Khabibulin, Evgeni Nabokov or Josh Harding, though the Isles have said they won’t trade Nabokov. *Detroit has shown interest in Columbus’ Samuel Pahlsson and PA Parenteau of the Islanders. *Chicago and Boston have had discussions with Dallas regarding D Sheldon Souray. *The Rangers, Kings and Bruins have interest in Edmonton’s Ryan Smyth but he probably won’t be dealt. *Expect a busy day from Carolina.
6:45 a.m. Eastern
-The Rangers will look to acquire spare parts before the deadline. There is interest in Mike Knuble, John Erskine and Dennis Wideman of Washington, Paul Gaustad of Bufflo and Jaroslav Spacek of Carolina, but not Bryan Allen of the Canes or Chris Campoli of Montreal.
-The Devils, Red Wings and Bruins are interested in Columbus’ Samuel Pahlsson.
6:35 a.m. Eastern
-We all know Rick Nash is the big prize of the day, but indications are that he will not be traded today and that teams previously interested in the Blue Jackets star are looking elsewhere.
-Could we add the Flyers to the list of teams looking for goalie help? The Fourth Period says yes, and that Philadelphia are looking at Nikolai Khabibulin, Jean-Sebastien Giguere and Ondrej Pavelec, though Winnipeg probably won’t be dealing their starter in the thick of a tight Southeast Division race. Toronto is also notably looking for a solid netminder.
-Boston is looking for a top nine forward and a top six defenseman, says the Boston Globe.
-There is interest in a pair of Sabres veterans, Paul Gaustad and Derek Roy. Gaustad could fetch a first round pick for Buffalo, a steep price, and Toronto has notable interest in Roy.
-The asking price for Islanders players will be very high, but don’t expect Evgeni Nabokov to be moved.
