TSN's Trade Bait in the Draft

The countdown is getting closer and closer, dwindling down to the trade deadline in the NHL and there is a lot of potential for movement, but isn't there always potential each year?  As always, I'll be watching TSN's coverage of the deadline, mostly because I think it is the most thorough and least flamboyant of the two networks, as they just get down to business.

This season, they have their list of the top 10 players they believe are most likely to get dealt at the deadline, their Trade Bait, and I want to see how it stacks up in the draft, since that's why some of us are watching.

First up on the list is Arizona's Antoine Vermette, who fits the bill as the biggest prize for a playoff contending team.  He plays centre, decent in the faceoff circle and in his own zone, has a bit of flair for the offensive side of the game and doesn't carry the biggest cap hit into his new side.  Vermette is definitely the kind of player that a team that picks him up, may want to keep him around past the end of the playoffs, so I fully expect that team to give up a conditional draft pick for his services, beyond the 2015 playoffs.

Vermette also belongs to Cam in the pool this year, a team that has some potential of their own for some prizes at the end of the year, so he is one of the biggest names to move on this blog.  Today, Cam sits in 5th place, only 13 points out of 3rd and the stretch run could see that gap shrink, if Vermette heads to an offensive team.

Teams that fit the bill for Vermette's services, I believe Tampa Bay could really make a big pitch for him.  They have the space, the desire and the young talent in the wings that they could use as bait to get him out of the desert.

The top defenseman on the list is Carolina's Andrej Sekera, who could fetch a club like the Hurricanes some valuable future assets, as the team looks to retool their side in the Eastern Conference.  Sekera broke through with some upside last season and hasn't quite found the same amount of 'wow' that the team needed to really compete, but he at least gave the club a reasonable piece to move, since he is an unrestricted free agent in the Summer.

The 28-year old Slovak doesn't quite have the same pool value that Vermette has, as he belongs to Wyllie, who continues to fight to stay out of last place.  A move for Sekera could definitely help that cause, as any offense would be good offense at the bottom of the table.

There are lots of teams that could bid for Sekera's services, as offensive defensemen are hard to come by and even harder to keep.  With the way the Montreal Canadiens play, I could see them make a push on Sekera, trying to shore up the blueline behind a known injury-prone defender like Andrei Markov.

The Buffalo Sabres continue to be in the market of selling their moveable assets and in there is forward Chris Stewart, who has been hanging on by a thread in the lineup of late, likely more for showcasing than anything else.  His numbers have dwindled of late, but his size certainly hasn't, which still makes him an attractive piece to a team that wants a little bit more size and grit for the dirty games down the stretch and in the playoffs.  Maybe elsewhere, he can also find his scoring touch again.

Stuart decided to pick up the 27-year old forward, in hopes of a big spark from a deal at the deadline, but it has yet to happen.  Stuart doesn't exactly have a line on the prize money at the end of the year, but he does have a side bet, involving his Week Eighteen pick-up, so there is some money involved there.

The Boston Bruins have undoubtedly been the team most associated with Stewart during the deadline rumour chats, but as they continue to fall out of contention, barely hanging on to the last wild card spot, their desire to part with pieces for the future for a Cup run seems more and more unlikely.  Stewart's annual cap hit of over $4 million does make him difficult to move to some contenders and I'm sure Buffalo's asking price will scare off the uncertain as well.  However, I could see Nashville make a play for him, even though they've already made some deals, possibly waiting for the asking price to go down.

Can you tell that Carolina is in a selling mode?  Their second player on the pool list is Jiri Tlusty, who certainly can provide some offensive flair to a team, possibly in a third line role for his new club.  The Czech winger has 13 goals this season and skates pretty well, so he should be attractive to teams that are decent down the middle and just need a bit more help from the boards.

Tlusty has been the least effective player on Kristy & Don's team this season, but that really isn't saying a lot, given that their team is filled with players that have been off-the-charts this year.  If Tlusty can find himself in a spot where he gets more offensive chances, it just makes their pool-winning team that much better.

I don't see Tlusty going anywhere within the division in the East, since there are more teams there that could use him on that side, but I can see him finding a fit with the Winnipeg Jets in the West.  The Jets have assets, they have picks and they have a decent chance at the playoffs.  Adding a little bit more of an offensive punch, especially with the injury to Mathieu Perreault, this move does make a lot of sense.

Finally, the Calgary Flames are in the mix for the playoffs, but they are still a young team, where expectation isn't very high and the need to win in these playoffs, hasn't been deemed as necessary.  The team could still potentially make the playoffs, even with selling off some assets and the top player that comes to the forefront is Curtis Glencross, a potential UFA in July, and a versatile player that can give any contending team a boost.  Glencross has reportedly given his list to the Flames, so it sounds like just a matter of time before the deal gets done.

In the pool, Glencross has only been a marginal player for Mike, accounting for only 6.7% of his total points at 27 tallies to the good in 50 games.  Mike is in the bottom half of the standings and doesn't stand to make much out of a deal for Glencross at this time.

Where does he go?  Well, he's the perfect compliment to a Chicago Blackhawks team, both in grit and in skill.  His fairly low cap hit could definitely fit in at the Madhouse on Madison and the Blackhawks have plenty of future assets to move.  The Flames don't have to move him, but they likely will, the combination suggesting that they could get quite a bit for him in the end.

Other pool players were watching at the deadline include: Erik Cole of the Stars, Jaromir Jagr of the Devils, Karri Ramo of the Flames and Marek Zidlicky of the Devils.

Rumour: Emery to Philly

As we found out in the Flyers' pool outlook for next season, they don't have a starting goalie signed on for next year, as of yet. Enter the possibility of Ray Emery signing on in Philadelphia. According to a number of sources and blog posts, there have been talks between the two sides in order to bring back the troubled keeper from the KHL where he went 22-8-0 last season. Of course, there has been little word as to what a deal would look like, as to the years and the value, but I would guess that any deal would see Emery be a cap hit of about $2.5 - $3 million over a couple seasons. The Flyers are going to struggle with the cap, hence the outsourcing to Emery.

Possible Pool Players in Deadline Talk

Now that we're only a small number of days away from the NHL trade deadline, I began to wonder if there are going to be any players key to the Draft race that could be moved here at the deadline. With first to fifth separated by only 16 points, there could be some sort of movement that may sway the balance a little. I figure, you have to be as curious as I am, right?

Starting at the top of the table, John B. currently sits with a 12-point lead and he appears to have only one player whose name has surfaced a number of times through the trade rumour circuit this season. Vaclav Prospal has had his name attached to a few playoff-possible teams, including Columbus, for deals that could happen in the next couple weeks. He has been underachieving a bit this year in Tampa, but who hasn't? He certainly could be the tonic that a young fledgling team could appreciate down the stretch. It doesn't seem terribly likely that he would swing the difference after a trade though for the last six weeks of the season.

Jeremy, only sitting 12 points out of first, has a couple of names on his team that have been batted around trade rumours, but they have been fairly weak at best. Martin St. Louis in Tampa and Pavel Kubina in Toronto have both been inserted as possible movers among the rumour mill. St. Louis, the more likely of the two, would be a good addition to any Cup contending team, while Kubina is somewhat coveted by Brian Burke. If the Lightning are truly going to be sellers for a rebuild, St. Louis does have some marketability at a decent cap hit of $5.25 million over the next couple years. I would imagine the return on that trade would be fairly good as well.

In third place, 13 points out, Peter sits with a few names that are worthy of trade talk as well. Brian Gionta, Alex Ponikarovsky and Scott Niedermayer have all surfaced with links to other NHL teams. Gionta has a chance of moving out West for a top level defenseman, while Ponikarovsky could be a victim of the fire sale in Toronto and Niedermayer has surfaced as a decent rental player to a playoff bound Eastern team. Would it even be fair to speculate that there could be an inter-pool team trade, seeing Gionta go for Niedermayer? How strange would that be? These three players do have some value in the Draft and if they can move to healthier spots on another NHL roster, they could make a big difference down the stretch for Peter.

Likely the most marketable asset on Clayton's team is Mattias Ohlund of the Canucks. Ohlund has been a part of a number of Canucks rumours in order for the team to upgrade their forwards. Ohlund hasn't been at his offensive best in the Canucks line-up, but does bring a lot of defensive experience, which a lot of teams should find useful. His name has surfaced in year's previous, but has yet to move. If there was any better time to move him for a top quality forward, now could be it. Saying that, a defenseman move won't be enough to swing the momentum in Clayton's favour, as he still stands 16 points out of first place and three from the money.

Finally, in fifth place, tied with Clayton in fourth, is Marcus. Marcus has two marketable players on his side, a forward and a defenseman, that may be able to help his team out if they were to be moved. The first being Nikolai Antropov, who is in the middle of a media storm in Toronto, as the pundits speculate on whether or not he'll be moved at all. He certainly isn't one of my favourite players, but apparently he is marketable and the right fit could prove to be rather productive... but I doubt it. Also on his marketable list, Ed Jovanovski of the Coyotes. Jovanovski is an appealing rental player on the backend, if a team is willing to mortgage a good piece of their future to get him. Jovanovski does come at a steeper price of $6.5 million against the cap for two more seasons, which may be in Phoenix's best interest to remove from their books.

Malkin for Kovalchuk?

I thought it is something else to think that Evgeni Malkin could possibly leave Pittsburgh, but a trade rumour circulating the web today suggests that the Penguins are talking to the Thrashers to pull off yet another blockbuster deal around the Trade Deadline. Going the other way, the suggestions point towards Ilya Kovalchuk, a potential unrestricted free agent in the summer.

Malkin will be making will start his long-term contract extension next year, where he'll be making $8.7 million per year for five seasons. That really does pigeon hole the Penguins, as they already have a number of players, including Sidney Crosby, who will be making $3.5 million or more. The Penguins could use a little reprieve and they could certainly hope Kovalchuk could be helpful when negotiating his new contract. It really does look as though the Penguins will choose Crosby for the long-term and the addition of Kovalchuk will give him a top 3 winger to play with. Very intriguing.

Kovalchuk has been the face of the Thrashers franchise since he was drafted and he hasn't been able to bring the Thrashers to the promised land. Sure, he hasn't had a lot of help, but the decision could be made that he isn't the best forward building block to go from in Atlanta. The Thrashers have cap space to spare and the idea of taking on Malkin's $8.7 million doesn't sound too bad when you get the top scorer in the NHL in return. Malkin sure hasn't proven himself worthy by any stretch of the imagination to be a franchise player, since he has a lot of help to shoulder the load with Crosby. In Atlanta, he would be leaned upon for that kind of leadership.

I like the prospect of this deal going down, with little pieces added to it for flavour. This also should raise the profile of Jordan Staal, who will then take on the second line centre role. That's good news for his fantasy value. Kovalchuk could very well return to his 50-goal form with a centre like Crosby and Malkin could move away from the shadow that Crosby still has in Pittsburgh. I think it makes sense on several levels and I would really be curious to see what the end result is.

Some Sundin News Soon?

It's Friday, August 22nd... do you know where your Mats Sundin is? The great speculator, Eklund, at HockeyBuzz.com suggests that the saga that is the big Swede, Sundin, may come to an end this weekend... only three weeks past the much-speculated August 1st deadline. Of course, I won't be the only one who says, 'I certainly hope so.'

We're now just a month away from most training camps getting started and there are many dominos still to fall, waiting for Sundin to make his mind up. If there are indeed six teams in the running for the big veteran, you can only imagine what the plans are for these squads. Some of the teams mentioned may have to shift some players just to fit Sundin into their plans, while other teams are more concerned about what they are going to do if Sundin doesn't choose their city to play in.

Of course, the big concern is whether or not Sundin even wants to play another year. Surely he does... he's only 37 and doesn't have a Stanley Cup on his resume. He's had to have spent enough time in the league to make the Cup his number one priority in his playing career, but if that was the case, he would have accepted that trade to Detroit in the summer. Saying that, if he doesn't have that sort of drive for the Cup, then maybe he should retire. Whichever way, it better be a 100% kind of decision... for everyone's sake.

Let's be quite clear... the Maple Leafs need Sundin as much as Sundin's heart would like to stay in Toronto. Will he be a winner in Toronto? No, of course not. Not this year and it will be at least a 3-year plan before the team can align the stars properly for a good Cup run.

Can the Leafs afford him? Oh sure, they have plenty of room left under the cap, especially for the $7 million they've rumoured to offer him for his services.

What would the Leafs get if he decided to re-sign with the club? They would certainly gain enough offense to win them a few more games than they would without him in the line-up. For pool consideration, Vesa Toskala would be a more attractive pick with Sundin in the line-up than without. The thing the Leafs didn't give Toskala a lot of last season was offensive help and they have done little to address that problem this summer.

If he doesn't sign with the Maple Leafs, what are they going to do? The easy answer to that question is suffer. The push to move Bryan McCabe will increase, but the players they get back will have to be somewhat offensive or else there is little gain, other than dumping a salary. Ponikarovsky and Blake will be the top two forwards in Toronto, which doesn't offer up a lot of hope, if nothing is done. Leafs fans will have to hope that Plan B is a good one.

Talking about a team that is in dire need of offense for winning now, the Canucks could definitely use a Mats Sundin to help put pucks in the opposition net so their franchise player, Roberto Luongo, doesn't have as much work to do to help the team win. The move for a number one centre like Sundin would also take a bundle of pressure off of the Sedin twins, who have been thrusted into the number one line role, especially now that Markus Naslund and Brendan Morrison are gone.

Can the Canucks afford Sundin? Well, they've left enough room under the cap to fit his $10 million per season deal in for this year, but then there's no more room for much more. It's a big gamble, but Sundin does have the consistency that a team would look for in a number one centre.

If he doesn't sign with Vancouver, what are they going to do? Thanks to the good old rumour mill, there is seemingly a number of deals waiting on the table for the Canucks, with all sorts of names being churned through to end up on the West Coast. Afinogenov, Parrish, Gionta, Vermette... all names that have been attached to the Canucks in recent weeks, but who's to say much of it is true at all. I suppose if the rumours are true, trades and such may actually bring more offense in two guys than $10 million spent on Sundin would. A little food for thought there for ya.

Let's say that Sundin works up enough desire to win a Cup in his NHL return, well then, wouldn't Montreal be the most fitting place for him to stop? The pieces are in place for a pretty good team in the coming season. The addition of Sundin to Toronto's biggest rivals would be quite the coup in Montreal, as they will have plucked their biggest star out from underneath them to give themselves the best chance to win the Cup. The whole build-up to the season would be all Canadiens, all the time on most of the sports channels, while all the Leafs fans would stew in their disappointment... which would also be mentioned on most of the sports channels.

What would the Habs get in Sundin, if they were to land him? Frankly, it's an excess of offense and a question on whether or not he'd be considered the number one centre or not. Sundin would likely be paired with Alexei Kovalev on the first line for the Habs, which theoretically, would boost Kovalev's fantasy value, well beyond the poor projections the Hockey News gave him. While Saku Koivu would likely get a chance to play with Alex Tanguay and a Kostitsyn brother. It is rather scary on paper, if you were to look at it right now. Carey Price's numbers would seemingly go up as well and it would be a dead heat on how many Canadiens are picked in your pool draft to the number of Penguins.

Can the Habs afford Sundin? If we called the going rate for Sundin (if we weren't too ambitious) $7 million for the year, then yes. The Habs have around $9 million to spend on three players, which inevitably means they won't start the season with the full compliment of 23 players on their roster. Maybe if Sundin goes to Montreal, they could move one of their veteran players for some breathing room and some prospects or picks, but the dynamic of the team really wouldn't shift too greatly.

What will the Habs do if they don't sign Sundin? Probably very little. With young players like Kyle Chipchura and Ryan O'Byrne waiting in the wings, the Habs can fill some of their holes with some quality youth, which may lessen their experience, but their skill is still high. They could very well keep a lot of cap room for the trade deadline in February, so they could possibly pick up Sundin then.

In the Big Apple, you can compare the Rangers to a 'Fun With Chemistry' set, but in this case, the chemistry is player chemistry and the kid unwrapping the gift is Glen Sather. The Rangers aren't known for spending a lot of money and getting good results, but that isn't stopping them from going after the biggest fish left in the free agent pond.

The first question has to be, 'can the Rangers afford Sundin?' Right now, they can't. They have very little cap space, around or below $2 million (depending who you ask), which is a far cry away from the $7 million they'll need to land him. So, rumours again swirl through our thought process, wondering who would be the first name out the door in order to reel in the big fish.

What would the Rangers gain with Sundin in their fold? For certain, the Rangers will get another big gun. Sundin can jump onto the Rangers depth chart at or very near the top and then the team would have three top quality pivots on their roster. The true gain, however, would have to be handicapped by what they trade away to make room for the big Swede. Right now, the Rangers have a good quality team with all of their additions, but the chemistry hasn't even been determined, which could be considered a good or a bad thing, when trying to add Sundin. I'm sure there is plenty of interest to have Sundin play with fellow Swede, Markus Naslund, in the coming year, which does pose a big threat to their opponents in the Eastern Conference, likely giving them extra consideration for a division win.

If the Rangers don't land Sundin, what happens then? Much like the Habs, Sundin is likely only considered a side of meat on a big plate of meat. If they can't have pork with their beef, then they'll settle for some veggies and the meal deal is complete for another year. With very little cap space available, there would definitely be a push for some of their youth to fill spots. Deals are certainly not out of the question, either, as you know Glen Sather is always lurking in the shadows, thinking of new and exciting ways to upgrade his team.

The Flyers are also one of the teams who are waiting in line to see if Sundin is going to return to the league in the coming year. Despite all the great work building the team with youth and some very complimentary players through free agency, the Flyers are seemingly interested in seeing how a big player like Sundin would fit into their mix. At best, they would likely be considered an outside shot, but in a lot of cases, throwing your hat in the public ring only has as much value as the other 24 teams raising an eyebrow at the thought of having Sundin in their mix in private.

Could the Flyers afford Sundin today? Oh gosh, no... they still have four holes to fill with $1.2 million. Sundin fits in their budget like the proverbial square peg into a round hole. Thankfully for Flyers fans, this should only be considered as passing interest and shouldn't be given too much weight. So, it won't be here. The team has too much going for it within it's own walls, so there is no need to be hasty when dropping big money on the free agent market.

Finally, there is one more team supposedly in the mix for Sundin, but as of right now, it's only under assumption that it's the Colorado Avalanche, who could be starving for some players by the end of the summer. The prospect of not having Joe Sakic back and not even getting the chance to have Peter Forsberg back until Christmas looks bad on the Avalanche. Obviously, the franchise who originally drafted Sundin in 1989 would like to have some sort of star playing for them up front, especially one with good leadership qualities that their youth system could look up to, even if it's only for one season.

Could the Avalanche afford a guy like Sundin? No Sakic. No Forsberg. Not having those two under contract should indicate that there is plenty of cap space for a guy like Sundin, but of course, the team would prefer to have Sakic under contract for another year than to maybe extend themselves out for Sundin. The decision on Sakic will hopefully coming just as soon as Sundin, which could lead to their own domino effect... but again, this is still just speculation that the Avalanche are even interested.

Quiet Monday Rumours

I don't know about you, but I can't wait until the players finally hit the ice for training camp, the pre-season and inevitably, the regular season. October 4th is circled on my calendar, as that's the day when the league begins the season over in Europe (Stockholm & Prague) and we can finally put stories from the boardrooms and negotiation rooms to bed. Until then, however, we must plug away at what we have for hockey news and that's signings, trades, buy-outs and well, rumours.

I think if there is one player that could out duel Mats Sundin for the 'most anxious story yet to happen,' it would be restricted free agent defenseman, Jay Bouwmeester. Suffering in the sunbelt, the young defender (24-years old), has had a hard time making a huge name for himself, the way he should have by now, since he was touted as one of the great young prospects to be drafted. Sadly, the team in Miami never really materialized around him and he has had to settle for mediocrity in his career. This summer, however, it could all change.

Negotiations with Bouwmeester have been rumoured to be tumultuous, at best. The reports over the weekend say that he had rejected a huge long-term offer from the Panthers and the best likelihood will be that the team will trade him before it's all said and done. Saying that, the Panthers will likely ask for the farm for Bouwmeester, which agreeably, most teams will likely make that move, because Bouwmeester does have the value of a small farm.

Bouwmeester set a career-high in goals last season with 15, but his career-high in points happened a couple seasons ago at 46 points (he only had 37 last season). There is plenty of scoring potential for the young Edmonton native, which makes his potential move to a better scoring team a great pool interest.

As a restricted free agent, he is set to become one of the better paid defenders in the game as well, which some teams will have to do some creative bookkeeping to have him. I had seen teams like Boston, San Jose, Dallas and a few others, seemingly in the mix for Bouwmeester, which seems a tad silly for all three. None of them (at the moment) could possibly afford the big table offer that he'll want, which seems a tad fruitless. Unfortunately for teams that need a big salary (i.e. Los Angeles, Atlanta, Phoenix, Nashville, Long Island, Columbus), they don't really have what the Panthers would be looking for in a deal, unless there are a ton of good picks available.

Moving away from Florida and back to the friendly (snicker) confines of Toronto, it looks like the Mats Sundin sweepstakes is the biggest domino to fall on the summer's transactions. Sure, there was a lot of talk that the bigger name stars of the free agent frenzy was going to set off a lot of moves, but that seemed to be exaggerated.

Teams like Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto all seemingly have Plan B's in place, if they don't get the services of the big Swede in the coming days. Vancouver is looking at Antoine Vermette and Brian Gionta (rumoured, of course), while Montreal could go after Teemu Selanne and then Toronto will take just about anyone who has a heartbeat and wants a no-trade clause. Once the winner of the Sundin sweeps is declared, these Plan B's could fall shortly after, since we're already heading into August and GM's have an itchier trigger finger, moreso than years previous.

Also in the Plan B department, if your team didn't land Brian Campbell or doesn't land Jay Bouwmeester, then how about paying some possibly overpriced monies to defenseman, Mathieu Schneider, who will likely be the Duck voted off the island, due to salary cap concerns.

Schneider will be a cap hit of $5.625 million this coming season, but you do get a good chunk of talent for all that dough, it has to be said. If the Ducks are to unload Schneider, that will give them some more breathing room around the cap ceiling, which they have been staring intently at since the free agent frenzy began. However, moving Schneider may not be enough to quell the team's fear of going over the cap limit, but he is a good start.

Finally, there are very few other players making waves in the rumour mill at the moment, but some unrestricted free agents that draw some interest would be the newly bought-out, Glen Murray, Ladislav Nagy, David Vyborny and Marek Malik. There is some mild pool interest in these players, but not a lot, thanks to the good influx of young talent that has emerged in the league.

On the Eve of Draft Day

There is a lot of anticipation waiting for the Draft to commence tomorrow night. Probably not as much as the kids who are looking to be drafted, but still, it's getting to the point of anxiousness. The mock drafts are slowly seeping out of the woodwork and the comparisons are starting to be drawn. On Wednesday, I found ESPN's mock draft and the Forecaster's mock draft on Faceoff.com for my list of comparisons. TSN will have their draft tonight and Sportsnet... who the hell knows? Don't forget, you can find my mock draft right here.

On the horizon, we may see an interesting jump in power play percentages going up with the inclusion of a couple new rules. The most beneficial rule change offensively will be the first faceoff of a power play will be in the offending team's zone. Hopefully, this will give those offensive teams an extra few seconds on a two-minute power play to work their magic. The onus on face-off winning centres may be increased in this off-season because of it.

The second rule in place for the coming year will be penalties for extra body contact on an icing call that doesn't relate to getting the puck. Theoretically, this should give the referees more flexibility on making a call on a dangerous play in regards to icings. For some players, this could be a few more minutes in the box, because of their over-aggressiveness. For others, it could hopefully save themselves from injuries, both short and long-term.

There was also an indication from an interview with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman with Sportsnet saying that the salary cap will indeed rise to the mid-$50 million level, close to the suggested $56 million mark. That would mean good things for the Anaheim Ducks, who are currently sitting at the highest returning cap hit for next season, at roughly $49.2 milllion for 17 active players.

The trade rumours continue to be rampant leading up to the Draft tomorrow night. One big deal making the rounds sees the Blue Jackets sending Nikolai Zherdev to the San Jose Sharks for Patrick Marleau straight up. What a move it would be for Marleau, to get some number one centre time and have a winger to play with in Rick Nash. Marleau's stock would certainly have to go up. Zherdev on the other hand will likely feel it to be a lateral move, since he probably wouldn't be playing with Joe Thornton.

Another rumour I was reading about today was that the Leafs are looking to move up in the Draft from their 7th spot overall to make sure they get Nikita Filatov. According to the three mock drafts done, two suggest they would have to deal with St. Louis in the fourth spot, while the Sherpa has predicted he'll be the second overall pick to the Kings. Who will the Leafs send going the other way? Bryan McCabe's name still pops up as a candidate, despite his no-trade clause. The team has plenty of players to move, theoretically, but it's going to have to be some of the bigger contracts to make it worth Toronto's while.

It's just a matter of time before the flood gates open and the moves start to be made. Whatever happens, it will all start the domino effect towards July 1st, whether it opens up space or closes some off. It's almost time for some medication to stop these anxiety attacks... just kidding. More coffee!

Calm Before the Storm

The news wire is eerily quiet. Tuesday brought news of the Hall of Fame inductions, which a congratulations to Igor Larionov is in order, I think. It was sure good to see the highlights of his brief time in Vancouver again. I never was a big Glenn Anderson fan, but after the praise that the Great One gave him for his induction is worthy of praise. To Ray Scapinello and the late Ed Chynoweth, both are well deserving members due to their hard work.

ESPN.com has now added their mock draft to the mix. There was a few notable picks that were very similar to the Sherpa's. That kind of takes away from the fun. To no surprise, Steven Stamkos was the number one pick there as well. At least every mock draft should get one right this year. There are a few more mock drafts I am looking forward to seeing, so the compare will be on.

Trade and free agent rumours are running wild through the news wires at the moment. The Pittsburgh Penguins are stuck in the middle with Ryan Malone and Marian Hossa taking centre stage, when it comes to where they'll sign for next season. Malone is looking likely that he'll become an unrestricted free agent come July 1st, which should open the door for Hossa to sign with the Penguins for less than market value (not by much, mind you). Malone has garnered a lot of interest from Columbus, Vancouver and a couple other teams are in the mix.

Interest is picking up on goaltender Dan Ellis, as he's having a tough time negotiating a deal in Nashville, as the rumours point out. Ellis could take the Bobby Holik award for this summer as the highest paid bust as a free agent signing. Ellis did have a respectable season with the Predators and earned himself the number one role heading into the first round of the playoffs, but is that really enough to be considered established and therefore be a jerk when it comes to negotiating a deal with the team that gave you a shot? If Ellis wants to be a number one guy in the league, he should at least give the Predators one more season, if not for the Preds, for the future team that would like him in their fold.

The trade rumour winds swirling around Mike Cammalleri are intensifying in Edmonton, it seems. The deal that would send the winger to the Oilers for defenseman Joni Pitkanen continues to have merit around the mill. I would have to believe that the Kings are balking at this deal, because it would give a Conference opponent a piece of the puzzle that would fit nicely, while they get a potentially fitting blueliner, who comes with some baggage and some niggling doubts.

There is plenty of merit to a lot of potential deals this weekend, if not this week. The outlines of quite a few teams are pointing in the direction of movement. Almost equally, there are teams who are sellers to teams who are buyers, which makes it all very interesting.

Top 5 Moveable Players in the Draft

Well, there are some major players being batted around the rumour mill, but in the Sherpa's draft, who is being shopped around that may make a difference to the Standings of the pool.

In first place, Stuart has a player or two being shopped around today on the deadline. The most notable and most likely to be moved, Miroslav Satan of the Islanders. Satan is going to be an Unrestricted Free Agent and the Islanders think they could get someone to play with them now, so Satan is very marketable. Depending on the style of team Satan goes to, he could very well be a better offensive weapon. A team like Detroit would be optimal for Satan.

In second place in the Draft is Clayton, who's most shopped player is more than likely Jose Theodore. Well, he may not likely be shopped, but there are probably some teams in the market for a number one goalie and Theodore could be that guy. Will he be moved? Seems unlikely, as he's the number one guy for the Avalanche and they are getting healthier and adding Peter Forsberg (Wes) to the mix.

The Senators have tried, but he doesn't want to waive his no-trade clause... and they say Mats Sundin (John P.) is changing the face by not moving. Chris, who stands in third in the pool, has a marketable guy in Wade Redden, but Redden was technically the first guy to say no to waiving his clause... and he's done it twice since the Entry Draft. He has marketability and with the instability of the Senators, maybe it's time to say yes for Redden and he may come out of left field himself to move to the West Coast.

The hottest team in the pool at the moment, Dale B., has a marketable player in Daymond Langkow. Langkow probably couldn't move to a better situation, but he's only marketable because the Flames may want to get something for him, instead of losing him on July 1st to free agency. Langkow does get to play with Jarome Iginla (Aaron) from time to time, so unless Langkow moves to a team where he centres a superstar, he could find himself downgraded in pool stock.

Fifth place, John B., had his most marketable player signed this morning, so he won't be traded. So, now I have to find another one to replace him and I'll have to go back to Calgary. Craig Conroy is in the same boat as Langkow as an expendible future free agent with a decent sized price tag. The Flames are likely to hold on to him to keep the chemistry of the team, but if another team feels they have a shot at a better position with Conroy, the right deal could come along.

Technorati Tags NHL, Hockey, Hockey Pool

Playing the Trading Game

I don't know how much you're caught up in the whole trade deadline buzz, but you'll be expecting the Sherpa to be knee deep in the whole thing, just for the sake of the people who stop by and read. I've been doing a little bit more digging around, so I thought I might put some new names up and maybe offer a little bit of my own suggestion. Who doesn't like to play General Manager on their own time?

The name that continues to be batted around seems to be Michael Ryder (Box 14), more for a guy who would go the other way to improve the Canadiens situation. Ryder has been having a bit of an off year when it comes to his offensive output. He's only managed 22 points (11G, 11A) in 51 games this year, where he has come in with 30 goal seasons in the past. His pool value has certainly gone down this year, but a change of scenery could be good for him as well. His possible destinations have been quoted as being Atlanta (for Marian Hossa (Dale C.)) or Calgary (for Alex Tanguay (John B.)).

A rumour floating around is that Jay McKee (non-pool) could be on the move out of St. Louis and into a winning climate. McKee has been better known for his large contract to exclusively block shots, but moreso for his inability to stay in the line-up for extended periods of time. McKee has managed 49 games this season and has 8 points (2G, 6A) for St. Louis. His rumoured destination has been listed as Pittsburgh, who has enough cap room for his $4 million per season contract, which still has two more years on it. He would certainly be the guy to anchor the team defensively, which is something that would improve the overall play of the team.

On the brink of unrestricted free agency, Mike Peca (non-pool) has peaked some interest in the rumour mill. The Senators have been eyeing Peca for quite some time, as the story goes in the mill, and could put up some valuable packages Columbus' way in the next little while to try and land him for more defensive depth in front of their shaky goaltending. The Blue Jackets only stand 5 points away from a playoff spot, which is still very much in the mix and they have plenty of cap room this season to be buyers instead of sellers. It will be interesting to see how a team like Ottawa would value Peca to make them sway one way rather than the other. The Blue Jackets have a few assets that they could move to be younger and have their potential grow for next season, so the Peca-watch could be justified.

As for the Maple Leafs, mired in the basement of the Eastern Conference, there is plenty to be said about what the team needs and doesn't need at the trade deadline, but it all seems so silly, especially since the identity of the going forward General Manager hasn't been put forth into the arena. Cliff Fletcher will be responsible for some tinkering before the trade deadline, but to me, the only tinkering he should be doing is opening up more opportunity for change, so the new and permanent GM has a new lump of play-doh to shape.

Making a move for a top level draft pick this summer should be key. I do believe I have mentioned this previously in a blog post before. I still stand by this idea and it should be in the team's best interest to move for those picks. If other teams are sending offers to Cliff Fletcher's office for players other than Mats Sundin (John P.), they should also be carefully considered. Obviously, the team isn't winning with the make-up it has now, so if a lower-rung team wants to acquire Bryan McCabe (Benson) for prospects and picks, the team has an increased chance to win the lottery for a higher draft pick in June. If I had the hat on, I would call up Los Angeles and see what it would take to wrangle their pick away from them.

Probably the funniest thing I've read about the Maple Leafs situation over the past couple weeks was Darcy Tucker (Box 15) is untradeable. It's not the way you would think either. I had read that a GM in the league wouldn't give his last draft pick for the aging winger and frankly, I wouldn't blame him. With a $3 million cap hit for the next three seasons working against him, it's no wonder that the GM's would try and stay away. That's an expensive player who won't score 20 goals this season. The term "buyout" comes to mind... there could still be a bit of a cap hit to worry about, but the team doesn't seem to benefit with him in the line-up at full price. But that's saying that a team can't offer a bag of pucks for Tucker.

Technorati Tags NHL, Hockey, Hockey Pool

The Trading Landscape is Changing

Well, the bombshell looks to have been dropped on the trading landscape as Peter Forsberg (Wes) has told his agent (who in turn told TSN), that he doesn't feel comfortable or 100% confident in the status of his foot/ankle. If this is the case, which it likely looks to be, this means that the teams who were in the running for him (Rangers, Flyers, Avalanche, Senators, etc.) will all be moving to their next available targets with a little bit more fervor.

Since Forsberg isn't coming back, how will this affect Mats Sundin (John P.) and his no-trade clause? If Sundin is to waive it, the auction for his services should get pretty intense. I have read around the blogs and websites that the GM meetings should provide some insight as to where he is going, if in fact he is going.

Also taking his name off the proverbial list, Rob Blake (Jeff) wants to remain in Los Angeles and it would seem unlikely that he'll waive his no-trade clause. This should also change the landscape of marketable defensemen. Brad Stuart (Box 11), also in Los Angeles, has now become the most likely target for any shopping teams, including the Red Wings.

For teams like the Maple Leafs, Kings and Thrashers (who may have Marian Hossa (Dale C.) for sale, the leverage for their "available" players, which could mean some more prospects and/or picks to sway a move. The auctions should prove to be fairly interesing.

Technorati Tags NHL, Hockey, Hockey Pool

A Few More Names Kicking Around the Trading Block

Well, we're down to two weeks before the Trade Deadline and we've already seen a deal hit this week, which may see a couple response deals done before the end of the week. Teams will now line-up to see if they can get the jump on players before their rivals can and make a better push for the playoffs or a good Cup run earlier than expected.

The expensive Jaromir Jagr (Wes) has seen his name circling around the trading block for the majority of the season. Of course, you would have to think that most teams are quite hesitant on taking on a moody player that costs a bloody fortune. It seems even less likely that he'll hit his performance targets for his contract option to take place, so it is pretty safe to assume that he will become an Unrestricted Free Agent on July 1st.

This season, Jagr has 47 points (15G, 32A) in 59 games with the Rangers, a fair bit below his point-per-game standard he has set for himself. In pool scoring, he currently ranks 62nd, behind players like Daymond Langkow (Dale B.), Jason Pominville (Dieter) and an injured Shawn Horcoff (Box 2). This isn't good news and it's something a lot of teams would consider, especially if he would want to sign a contract with a team.

It is believed that Jagr's cap hit this season is only $4.94 million, despite his giant deal he received in Washington, so it isn't like he'll put a heavy burden on a team that would pick him up for the rest of the season. The only real burden would be in the dressing room with a superstar ego floating around.

If the Sherpa was to offer a suggestion, it would be that since Boston has been shopping around for some flashy talent, they may want to have a good look at picking up Jagr. They currently sit 8th in the East and they could make a legitimate push for a playoff spot come the Spring. They have a guy in Marc Savard (John P.), who would likely have very little issue upping his assist totals by passing it to a scorer like Jagr. The Bruins don't have a "superstar" in their dressing room at the moment, so the fragile Czech wouldn't have a complex that he currently feels while playing with Scott Gomez (Peter) and Chris Drury (Clayton). It could very well be the perfect fit... especially, since they have cap space.

A deal now would look good on the Bruins, but if they go with the status quo, I would imagine that they would make a pretty solid push for the winger come July 1st.

There has been some speculation on Long Island that their summer acquisition, Mike Comrie (John B.), may be on the block, since the team is falling out of the playoff race quickly. Comrie was a good deadline deal acquisition last season for the Senators and he could very well be a good one for another contender this season.

In the summer, Comrie had only signed on with the Islanders for one season at $3.8 million, which would be a sizable ding against the cap, even with only 20+ games remaining on the schedule. He would also be considered a rental player, as he's known to test the market or be a guy that would be considered a short-term solution to a season.

Comrie has 41 points (16G, 25A) in 56 games for the Islanders this season (94th in pool scoring), which would be a pretty nice contribution to a contending team. He'll more likely be a considered player once the dust settles on guys like Peter Forsberg (Wes) and Mats Sundin (John P.).

A very interesting name being sized up in the trading market is Tampa Bay's Vaclav Prospal (Jeff). The last place Lightning could very well be sellers in the market in the coming weeks, as they may want to consider re-structuring their team's make-up for the Free Agency Season of the Summer. Prospal, 33, has had a pretty productive season (51 points in 56 games) at a salary of $1.9 million. A guy like Prospal will become an Unrestricted Free Agent at the end of the year and his marketability has risen from under $2 million to roughly $4 million per season for possibly 2 or 3 more years. That may not be in the Lightning's price range, since they still have to re-sign Dan Boyle (Dale C.) to a long-term deal and then find a quality number one goaltender in the summer as well.

Even at 33, Prospal could quite possibly command a good combination of prospects and picks, which would be hard to pass up in a good couple draft years. I could see a pretty good bidding war happen for the services of Prospal for the stretch run, he should be a name to watch before the 26th.

Technorati Tags NHL, Hockey, Hockey Pool