DAILY RUMORS: A Bit Early On The Kevin Bieksa Conjecture?

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Vancouver Canucks defenseman Kevin Bieksa remains a fixture in the NHL trade rumor mill.

An injury sidelining fellow Canucks blueliner Sami Salo for at least half the season ensures Bieksa won’t be going anywhere for the time being but it’s assumed once Salo returns to action Bieksa could be peddled by the February 28^th trade deadline.

Of course we don’t know for certain if that’ll happen. It’s a long way to next February and much can happen which could determine if Bieksa finishes the final season of his current contract with the Canucks or is playing elsewhere by March 1^st.

“Eklund” from Hockeybuzz.com certainly believes Bieksa will be dealt and cites a source who claims the Montreal Canadiens will target him.

http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog/Eklund/The-Amazing-Guy-Boucher-and-his-Lightning-PLUS-The-BieksaHabs-Rumor/1/30782

Kevin Bieksa has shown up to play this year and has a new lease on life recently playing with Dan Hamhuis, but last night another major source of mine told me the Canadiens WILL trade for Bieksa when Salo returns. “They love him and the Canucks are thrilled Bieksa is playing better so they can get more in return…eventually.”

I’m sure the Canucks are thrilled Bieksa’s playing better, but I have my doubts the Canadiens “WILL” trade for him when Salo returns.

For one thing, we don’t know what the Habs needs will be by mid-season. They might need another puck-moving defenseman, or they might need a big scoring forward.  To suggest with absolute certainty the Canadiens “WILL” trade for Bieksa at this point just doesn’t seem plausible.

For the Canadiens much will also depend on how well rookie P.K. Subban performs as well star blueliner Andrei Markov, who’s due back later this month from off-season knee surgery.  If Markov’s showing little or no ill effects and if Subban keeps improving  they’ll have no need for another puck-moving blueliner.

I’m not entirely ruling out the possibility of the Canadiens chasing a defenseman like Bieksa later in the season but it’s far too early to say with certainty that they will.

Lyle Richardson

SpectorsHockey.net
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