Now, as in any situation where a player as versatile as Brown is being shopped multiple teams will be lighting up the phone lines of Kings’ GM Dean Lombardi (Ludlow, MA). The six-foot, 205-pound Ithaca, New York native is a former United States Olympian and has reached the twenty goal plateau four times during his eight seasons in Los Angeles, with a career high of 33 coming in 2007-2008.

Not only is Brown a capable 20-goal, 50-point per season player, but he can also be used in a variety of situations including on the penalty-kill and power-play. Obviously a solid locker room presence, the former first round draft choice was named the youngest captain in Kings history back in October of 2008, when he was just 23 years old. Brown has also proven his ability to play in any number of roles, from being a prominent top-line scorer to being a shut-down player on a checking line (even once leading the NHL in total hits).

With top two right wingers Nathan Horton and Rich Peverley sidelined for an extended period of time, Brown would be the perfect fit for a gaping hole on the right side of Boston’s forward lineup. Brown also comes at an insanely cheap $3.1 MIL per season cap hit on a contract that runs through the end of the 2014-2015 season.

In dealing Brown, the Kings will likely be looking for cap relief and help up front, as well as assets to help increase the depth of their prospect pool after surrendering a first round pick in the Carter deal. In Boston’s case, one would assume any offer for Brown would have to look something like this (despite ESPN Boston’s proposal to include David Krejci):

To Boston: Dustin Brown

To Los Angeles: Ryan Spooner OR Jared Knight , Jordan Caron , 1^st Round Pick

To those unaware, Spooner and Knight are Boston’s two most coveted forward prospects who both hold a legitimate chance to make the big club next fall. Spooner, the 20-year-old Sarnia Sting center, nearly made the Boston roster out of training camp back in 2010-2011.

On the face of it, it seems as if Brown would be a perfect fit for a Bruins team that’s been mired in a mid-season slump as of late. However, B’s GM Peter Chiarelli will have his work cut out for him if he wants to get the Kings’ captain into a Black and Gold sweater before Monday’s 3 P.M. deadline as a plethora of other clubs are also rumored to be in on the Brown sweepstakes.

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Down two of their top-six forwards for what looks like an extended period of time, the Boston Bruins have found themselves in an interesting situation as the February 27 trade deadline approaches. As this year’s trading deadline drew closer, hockey pundits in the Hub rightfully suggested that the Bruins simply needed to add a couple of depth pieces to their Stanley Cup champion core. However, without Horton and Peverley, the B’s lineup looks like an absolute mess. Check for yourself this evening when the team takes on the Jets from Winnipeg at 8 PM.

Under these new found circumstances, I’ve thrown together a few trade ideas that one could assume Chiarelli has at least thought about since hearing of the severity of the knee injury to his prized acquisition from one year ago. Keep in mind that these are IDEAS, and if the Boston lineup was at full strength, none of these would even become a consideration.

1.) —–> To Boston: Rick Nash, Curtis Sanford

—–> To Columbus: Tuukka Rask, Dougie Hamilton, Jordan Caron, 1st Round Pick, 3rd Round Pick

– Let’s start with the obvious elephant in the room. Columbus captain Rick Nash is available to be had for the first time in his nine-year NHL career. The list of team’s who’d like to have big no. 61 in one of their sweaters? It’s 30-teams long. However, the list of team’s he’d accept a deal to? Reportedly only 5-teams long. Luckily for Boston, rumors have it that the Hub of Hockey is indeed on Nash’s brief list of acceptable locations. The 6’4″ Brampton, Ontario native is a prototypical power-forward with 40-50 goal potential, IF put in the right situation. The 27-year-old Nash would instantly become the premier forward in the Boston arsenal, and could be paired with budding star Tyler Seguin for this, and many years to come.

2.) —–> To Boston: Patrick Kane

—–> To Chicago: Tim Thomas

  — There is no questioning the on-ice talents of Patrick Kane. Despite all the questions of character and judgements of what he does when he is away from the rink, Patrick Kane remains one of the most skilled forwards in the entire National Hockey League. He is a United States Olympian. He scored the game winner in a clinching game 6 of the 2010 Stanley Cup Final. He’s scored at least 20 goals in each of his four full seasons with Chicago. Kane would provide an instant lift to a struggling Boston offense and would, like Nash, instantly become the most powerful offensive force in the B’s lineup. While it would be excruciatingly difficult to give up the defending Vezina trophy winner, a 23-year old proven all-star with a reasonable cap hit would be one heck of a return for an aging netminder. The reason this makes sense for the ‘Hawks is not only the fact that they have enough depth at forward to survive without Kane, but that their goaltending, as currently constituted is far from strong enough to take them deep into the playoffs.

3.) —–> To Boston: Martin St. Louis, Pavel Kubina, Ryan Shannon, Mathieu Garon, 2nd Round Pick

—–> To Tampa Bay: Tuukka Rask, Joe Corvo, Jordan Caron, Jared Knight

  — Now, this deal is perhaps the most far-fetched of the three, based purely on the number of moving parts involved. However, a deal like this could make a lot of sense for both squads. In St. Louis, the B’s will fill the vacancy left by Nathan Horton up on the top-line with a proven NHL playmaker, not to mention the chemistry that could be sparked with former Vermont University teammate Tim Thomas. In Kubina and Shannon, Boston would get two valuable depth players who both will become unrestricted free agents on July 1. Garon, Tampa’s current back-up goalie would come to Boston merely as throw in, being that the Bolts would likely not want to carry three ‘tenders with the addition of Rask. The young Finnish backstop would provide the Lightning with something they’ve been missing for quite a while: a young, dependable goaltender of the future. Corvo, whose two million dollar cap-hit will come of the books on July 1, was put in the deal to free up space for the incoming additions. In Caron, Tampa would get another young, gritty player who is extremely versatile with the ability to play in all three zones of the ice, as well as kill penalties. Jared Knight, a former second round selection by the B’s could immediately step in next season for the Bolts, alongside London Knights teammate Vladimir Namestnikov, Tampa’s prized prospect who was taken in the first round of last year’s Entry Draft.

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5.) —–> To Chicago: Hal Gill, Travis Moen, 5th Round Pick

—–> To Montreal: Kyle Beach, Brandon Saad, 2nd Round Pick

– Seemingly going nowhere this season it may be time for the Habs and GM Pierre Gauthier to start thinking about unloading some pieces in an attempt to build for the future. Both Gill and Moen are set to become unrestricted free agents this summer and could provide a Cup-hunting Blackhawks team with some added depth and grit for a playoff run this spring. Neither Moen nor Gill give you much in the way of flash or skill, but both are very durable players who have a Stanley Cup on their resume. For Montreal, both Beach and Saad fit the mold of what the Habs need the most: big, strong power forwards who can put the puck in the net. While neither will give Montreal much in the way of immediate assistance, they both have the potential to become cogs in the Canadiens’ lineup for years to come.

4.) —–> To Boston: Tuomo Ruutu, Bryan Allen

—–> To Carolina: Jordan Caron, Matt Bartkowski, 2nd Round Pick

– For a team that has simply run roughshod on the Eastern Conference since the start of November there really aren’t many glaring holes on a roster full of Stanley Cup winners. However, like we saw last February, GM Peter Chiarelli isn’t afraid to tinker with his team in order to add the necessary depth to make another run at Lord Stanley. This trade makes perfect sense for a Boston team that still relies on an inexperienced Steven Kampfer as it’s seventh defenseman. The hard-nosed Bryan Allen isn’t known much for his offense (0G/7A in 51 games this season) but can provide a solid defensive presence in his end of the ice, as well as log some valuable time on the penalty kill. Like Allen, the 28-year-old Ruutu will be a free agent on July 1. The Finland native seems to have been cut from the same mold as Boston winger Rich Peverley in the way that he can be trusted in any situation. Ruutu has posted fifteen goals and added eleven assists in 51 games this season while being shuffled up and down the Carolina lineup.

3.) —–> To Philadelphia: Ryan Suter, 3rd Round Pick

—–> To Nashville: James Van Riemsdyk, Brayden Schenn, Andrej Meszaros, Jody Shelley, 1st Round Pick

– Now, I’d put this trade as the least likely to happen, at least not until this summer. A deal like this makes perfect sense for a Flyers team that will be without captain Chris Pronger for the remainder of the season. Ryan Suter is perhaps the most underrated defenseman in the entire NHL. Often overshadowed by Shea Weber, Suter has quietly stacked together one all-star season after another and is slated to finally cash in this summer when he becomes an unrestricted free agent. The question still remains as to if the cash-strapped Predators can re-sign Suter to a long term deal to keep him in Nashville. However, if GM David Poile comes to the realization that he will not be resigning with the Preds, he would be better served to deal him now than let him walk for nothing this July. The package I’ve presented seems like quite a hefty price for one player but keep in mind, true number one defensemen simply do not grow on trees. While I really can’t see this one happening before the deadline, if Suter is adamant about not re-upping in Nashville, I can’t see any better scenario for the Predators’ franchise both now and into the future.

2.) —–> To Toronto: Jeff Carter, 3rd Round Pick

—–> To Columbus: Luke Schenn, Nikolai Kulemin, 2nd Round Pick

– There’s no question that Jeff Carter’s brief stay in Ohio’s capital is coming to an early end. Reportedly frustrated by the entire situation, the former Flyers star has put up only seventeen points (10G/7A) in 30 games this season while playing for the league-worst Columbus Blue Jackets. While many teams would be skeptical of accepting any player with ten years left on his contract, the Leafs have been on a league-wide search for a true number one center since Brian Burke took the helm in November of 2008. It’s my belief that if Carter is surrounded by a talented team (like he was in Philadelphia) he will once again be able to return to his elite form. While many could think of this as an overpayment for Carter, I would argue that while Schenn still looks like a future all-star, he seems to be the odd man out on a Leafs’ blueline already manned by Dion Phaneuf, Mike Komisarek and John-Michael Liles — all of whom are signed to lucrative contracts. Kulemin is a young player with loads of skill and potential who seems to be struggling under the hockey-crazed pressure cooker that is Toronto. Perhaps a change of scenery would do him a world of good. In Toronto, Maple Leafs’ fans may be foaming at the mouth with the thoughts of putting an elite pivot in between all-star wingers Phil Kessel and Joffrey Lupul.

1.)  —–> To Minnesota: Zach Parise

—–> To New Jersey: Devin Setoguchi, Charlie Coyle, Jonas Brodin, 2nd Round Pick

– This trade simply makes too much sense. With Parise still unsigned and the Devils’ ownership situation still uncertain, it’s easy to suggest that New Jersey will be unable to retain Parise at year’s end. Recent speculation has suggested that the 5’11″ Minneapolis would like nothing better than to return to his home state to continue his career, making him a perfect fit for the Wild. However, a former 40-goal scorer with extensive leadership qualities simply does not come cheap. With this package the Devils pick up a solid return for a guy who will likely be gone for nothing on July 1. Devin Setoguchi is a solid young winger who can play top-six minutes and provide some pop playing across from Ilya Kovalchuk. In Coyle and Brodin New Jersey receives two former first round selections who look to be sure bet NHL contributors in the near future. Parise should provide the right type of boost for a Wild team trying to work themselves off of the playoff fringe.

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5.) Jackets Fail For Nail

– Without question the worst team in hockey through the first half of the season, the Blue Jackets have been an unmitigated disaster all year long. Entering the season most hockey journalists (including myself) had Columbus pegged for their second post-season appearance in franchise history. However, the aforementioned NHL pundits could not have been more wrong. With the acquisitions of Jeff Carter and James Wisniewski not panning out, look for the Blue Jackets to deal one of the two before the deadline. Purely based on Wisniewski’s massive contract, my guess would be Carter moves on for greener pastures elsewhere. The former Flyers’ standout should bring GM Scott Howson a decent haul and will help them continue to build for the future as they trudge along on the “Fail For Nail” campaign.

4.) Kessel Posts 90 Points, Finally Quiets Critics

– Perhaps the most talked about trade in recent Boston sports history, the Bruins–Leafs swap of September 2010 sent crafty winger Phil Kessel to the epicenter of hockey in exchange for three draft selections. Bruins’ GM Peter Chiarelli then used those picks to select forwards Tyler Seguin and Jared Knight as well as defenseman Dougie Hamilton. While Seguin has exploded onto the scene in the Hub, amassing 19 goals and 24 assists through 46 games this season Kessel has truly emerged as one of the league’s most prominent scorers. With 51 points (26G/25A) in 49 games, he and linemate Joffrey Lupul (20G/32A) have completely turned the Toronto franchise around, leading them to a top-eight position in the Eastern Conference. In the second half of this season, I believe that Kessel will easily reach the 40-goal marker and surpass his career high of 64 points to finally justify this trade and quiet the throngs of critics who have harassed the Minnesota native ever since he arrived on the scene in Toronto.

3.) Hitchcock, Blues Continue Magical Run

– Without doubt the biggest positive surprise of any team in the league this season has taken place underneath the Gateway Arch in St. Louis. The Blues, who struggled mightily to begin the season under former coach Davis Payne, have been given new life since the arrival of veteran bench boss Ken Hitchcock. With no players in the NHL’s top-50 scoring leaders, the Blues’ team-first philosophy has shown through this season, leading them to the fifth seed in the Western Conference — a comfortable eleven points ahead of ninth place Colorado –. Captain David Backes seems to have his team — a seemingly perfect blend of youth and experience — poised for a deep run through the post-season. In the shocker of the season, I can see the Blues becoming this year’s NHL Cinderella story, upsetting a team or two and making it to the Conference Finals this spring.

2.) Sabres, Habs Continue Rapid Fall From Grace

– Mired in the basement of the Eastern Conference, this season simply has not gone the way fans in Buffalo and Montreal had once thought it would. Currently sitting eight and ten points out of the playoff picture, the Sabres and the Habs have been absolute train-wrecks on ice the entire season. In Montreal, things went awry immediately out of the gate and have only been trending downwards since then. In a year that’s seen the departure of both an assistant coach and a head coach, an unheard of mid-game trade and continuous public outcry for a French-speaking bench boss, the city of Montreal has been an absolute circus all year long. In Buffalo, fans and players alike had Stanley Cup aspirations after new owner Terry Pegula’s ill-advised off-season spending spree. Unfortunately for the hockey-mad folks in Western new York, it just hasn’t quite worked out this season as their beloved Sabres sit tied for dead last in the Eastern Conference. What’s worse? GM Darcy Regier is handcuffed by the insanely generous contracts of Christian Ehrhoff and Ville Leino.

1.) Bruins, Rangers Will Battle For Eastern Conference Crown

– Now I could be getting ahead of myself a bit here but right now all signs are pointing towards an Original Six showdown with a spot in the Cup Finals on the line. Without a doubt the two best teams in the East through the first half of the season, New York and Boston have put together the two best records in the Conference through the first half of the season. Armed with gritty, two-way players who aren’t afraid to put the team before themselves, the B’s and Blueshirts almost mirror one another in terms of playing style. After putting together an instant classic earlier this month at TD Garden, it’d be easy for one to expect three more beautifully played contests between these two squads this season. However, I’m going to take it a step further and say that New York and Boston will once again meet in the Eastern Conference Finals this spring for yet another chapter in the Boston  vs. New York rivalry.

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However, something happened on the way to making the NHL more palatable to the masses. You might have noticed that your favorite player or players have been missing in action quite a bit this season.As of Thursday, 51 NHL players have been lost to concussions this season. On that list is the player many believe is the league’s best, Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Crosby has played in just eight NHL games since suffering a concussion on Jan. 5, 2011.

That list has become a gargantuan story this season, much to the alarm of the league and teams, who have in the past attempted to minimize what independent medical experts have been citing for years: hockey has a concussion epidemic on its hands.

< READ MORE ON CBS New York >

Other pieces on CBS by BD:

HOW PLAYERS, NOT THE ISLES COACH WILL WALK PLANK THIS SEASON

PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE? TELL THAT TO NY ISLANDERS FANS! 

Realignment Plan According To Canada's CBC

With the recent re-instatement of the Winnipeg Jets, the NHL and it’s Board of Governors will face a tough decision at December’s annual winter meetings. As it is not economical to leave the Jets in the SouthEast division any longer than one year, due to the absurd amount of traveling they must endure simply to play their divisional games, the league must create a re-alignment plan. The decision as to how to re-align the league’s divisions in order to accommodate the Jets, as well as a few other disgruntled teams will undoubtedly have a lasting impact on the league and it’s future.

Not only must the league adjust their divisions in order to make life easier on the Jets, they must re-align a few other Western Conference franchises who have complained to the league about their schedule. Such franchises like the Detroit Red Wings, Nashville Predators and Columbus Blue Jackets have notably disputed their position in the West due to the amount of Western road trips they must make each year. For Columbus & Nashville, it is fairly obvious as to why they would request a change, because playing one third of their games in the Pacific time zone –meaning that the puck doesn’t drop until 9-10 PM local time– can be a serious detriment to two teams trying to expand their fan bases.  As far as  the Red Wings are concerned, they are relying on an under-the-table type promise made by the commissioner to the Ilitch family (Owners of the Red Wings) when the current division format was established in 1998 that they would be returned to the Eastern Conference as soon as it became possible.

The picture above shows the  re-alignment plan proposed by Commissioner Bettman that is allegedly “gaining steam amongst the NHL’s Board of Governors”, according to CBC’s Elliotte Friedman. According to this plan, the league is looking to adapt a new 4-division format, with two divisions of 8 and two divisions of 7. Despite the success of the current 6-division format, it appears that the only way to successfully accommodate most of the parties involved it to create a four-division layout.

While I do agree with most of the format displayed by Friedman, there are a few slight changes I would make to his plan. Here is my idea for an NHL re-alignment plan. Keep in mind, there is no plan that can satisfy all parties involved, what is important is being able to accommodate the majority.

Atlantic Division     NorthEast Division     Central Division      Pacific Division

PHILADELPHIA          MONTREAL                     CHICAGO                    SAN JOSE

NEW JERSEY               TORONTO                        NASHVILLE               ANAHEIM

NY RANGERS              OTTAWA                          DALLAS                       LOS ANGELES

NY ISLANDERS          DETROIT                          ST. LOUIS                  COLORADO

WASHINGTON           BUFFALO                         MINNESOTA             VANCOUVER

PITTSBURGH             BOSTON                           WINNIPEG                CALGARY

TAMPA BAY               CAROLINA                       COLUMBUS               EDMONTON

FLORIDA                                                                                                      PHOENIX

The tweaks in my plan, as opposed to the plan displayed on CBC include swapping Pittsburgh with Carolina. While it may not be geographically correct to have the ‘Canes in the “NorthEast (Or whatever they call the new division), it is imperative to have the Penguins in the “Atlantic” Division. This is to preserve the new-found rivalry between Pittsburgh and the Caps, as well as the natural rivalries the Penguins have in Philadelphia and New York.

I chose to put the Wings into the “NorthEast”, to attempt to  re-energize their Original Six rivalries with Montreal, Boston and especially Toronto. The new “NorthEast” division also preserves the great feuds between the Bruins & Canadiens, as well as the classic border battles between the Sabres & Maple Leafs.

In the West, I did not edit much, only placing Columbus into the “Central” division, and keeping the “Pacific” division the same as Friedman had it. Under this plan, each team in the “Central” division will play in the Central or Mountain time zone, while seven of the eight “Pacific” division teams (With Colorado as the exception) will  play in the Pacific time zone.

As Friedman detailed, under the 4-division format, every team will play a home-and-home set with each team that is NOT in their division, and will play the remainder of their games squaring off with divisional foes. Also, the new playoff format would allow for the first two rounds of the post-season to take place within each division (No. 1 Seed vs. No. 4 , No. 2 Seed vs. No. 3) with the winners advancing to the Conference Finals.

Of course this new format is not perfect, and likely is only a temporary solution. No matter how realistic or unrealistic the idea may sound, rumors have it that the NHL and Commissioner Bettman’s ultimate plan is to expand to become a 32-team league featuring eight divisions of four, much like the NFL.

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HOCKEY LEGENDS PAT LAFONTAINE AND STEVE WEBB TO RIDE 550 MILES FOR W20
FOUNDATION AND COMPANIONS IN COURAGE FOUNDATION

NEW YORK (September 19, 2011) –NHL alumnus Steve Webb and Hockey Hall
of Fame inductee Pat LaFontaine began a 550-mile bike ride this morning
from the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto in route to the NHL Powered by
Reebok Store in New York City in support of their respective charitable
efforts, the W20 Foundation and the Companions in Courage Foundation. Both
are expected to complete their historic ride on Wednesday, September 21 at
12:00 p.m. ET with a special celebration at the NHL Powered by Reebok Store
in midtown Manhattan.

“The NHL is proud to support these two hockey legends as they embark
on this epic charitable ride. On behalf of the NHL family we proudly salute
Pat and Steve, and wish them the best of luck” said Ken Martin, Jr., NHL
Vice President of Community Affairs.

LaFontaine’s Companions in Courage Foundation is an official
philanthropic partner of the National Hockey League (NHL) and helps to
create “Lion’s Den/NHL Legacy Classrooms” featuring Cisco System’s online
conferencing system, WebEx, which allows young patients to connect to
family, friends, schools and teachers anywhere in the world during a
hospital stay.

The Foundation has now opened 12 Lion’s Den rooms throughout North
America, including two with the NHL in Boston, Calgary and Montreal. The
NHL unveiled the first fully functional “NHL Legacy Classroom” at North
Carolina Children’s Hospital to commemorate the 2011 NHL All-Star Weekend.
Plans for an “NHL Legacy Classroom” in Pittsburgh were unveiled during the
2011 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic to commemorate the outdoor game.

Webb’s W20 Foundation provides young student ice hockey players with
partial academic scholarships to continue the pursuit of their hockey
dreams. Now the organization also highlights athletes as influential agents
of change and creates opportunities for athletes to give back in their
communities. Webb will also commit a portion of the ride’s proceeds to fund
Alzheimer and dementia research in Ontario.

The riders will be joined by a support team that includes Graham
Fraser, founder of Centurion Cycling, host of North America’s premier
series of distance bicycling events.

For more information on how you can support this please visit
www.CiC16.org
or www.w20Foundation.org.  To follow the progress of the ride, fans are
encouraged to visit www.W20Foundation.blogspot.com. ]]> http://hockeyindependent.com/blog/bdgallof/38698/feed/ 0 http://hockeyindependent.com/blog/bdgallof/38114/ http://hockeyindependent.com/blog/bdgallof/38114/#comments Fri, 02 Sep 2011 10:58:29 +0000 BDGallof http://hockeyindependent.com/blog/?p=38114

We are in the dog days of summer. There is nothing worse for an Isles fan than an August where so much is left up in the air. Its been a long long month. The venue effort failed. Free agency was with minor solid piece on the bottom 6, which I warned long ago. The second move to bolster the bottom 6 came via trade.

So there you go. Weight retired and now works in-house. The Isles re-signed others, and basically most is all to be seen and assessed at training camp. So many questions remain in the air, it is almost thick and noxious.

For those still trying to play armchair GM, IF and when the Isles sign Bailey they will be at the cap floor with his contract plus players bonuses/incentives. Add in Nino likely making team and should eradicate cap floor wonder. So might want to retire the calculator and pen.

Samsonov rumors hit the feeder the other day, and it is likely a strong warning shot at Bailey and his agent who seems to be making a habit of contract standoffs. It is fair warning that time is running out and Bailey is in danger of missing the season due to Charles Wang’s directive of all being signed before training camp. Bailey might want to talk to Bergenheim to see how that went. After August 1st, Charles is even more set, so it’s not good scenario for Bailey, nor will help his development.

Isles want to roll three lines of scoring. Rolston or even Reasoner can sub, but Isles have a spot for either another kid or a vet to take if Bailey and his agent fail in this game of chicken. As a penciled 3rd line center, not much leverage for Bailey, though he’s still a part of the rebuild plan.

Speaking of Question Marks….

DP is still the starter till camp begins. Montoya, for all the lauds, there are just way too many fans thinking that Al is guaranteed to be the saving grace. Many a goalie have had hot hands, consistency is about doing it a full season or at least taking it into the new one. Too many are anointing him savior without a shred of indication that he is besides just hope. Let’s see how it continues, shall we?

In all honestly, even the Isles are unsure on how things will transpire. DPs knees and quality of play have caused more fan alarm than Hurricane Irene. Poulin, Koskinen, Nilsson all are in system. Nabokov is a wild card. An elder who has been a starter, who didn’t want to report, yet is here all the same. His future is in his hands… Whether it be for the Isles or dealt elsewhere later on.

Despite the Isles desire to upgrade the defense, something they attempted with the Ehrhoff attempt, and something they still desire. This all falls back to my statement back  in late April. The Isles wanted to place more than just bandaids on D like the year before. Sadly, it did not happen as they intended and things are still just not where they want it to be. But now that August 1st has passed, there has been a change in that rush to deal. Though the rebuild and vision for Garth remains, the ability to spend or try to has diminished.

There is no trade on the fire. No sudden next move everyone is waiting on with bated breath. All gone, kind of like Mangano’s venue referendum. The Isles no longer are in the mood to spend, and will measure what they have in-house unless something low cost falls into their lap.

What nobody is simply willing to say is that for the first time since Charles Wang took ownership of the team there is a change from ownership on spending. More indicators of this will peer out as the season begins, unless there is a change of mind from the top. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

They made minor yet solid improvements on the offense. But it is in so many places that improvements need to be made to reach the playoffs. It remains to be seen if someone can make a jump or growth to offset the deficiencies that remain on the Islanders. And if those things happen, can a Nabokov or Comeau be dealt to get what is needed down line? Who knows for sure anymore. Certainly not the Isles who will need camp to see what they are dealt, and then the season for development.

You can have all the experts in the world predict, but in the end, it’s hard to gauge how so many elements will come together. It will take continued hot play from Montoya, the development of Nino and the not mentioned de Haan who the Isles feel is a projected top two dman… To really make things solid. All this and the continued development of the kids, plus some steady leadership and some depth by those like Reasoner and Rolston will be key.

A lot has to happen and come together to make playoffs a reality, but Chef Garth has a lot of smart ingredients in this pot that can make it happen. Hope you brought your appetite. Might want to pack some TUMS just in case, as well.

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The Philadelphia Flyers have made their fair share of headlines during the offseason. With the acquisition of goalie Ilya Bryzgalov, trading away Mike Richards and Jeff Carter, and handing the team over to budding young stars Claude Giroux and James van Riemsdyk. Not to mention signing quite possibly the greatest European hockey player in league history, Jaromir Jagr, to a one-year contract.

It’s safe to say that this summer has been on heck of a whirlwind for Flyers fans.

With about a month to go until training camp gets underway, there are still a few free agents on the market that could help the Flyers in their quest for the Stanley Cup next season.

First, you have veteran winger Cory Stillman who could come in and help the Flyers’ power play while providing some addition leadership to a core that suddenly became very young.

Then there is Sergei Samsonov, who played for Carolina and Florida last season. Samsonov would give the Flyers some more skill on the wing, and another European on the roster. The 32-year-old scored 13 goals and 40 points last season.

While both players could give the Flyers offense a little more umph, there is one player still available who could be a perfect fit for the orange and black. Chris Drury, who was bought out by the New York Rangers after four miserable seasons in the Big Apple.

In the summer of 2007, Drury was one of three big free agent centers on the free agent market along with his Buffalo teammate Danny Briere and New Jersey’s Scott Gomez. Drury and Gomez signed deals to play for the Rangers while Briere decided to take his talents to South Philadelphia.

When Drury signed with the Rangers, he was supposed to give them a top line center to play with Jagr and a leader who could help them go deep into the playoffs. Coming off back-to-back seasons in Buffalo where he scored 60-plus points, Drury established himself as one of the better checking line centers in the league.

However, Rangers general manager Glen Sather didn’t get the memo that Drury was not a top line center capable of carrying a team’s offense on his shoulders. With that said, Drury is a leader who can take a team and show them how it’s done. A player with a Stanley Cup under his belt, and a guy who was a captain in Buffalo.

He’s a pretty damn good hockey player.

In New York, Drury was asked to do too much because of his contract. When a player carries a $7.1 million cap hit, he’s expected to score more than 38 points per season on average. And while Drury has the ability to put up points as he scored 50 or more points in eight of his 12 seasons playing in the NHL, he isn’t known as a scorer.

Drury didn’t perform well with the pressure of playing in Manhattan.

A knee injury cut his season short last year, and made several people believe that it would complicate buying him out this summer because a team cannot buy out a player who is injured. However, they were able to agree to a buyout and the NHL approved it.

Now, Drury is a free agent and is free to sign with any team.

His knee will raise questions to teams interested in his services seeing how no one knows if he’ll be able to play without his knee acting up, but if he’s willing to take a reasonable one or two year deal or perhaps a tryout contract, the Flyers should consider adding the 34-year-old.

Drury is a natural born leader who plays both sides of the puck. He can play the power play, and kill penalties. He’s good in the faceoff circle, and can play the wings. He’s tough, and knows what it takes to win at this level.

With the acquisition of Brayden Schenn and drafting Sean Couturier, the Flyers are relatively young down the middle. While Couturier is expected to play at least another year in Juniors, Schenn is expected to hold down the third line center role for coach Peter Laviolette.

Adding Drury to a third or fourth line role to mentor Schenn would benefit the Flyers now, and in the long run. Drury has a rap sheet of being a leader, a responsible two-way player and a winner. Those are all attributes that the Flyers want Schenn to hatch into.

You have to think that when GM Paul Holmgren signed Jagr, he wanted him to help van Riemsdyk and Giroux mature into superstars that he believes they are going to be. While both players took steps in that direction last year, a veteran or two can only help them.

With losing Richards and Darroll Powe, the Flyers penalty kill unit took a big hit. Philadelphia’s PK unit ranked 15th in the league last year, an aspect that has to improve this year. The roster, as it stands today, only has Blair Betts, Andreas Nodl, Max Talbot and Giroux as proven penalty killers. Can newly acquired Wayne Simmonds step into a penalty kill role? Who knows.

Talbot was signed to be a third-fourth liner, to provide veteran leadership and to help the penalty kill, but if you bring in a guy like Drury, Laviolette can save Giroux for more power play minutes and even strength time.

You can’t have enough penalty killers.

Holmgren has been known to take risks in his time as general manager, and Drury would be one, but considering the price it would take to sign him, it would be a low-risk, high reward for the Flyers.

Then again, their last low-risk, high reward move didn’t play out too well.

Adios Nikolay Zherdev.

Follow Tom on Twitter: @Tom_Dougherty
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The Czech Republic native was drafted 180th overall (6th Round) in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. In 227 career games with the Blues he has amassed 49 points and 143 penalty minutes. Polak represented Czech Republic at the 2010 Winter Olympics. One of three Blues players to represent their country in the Vancouver games.

According to the Blues official website, General Manager Doug Armstrong had this to say regarding Polak:

“We believe Roman is one of the top defensive defensemen in the league who plays against the opposing teams best players night after night,” said Armstrong. “He’s one of our top penalty killers who is just reaching the prime of his career and we’re happy to have him in the fold for the next five years.”

A five year term may look excessive on the outside, especially given the type of contracts Armstrong has given to young 20-somethings while GM. However, its a delightfully slick move. As Polak has done something others haven’t.

Established himself.

In his first full campaign he steadily rose through the depth chart as injuries decimated the defensive core. Eventually earning an audition on the top pairing with Barret Jackman. The two became a very successful shutdown pairing and the backbone of the effort late in the 2008-09 season that gave the Note a playoff berth. His solid play continued through 2009-10 and in to 2010-11 till Sidney Crosby’s skate carved in to his wrist. Severing a tendon which required surgery to repair.

His less than standard level of play in his return is the last impression in most minds. But that is not the Polak that signed on for half a decade of service today. The 2008 to October 2010 version is who will come to camp in September. The bull dog defender with the speed of a greyhound.

Such a contract should give an indication to where the Blues feel Kevin Shattenkirk fits in to next season’s plans. Not to say that he is expendable now that Polak has been taken care of. More so that roles for 2011-12 have likely been defined.

The contract puts Polak in correct comparative territory with Douglas Murray of the San Jose Sharks. A player capable of eating 20+ minutes a game but more because of defensive assignments and penalty killing duties. The setup Polak thrived in for two seasons. When Shattenkirk arrived he was given significant ice time, played around the 20 minute mark, which showed some gaps in his defensive game.

Insulating Shattenkirk with reduced even strength minutes and increased power play time (where he was at his best) is the likely course of action.

When the Blues struggled to win games following the purge trades of late February it was due to inadequate defense. Testing Shattenkirk was a necessary evil to gage his abilities. Now that his current limits are known Polak can resume taking the more difficult assignments at even strength. Allowing Shattenkirk to be more creative against weaker match ups.

It will be interesting to see how the remaining holes on the blue line are plugged. The Blues strongly favor mixed pairs. A left handed and right handed shot paired. An offensively skilled defenseman with a defensive minded one. Could this open the door to move Carlo Colaiacovo? A player who’s salary may price him past the role he is best suited (3rd pairing offensive specialist) and force a trade. If Armstrong spends just a little more in payroll could Ian Cole or (the rights to) Nikita Niktin be part of a package to land an upgrade to the veteran presence and keep Colaiacovo?

With more RFA’s to sign and the draft looming, its too difficult to tell what Armstrong will do to address needs. One hole was for sure filled today. Polak will be solidifying the Blues defensive efforts for years to come.

Hear more thoughts from Armstrong in an audio clip on the Blues website.

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In other Restricted Free Agent news, reports indicate forward Vladimir Sobotka has agreed to, but is yet to sign, a three year deal worth an expected $3.9 million ($1.3 million AAV).

Sobotka was acquired from the Boston Bruins for prospect defenseman David Warsofsky last summer. In his first season with the Blues, the Czech Republic native registered 7 goals and posted 29 points in 65 games.

Sobe was a super sub for the Note. Freely moving up and down the left wing and center positions. Primarily considered and utilized as a energy and/or checking line center, Sobotka moonlighted on the top line with David Backes throughout the season.

Three years feels a little long for a role playing forward, but his ability to step up in to the skill lines and show chemistry (and produce) make the bet worth taking. His hockey sense and understanding of game flow and where to be and when is one of the strongest on the team. Having plug and play skaters like him is how teams like the Pittsburgh Penguins survived dramatic personnel losses. Building more depth in that direction is always a positive.

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While the Berglund deal was rumored and covered by the media over the last few weeks, the news today came as a surprise. Which RFA becomes the focus next is anyones best guess, but may offer a glimpse in to the off season plan.

The short list includes:
TJ Oshie
Matt D’Agostini
BJ Crombeen
Ryan Reaves
Nick Drazenovic
TJ Hensick
Nikita Nikitin
Ben Bishop

Speculation persists that D’Agostini is looking for / will most likely get a 1 year contract. Given that Sobotka’s salary nearly doubled, the same can be expected for the former Hab. Anywhere from $1.5 to $2.0 million would be a fair one year price. If the deal goes to a two year term, $3.0 million total, say $1.3 and $1.7 respectively, would be a reasonable price.

Expect the Oshie trade rumors to run wild if D’Agostini does sign before fan favorite number 74.

A few UFA forwards may sign soon as well. Specifically Chris Porter and Adam Cracknell. Two depth forwards who had respectable seasons with the Blues AHL affiliate, the Peoria Rivermen, and filled their 4th line positions well in the last month or so of the season. Likely earning similar spots for 11-12 should they chose to stay in St. Louis.

Keep an eye on Bishop signing. If he does as Andy Strickland suggests, takes a one year, one way deal around $500,000 the free agency plan is likely to spend on improving depth and experience simultaneously. At both forward and in the “top 4 defenseman” position opening created by the departure of Eric Brewer. If they go the veteran backup route again, someone like a Johan Hedberg per se, they will add skaters “on the cheap”.

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Thanks for reading. As always, you’re welcome to follow me on Twitter: @618_STLBlues & @BlueNoteZone.

The deal, which has not been completed yet, would move the team to Winnipeg, where the defunct Jets played until 1996 before moving to the desert in Phoenix. The talks have been on-going and if they materialize into an agreement, the Thrashers could very well relocate to Manitoba, maybe as soon as next season.

NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly has yet to confirm the above rumor, but he said last week that he can’t guarantee the Thrashers will play in Atlanta next season.

Technically, NHL owners do not have to seek league approval to sell a franchise. However they would have to get permission to negotiate with a party interested in relocation. Once an agreement in principle has been reached, the NHL’s Board of Govenors would be asked to judge the acceptability of the new ownership.

NHL bylaws demand that a team owner looking to relocate his club submit a written application to the NHL commissioner by January 1st of the year preceding the suggested move — “unless a majority of the team agrees to a later filing date.” This means the NHL board of governors would have to approve the move of the Atlanta franchise to another city before the league releases its 2011-12 schedule, which is usually done shortly following the end of the playoffs.

The Atlanta Spirit has been trying to sell the franchise for a very long time to local interests, but they haven’t been able to do it so far, and the clock is ticking. The purchase price for the Thrashers has been reported to be at around $110 million and the NHL would receive a relocation fee from the sale (most likely around $60 million) for a total price of $170 million.

That doesn’t mean it’s a certainty that the Thrashers will move to greener pastures before next season, as we witnessed with the Coyotes, who were all but certain to move until the city of Glendale, Arizona (home of the Coyotes), stunningly agreed to pay $25 million to the NHL to keep the team in the desert for at least one more season.

Despite this breather, the future is bleak for the Coyotes, especially with the lack of interest to keep the team locally. The whole Matthew Hulsizer saga has been going on for months now, but the team and this prospective buyer have yet to reach an agreement because a local watchdog has blocked the deal citing that Glendale is paying Hulsizer with $100 million in bonds without proving a roughly proportional economic value in return.

That situation has raised questions about the two-fold of the NHL regarding the two franchises above. First, Gary Bettman has done everything in his power to keep the Coyotes in Phoenix over the past few years, while he doesn’t seem to care much about the situation in Atlanta. Some say the Thrashers’ fight has been private compared to the public combat for the Coyotes, but I highly doubt the NHL can afford two take control of another NHL franchise.

The transfer fee of $60 million would help the league recover part of its losses in the Coyotes and the move to Winnipeg would bring more stability to the league, especially with shaky financial situations in Dallas, Columbus, Florida and Phoenix.

Should the sell be approved by the league and the team move to Winnipeg, the divisions outlook for next season would likely be the following:

The most logical move would be to slide Winnipeg into the Northwest Division and take the place of the Colorado Avalanche. This would create a geographical rivalry with the Minnesota Wild and the three other Canadian teams in the West (Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary). Colorado would then jump to the Pacific Division where they would take the spot of the Dallas Stars. The Stars would then slide into the Central Division where they would take the place of whichever team between the Red Wings, Jackets, and Predators is heading East.

The problem with the first two teams is that moving them to East would not only disturb the Southeast Division, but all of the Eastern Conference. As a result, the most logical step would be to move the Nashville Predators in the Thrashers’ spot. This would create natural rivalries with their southern counterparts in Tampa Bay, Florida and Carolina. That move coupled with sliding Dallas into the Central Division where they could reinvigorate rivalries with Detroit and Chicago would give the NHL some dynamic divisional battles.

At this point, all the above is just pure speculation but I hope this gives you a clearer picture of what the NHL would be like should the Thrashers move before the puck drops in October.

Don’t hesitate to give me your opinion on the situation and the divisions re-alignment in the comment box below!

Yes Commissioner Bettman, I feel this way about the Atlanta Thrashers, perhaps the most forgotten and forsaken sports franchise of recent memory. I certainly don’t need to remind you of the franchise’s struggles over the course of  more than a decade in which its fans have had to endure chronic mismanagement by its owners, unfulfilled expectations, empty promises and the revelation – via public court documents – that the Thrashers were in fact never wanted from the start. Since 2003, when Ted Turner flipped the Hawks, Thrashers and Philips Arena for an easy profit to a syndicate network of disjointed interests and motives, the Thrashers have been an unmitigated financial disaster. But like most things that invoke bad karma from an inauspicious and perhaps even fraudulent beginning – referring to the underhanded and deceitful tactics used to cheat David McDavid out of an opportunity to purchase all three entities – the history of the Atlanta Thrashers has been laced with half-truths, legal wrangling and back-stabbing “power-plays” for control. In 2003, Turner Broadcasting paid a steep price for such a display of duplicity when a jury determined they should fork over $316M for “disregarding a verbal deal and…essentially breaking a promise” they had made to Mr. McDavid.

Now, two and a half years since a jury ruled in favor of McDavid, the loyal and passionate fans of the Atlanta Thrashers are facing a similar situation, a situation that may render a tragically unfair outcome in which the Thrashers are sold again in a duplicitous and deceitful manner. The fans and city of Atlanta do not deserve the kind of fate that is currently rumored to have been all but signed and notarized into history. Just weeks ago Mr. Bettman, you were quoted in the press about a “covenant with our fans” that you feel the NHL must honor even in the face of rampant speculation and rumor. And when pressed about rumors of the Phoenix Coyotes being sold to TNSE and relocated to Winnipeg, you said “I’m not sure why these stories are starting, but I’m not going to weigh in on something that is purely speculative and made up.” Here in Atlanta, we are now getting bombarded with reports — citing anonymous league officials or “sources close to the situation” – spelling out a nearly finished deal in which the Atlanta Thrashers would be sold to David Thomson’s group in Winnipeg for relocation to a market that is merely 1/7 the size of Atlanta’s metropolitan population.

I certainly won’t try to lecture you on the economics of the NHL and how such a decision seems to fly straight in the face of conventional wisdom, especially now on the heels of the lucrative $2B national TV deal you struck with Comcast / NBC, but the thought of the Thrashers being used to coax “ransom money” from would-be franchise kidnappers in Winnipeg is quite disheartening to say the least. And for what reason?? Just because Phoenix’ city government is being held hostage by a prospective buyer who doesn’t want to pony up the requisite resources to buy the Coyotes without a significant concession that may in fact be unconstitutional by Arizona State law? It seems rather odd that the Father of Modern Day NHL Expansion would fight so hard to save a seemingly more un-salvageable franchise in a Southwestern desert, but hardly utter a peep about a team in a city whose deep well of cultural diversity and marketing potential has barely been tapped?

Did you not utter the following words as recently as May 4, 2011 in Nashville?

“Because we fight hard for every city, because we owe it to our fans. Because we have a covenant with our fans and our fans need to know that we will stand by them as long as possible and that we don’t just run out.”

In February of 2010, you told our very own columnist for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Jeff Schultz, that “Our track record indicates we do everything we can do to avoid relocation.” You also said to Mr. Schultz that “When the ownership situation is resolved, we believe the franchise (in Atlanta) will be able to move forward. We’re committed to the market.”

Mr. Bettman, I’ve always been a staunch supporter of yours and proponent of your vision and strategy in the face of antagonists in Canada and elsewhere who doubt the potential of Atlanta as a viable hockey market. But that’s because you’ve always done whatever it takes to step up and ensure that non-traditional markets have an honest chance to survive and thrive. The NHL’s record of protecting the interests of a fledgling market to give it a fair shake in the marketplace has been sterling. The examples are numerous and most recently, the effort to preserve Tampa Bay as a viable, thriving market for hockey gave many fans here in Atlanta peace of mind. But that feeling of safety and assurance is starting to wane and the confidence we used to have in the “Bettman Doctrine” is waning. The fans in Atlanta are starting to feel betrayed not only by the “syndicate of liars” who own and control the Thrashers, but also the man who gave us a second chance at hockey glory back in 1997.

Mr. Bettman, please do not go back on your word. We earnestly beseech you to remember your recent words about the League’s “covenant with fans” and honor the promise that was made to us nearly 15 years ago. Do not let the many empty promises and double-dealings of the Atlanta Spirit Group stand in your way and worse yet, permanently scar your legacy of expansion of hockey to all corners of North America. This market CAN work with committed ownership and the correct allocation of resources. And according to local accounts, a deep-pocketed and serious buyer IS waiting for his chance to gain exclusivity in his bid to negotiate a deal to purchase all three entities from the ASG.

Jay Clemons, an award-winning writer for Sports Illustrated, had this to say about the mystery buyer’s earnest intentions: “It would blow your mind to see his revitalization plan for the Thrashers, Hawks and Philips. (He has) deep financial resources (and) a grand plan for raising the tri-group’s local, regional and national appeal. If the NBA and NHL could see the grand plan, they’d never question Atlanta as a major four-sport market again…”

Mr. Bettman, please do whatever it takes to investigate this man’s plan and help him have his chance to realize his vision. The By-Laws of your esteemed league are in place to prevent negligence and malfeasance when it comes to matters of struggling markets so that said market has a genuine and bona fide chance to succeed. According to your By-Laws, relocation is a last resort option that should only be considered and invoked when the following criteria have been fully satisfied: a) “whether the club in question is financially viable in its present location”, b) “the extent to which the fans have historically supported the club in its present location”, c) “whether the present owner of the club has made a good faith effort to find prospective purchasers who are prepared to continue operating the club in its present location” and d) “the extent to which the ownership and management of the club has contributed to any circumstances which might otherwise demonstrate a need to transfer.”

Mr. Bettman, I feel strongly that the bottom two criteria mentioned are not being satisfied and “good-faith effort” is perhaps not being utilized by the ASG in finding new owners for a team that could not even be sold until the Belkin lawsuit was settled finally last December. Court documents reveal that that ASG has wanted to sell the franchise for more than six years, and in the press, they’ll try to convince you they’ve been serious about finding new ownership for 2 ½ years. Mr. Bettman, that is patently false as clear title could not even be granted in a sale due to the legal wrangling that consumed the attention and resources of our miserly and misguided ownership group. Do not allow these liars and lazy profiteers to violate the spirit of your league’s By-Laws by allowing them to concoct a deceitful back-room deal to sell off the Thrashers to Canada when a serious, prospective buyer who wants to keep the Thrashers here DOES EXIST. While it may not be the ideal circumstances for Atlanta Spirit Group, do you really believe that they deserve such, as their actions have hardly been guided by the spirit of the league’s By-Laws?

Is it not obvious to you that they have indeed “contributed (directly) to (the current) circumstances which might otherwise demonstrate a need to transfer” the team? Certainly they alone have been the overriding force behind this team’s failure and its overall inability to thrive. Sir, please do not buy into their desperate claims that they have no other choice. Please realize that there are thousands upon thousands of folks like myself who will wholeheartedly embrace new ownership and welcome a real chance at growing the game in this market. There is a burgeoning youth hockey presence here and the game is just starting to take root. Please do not give up on the next generation of fan here in Atlanta who has not yet had the chance to wield its collective financial might as it comes of age as promising new entrants into both the Atlanta workforce and marketplace. Mr. Bettman, I urge you to honor the promise made to the city of Atlanta when the franchise was awarded in 1997. This city’s fans have had to endure the pain of too many broken promises to this point and we deserve a chance to realize our dream of team success similar to that which has come to fruition in places like Nashville, Tampa and San Jose. Mr. Bettman, please don’t let the NHL violate its covenant with the fans of the Atlanta Thrashers.

Thank you!

Sincerely,

Jason Bartholomew

Fan / Blogger / Hockey Advocate (for now)

NHL clubs made 16 trades involving 35 players today prior to the 3 p.m., ET, trade deadline. Following is a list of the transactions:

• Anaheim traded C Maxim Lapierre and C MacGregor Sharp to Vancouver for C Joel Perrault and Vancouver’s 3rd-round pick in the 2012 Entry Draft.
• Atlanta traded RW Niclas Bergfors and LW Patrick Rissmiller to Florida for RW Radek Dvorak and Carolina’s 5th-round pick in the 2011 Entry Draft (previously acquired).
• Atlanta traded G Drew MacIntyre to Montreal for D Brett Festerling.
• Atlanta traded LW Fredrik Modin to Calgary for Calgary’s 7th-round pick in the 2011 Entry Draft.
• Boston traded D Jeff Penner and RW Mikko Lehtonen to Minnesota for G Anton Khudobin.
• Carolina traded LW Sergei Samsonov to Florida for D Bryan Allen.
• Chicago traded C Ryan Potulny and a 2nd-round pick in the 2011 Entry Draft to Ottawa for D Chris Campoli and a conditional 7th-round pick in 2012.
• Colorado traded D Kevin Montgomery to Edmonton for D Shawn Belle.
• Columbus traded D Rostislav Klesla and LW Dane Byers to Phoenix for LW Scottie Upshall and D Sami Lepisto.
• Columbus traded LW Tom Sestito to Philadelphia for C Michael Chaput and RW Greg Moore.
• Edmonton traded RW Dustin Penner to Los Angeles for D Colten Teubert, Los Angeles’ 1st-round pick in the 2011 Entry Draft and a conditional 3rd-round pick in 2012.
• Florida traded D Dennis Wideman to Washington for C Jake Hauswirth and Washington’s 3rd-round pick in the 2011 Entry Draft.
• Florida traded LW Chris Higgins to Vancouver for D Evan Oberg and Vancouver’s 3rd-round pick in the 2013 Entry Draft.
• New Jersey traded C Jason Arnott to Washington for C David Steckel and Washington’s 2nd-round pick in the 2012 Entry Draft.
• St. Louis traded LW Brad Winchester to Anaheim for Anaheim’s 3rd-round pick in the 2012 Entry Draft.
• Toronto traded C John Mitchell to NY Rangers for the Rangers’ 7th-round pick in the 2012 Entry Draft.

There also were three waiver claims today:

• Atlanta claimed C Rob Schremp from NY Islanders.
• Calgary claimed D Brett Carson from Carolina.
• Ottawa claimed G Curtis McElhinney from Tampa Bay.

Trade Deadline Activity Since 1979-80

Season Date Trades Players
1979-80 March 11, 1980 3 5
1980-81 March 10, 1981 12 22
1981-82 March 9, 1982 5 11
1982-83 March 8, 1983 1 1
1983-84 March 6, 1984 2 2
1984-85 March 12, 1985 4 7
1985-86 March 11, 1986 8 14
1986-87 March 10, 1987 5 9
1987-88 March 8, 1988 8 12
1988-89 March 7, 1989 9 21
1989-90 March 6, 1990 10 16
1990-91 March 5, 1991 14 33
1991-92 March 10, 1992 11 22
1992-93 March 22, 1993 9 14
1993-94 March 21, 1994 18 35
1994-95 April 7, 1995 19 32
1995-96 March 20, 1996 13 21
1996-97 March 18, 1997 18 35
1997-98 March 24, 1998 19 38
1998-99 March 23, 1999 21 30
1999-00 March 14, 2000 12 23
2000-01 March 13, 2001 17 31
2001-02 March 19, 2002 17 35
2002-03 March 11, 2003 24 46
2003-04 March 9, 2004 20 32
2005-06 March 9, 2006 25 40
2006-07 February 27, 2007 25 44
2007-08 February 26, 2008 25 45
2008-09 March 4, 2009 22 47
2009-10 March 3, 2010 31 55
2010-11 February 28, 2011 16 35

Over the course of the last few weeks I’ve fielded my fair share Blues related trade deadline questions. While the method of delivery varies, there are general themes are consistent throughout. With one day and a few hours to go, I hope to address many of these issues and provide some clarity as to what blue bleeders across St. Louis Blues nation should expect Monday.

Is there a better way to take many similar queries and condense them in to one easy to reference guide than a FAQ? I think not. On to the questions.

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Q. Are the Blues Buyers or Sellers?

Whether or not the Blues would be classified or buyers or sellers is an interesting question because they are truly both.

Buyers in the sense that if assets or personnel need to be moved to obtain assets or personnel that better fit the model Doug Armstrong is going forward with, Dave Checketts seems to be giving the green light. Sellers in the sense that there are players that simply do not factor in to the plans for 2011-12 and beyond. Those will be sold off to the highest bidder.

Q. Who are the potential rentals?

Brad Winchester: The 29 year old left winger is a a soon to be UFA with 5 season’s of NHL experience. Some advancements in his game have been seen this season, he hasn’t been able to full replicate his 13 goals in 64 game performance in 2008-09. He would bring size, grit, abrasiveness, and a scoring touch to a contender’s bottom six.

Cam Janssen: The local boy from Eureka, MO came home in a deadline deal three years ago when the New Jersey Devils moved Cam for Defenseman Bryce Salvador. For a team looking to add a seasoned fighter, he’s a guy to take a look at. That said, he isn’t the antagonist he once was. His style of game has changed.

Ty Conklin: The 34 year old career backup goaltender has plenty of experience to share with a team jockeying for playoff position. Around for back to back Stanley Cup Finals runs with Pittsburgh in 2008 and Detroit in 2009, he could be an upgrade over less battle hardened backups. The market for Conklin appears to be low given his placement on waivers Saturday. If he clears waivers on Monday, there will be a small window of time to move him.

Q. Who is Untouchable?

There are very few untouchables. The short list includes, Jaroslav Halak, David Backes, TJ Oshie, David Perron, Alex Steen, Alex Pietrangelo, Chris Stewart and Kevin Shattenkirk. Some are just straight up untouchable (like Oshie and Backes) and others won’t bring back the return needed to justify their departure (like Steen and Shattenkirk). All fitting Armstrong’s plan for 11-12.

There is a secondary set of players that the Blues likely don’t want to move, but could for the right asking price. Another short list including Roman Polak, Andy McDonald, Patrik Berglund, Barret Jackman, and Carlo Colaiacovo.

As far as prospects go, don’t expect there to be offers for 2010 first round selections Jaden Schwartz and Vladimir Tarasenko. Both are highly valued inside the organization and aren’t for sale.

Q. Can they add salary?

Yes, they could. To the tune of a little more than $1 million in remaining pay.

Will they? Not likely. Armstorong’s mandate seems to be add bodies for tomorrow without adding more payroll today.

Q. Will Brad Boyes be traded?

I’ve stated for nearly two years that I doubt that Brad Boyes would play out his final year of his 4 year, $16 million deal in St. Louis. As building blocks like Oshie and Perron developed, Boyes would become expendable. His role could be adequately filled by the maturing core prospects and his value would bring back assets to replenish the coffers.

His production is returning to acceptable levels following a season and two months of struggle, rebuilding some of value. His $ 4 million in salary can be reinvested in to addressing a key need, like a top pairing left handed defenseman.

If a buyer can be found for an respectable return, Boyes will be dealt.

Q. Who could be trade bait?

Addressing major needs via free agency doesn’t seem to be in the cards for the Blues. The money isn’t there to wade in to the open market waters and fight to sign watered down options at inflated prices. If a “major impact player” will be added, it will come via trade. A scenario that could play out Monday. In the post lock out / salary cap era, team building deals seem to get done more in the summer than in February.

The Stewart and Shattenkirk deal seems to diverge from the norm. If Armstrong did it once, its possible to do it again.

Secondary core players like Berglund and Polak are possibilities since they are both RFAs this summer. Boyes, Colaiacovo or McDonald could all be involved in “hockey trades” to bring back comparable personnel in other areas. Keep in mind that Berglund’s name came up at the draft regarding the potential trade of Keith Ballard and McDonald’s name has come up in connection with the Washington Capitals and a few other Eastern Conference clubs. Someone like Jeff Schultz comes to mind as potential compensation.

Ian Cole’s name always seems to come up in discussion. Unless he is part of a deal like the one with the Avalanche, he is staying put. Cast away thoughts of his inclusion in a far fetched Zach Parise scheme. The same can be said of Phil McRae and Jake Allen.

Jonas Junland’s name comes up as well. The AHL stud who walked away from a NHL job to return to Sweden has little to no trade value unless he returns to the NHL. Since that won’t happen till 2011-12, he has no impact on this deadlines deals.

Q. How will the ownership instability alter deadline activity?

Beyond the obvious, rolling back payroll, there will likely be little impact. Taking in to account the Blues won’t get a white knight riding in like Buffalo did with Terry Pegula, a solid ownership group still wouldn’t be adding payroll in a mad dash for the playoffs. A few tweaks here and there would have come, but nothing along the lines of an additional $2 -$4 million or more.

An example would be the addition (or the potential) of Jamie Langenbrunner.

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There are likely more questions out there. Bring them for Monday morning’s Trade Deadline show. I’ll be there with the rest of the Hockey Independent crew breaking down the deals.

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As always, you are invited to follow @618_STLBlues and @BlueNoteZone on Twitter

Ty Conklin - Image via TSN Photography (BlueNoteZone.com)

Conklin On Waivers

As initially reported by Bob McKenzie of TSN and Kevin Allen of USA Today, the St. Louis Blues have placed backup netminder Ty Conklin on waivers. While the move has yet to be confirmed by the Blues, through the local media or on their website, it’s safe to assume that Conklin’s days have passed in St. Louis.

It’s little secret that the doors at 14th & Clark have been open to business this trading season. Though the kickoff sale was done Black Friday style back in the wee hours between February 18th and 19th.

Doug Armstrong’s move’s have come with a clear agenda. Clear out payroll (like Eric Brewer), obtain whatever assets possible for impending Unrestricted Free Agents (again, like Brewer), and acquire personnel that fit in to the re-tooling model (Chris Stewart and Kevin Shattenkirk). Since the trade market was likely thin for backups, adding assets or personnel wasn’t an option with the journeyman. The waiver wire still allows Armstrong to cut payroll.

Replacing Conklin with third year pro Ben Bishop, who stopped 39 shots en route to his first NHL shutout Friday night, saves roughly $96,000 for the remainder of the 2010-11 season. Small peanuts to some teams, but for cash strapped and tightly budgeted organization like the Blues, any savings are good savings.

This move wouldn’t be possible if not for Jaroslav Halak’s immanent return to the lineup. Who has been out with a hand injury since the 15th and also caused him to him a few games earlier in the month.

Where will Conklin go? That is a the question.

Andy Strickland indicated that he may not be heading to the Blues AHL affiliate in Peoria. Heading down another Manny Legace type scenario are we? Not really. I have a feeling Ty takes the news better than Manny did.

There is a reasonable possibility that he is claimed. The Buffalo Sabres, Toronto Maple Leafs and the Carolina Hurricanes come to mind as teams flirting with the playoffs who might have (backup) goaltending needs to address. Carolina would be my darkhorse pick to slip in a claim. Cam Ward will certainly carry the load in Raleigh, but Conklin could be seen as a significant upgrade over the inexperienced Justin Peters. The Canes are currently three points ahead of Buffalo in the fight for 8th place in the Eastern Conference. Any additional padding that may save a point here or there, like a veteran netminder holding the fort down for an overtime loss instead of a regulation loss, may be what keeps them above the water line.

As I have written before, all bets are off.

Perron Sees Specialist in Vancouver

Concussed forward David Perron made the road trip with the Blues to western Canada this weekend. At least for the initial stop in Vancouver. As reported by the St. Louis Post Dispatch, Perron traveled to see Dr. Don Grant. A concussion specialist who treated fellow Blues forward Andy McDonald. There is still no timetable for David’s return, his comments to Post scribe Jeremy Rutherford seem upbeat and progressive. Perron hasn’t ruled out playing this season, but the safe bet (pun intended) is that rest and rehabilitation is prescribed for the balance of the season. There is never a need to “rush” back from concussion. Especially given that the Blues are very much on the outside of the playoff bubble.

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Update: Rutherford was able to confirm the move with Armstrong this afternoon. He quoted Armstrong as saying, “We just felt that there was opportunity to see if a team wants Ty for the rest of the season, and if that occurs, then it’s an opportunity for Ben Bishop.”

Bank on Bishop starting in Calgary Sunday. The Blues are off Monday but are back in action Tuesday, March 1st against Calgary back in St. Louis for a delayed home and home set. Who starts Tuesday is up in the air.

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First, the Columbus Blue Jackets have claimed veteran defenseman Craig Rivet from the Buffalo Sabres on re-entry waivers. Rivet, an impending unrestricted free agent, will bring leadership and experience to an inexperienced Jackets team. The Sabres will be responsible for half of his $3,500,000 salary prorated on the remainder of the season.

Also, the Philaldephia Flyers claimed rearguard Nick Boynton from the Chicago Blackhawks. That move was necessary due to their lack of space and the loss of their 7th defenseman, Oskars Bartulis, for the remainder of the year due to a shoulder injury. That means Adam Foote, is not in the Flyers’ plans anymore. Strange move by the Hawks as Boynton his only earning $500,000 this year (the league minimum salary).

Then, in a strange move, the Los Angeles Kings put winger Marco Sturm on waivers to clear cap space in anticipation of the next 48 hours. Sturm was claimed by the Washington Capitals, who desperately needed scoring help on their second line. The Kings had acquired Sturm from the Boston Bruins earlier this season.

The following players were put on waivers today (most notables in bold):

Jason Jaffray (ANA), Tim Stapelton (ATL), Brett Carson (CAR), Nathan Lawson (NYI), Robbie Schremp (NYI), Pascal Leclaire (OTT), Ty Conklin (STL), Curtis McElhinney (TB), DJ King (WAS).

Schremp will likely get picked up by a team looking to add depth up front. As for the other ones, I highly doubt there is a market for them. Back-up goalies are not in high demand this season… Conklin lost his back-up job to giant Ben Bishop, who earned his first NHL shutout yesterday against the Oilers. Leclaire’s season has been riddled by injuries and inconsistent play. McElhinney (acquired in exchange from Dan Ellis from the Ducks) has been dreadful so far this year and with Mike Smith (who cleared re-entry waivers) and Dwayne Roloson in front of him, the Lightning doesn’t need his services.

The Atlanta Thrashers have extended forward Chris Thorburn. The deal is three years at an average salary of $867,000 (2.6M total). The rugged winger has 7 goals and 9 assists for 16 points in 62 games for the Thrashers. He was slated to become a restricted free agent at season’s end.

With Chris Pronger slated to miss tonight’s game, the Philadelphia Flyers were forced to recall rearguard Erik Gudbranson from the AHL to take his spot. As a result, they had to send a player down, and James Van Riemsdyk was reassigned temporarily to the AHL. He will miss tonight’s game in Ottawa, and with Blair Betts nursing an injury, Nikolay Zherdev will draw back into the line-up despite having gone unclaimed on waivers earlier this week.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have reportedly been offered a first and third round pick for forward Clarke MacArthur who’s a RFA after the season. Negotiations are ongoing, but GM Brian Burke is not willing to meet MacArthur’s salary expectations following a strong season. Burke is also seeking defensive help, and he’s willing to give a 3rd rounder in exchange for an offensive d-man. The Colorado Avalanche is asking a 2nd round pick in exchange for John-Michael Liles.

As told by Jamie Fraser, the Ottawa Senators are still negotiating with impending UFA Chris Phillips in an attempt to extend the veteran defenseman. If a deal is not reached before Monday’s deadline, expect the rearguard to be traded to a contender.

UPDATE: via Bob MacKenzie, the Florida Panthers have just traded Bryan McCabe to the New York Rangers for a 3rd round pick and Tim Kennedy.

UPDATE 1:21- To clear cap space for Tomas Kaberle, Boston has dealt Blake Wheeler and Mark Stuart to Atlanta for Rich Peverley and Boris Valabik

UPDATE: The deal is done just waiting on the trade call going to the NHL. The official deal is Kaberle for Colborne, a 1st and a conditional pick. Condition most likely being if Kaberle re-signs or not.

Barring any unforeseen complications the deal will go down. The highly speculated deal is expected to be Tomas Kaberle to Boston in exchange for prospect Joe Colborne and the Bruins’ first round draft pick in 2011.

Tomas Kaberle has been with the Leafs for 11 and a half seasons. After years of speculated trade Tomas has finally decided to leave the organization.

Joe Colborne was drafted 1^st round, 16^th overall in 2008 by the Boston Bruins. The young centre has yet to play an NHL game but has played over 50 games in the American Hockey League. With the Providence Bruins, Colborne has allotted 12 goals and 26 points.

Of course the deal has yet to be called official yet, updates will come but the trade is expected to be finalized within the next hour or so. For updates on the situation and how it unfolds make sure to follow me on twitter!

Matt Reed
Writer for The Reed Review, The Checking Line, Hockey Independent and Inside Hockey
http://twitter.com/NHLMattReed

Vancouver came in as the top team in the NHL. Number one in points (82), goals scored (190) and scoring differential (+57). Winners in seven of their last eight. Daniel and Henrik Sedin are both in the top five in scoring. Ryan Kesler’s 32 goals is the leagues third best and is a leading Selke candidate (and maybe even a Hart candidate to boot). Alex Burrows entered with an 11-game point streak (extended to 12). Roberto Luongo has been on fire. Failing to lose a game in regulation since the Blues took them down December 5th.

The Canucks are a stacked, high tempo, possession squad. Dragging them down in to the grinders gutter and knocking them down a peg is no small achievement. The only way possible to do so was to fight for a full 60, execute at the right time and have the fire to lockdown the game late in the third.

If it was all there against Vancouver, a team who was 24 points ahead, where was that same effort, execution and passion against Minnesota? Who on Friday was only five points above the Blues mark.

The consistent inconsistency is the single most infuriating aspect of the current lineup composition. From time to time, as a whole they rise to the occasion. Giving the impression that those who aren’t kids anymore may finally be graduating the school of hard knocks. Only to follow up gutsy performances with exceptional letdown.

Case in point. To open February the Blues battled Edmonton, Tampa Bay and Florida. Taking five of a possible six points. While each game had a level of intensity and importance, none were as critical as the two following games against the Wild. Execution came against those who matter less, but did not against those that matter the most.

The warm, fuzzy feeling of defeating a rival will have to satisfy while the Blues watch those in front of them build separation this week. Now out of action till Friday in Buffalo the Blues could slide further down the standings. As every team ahead of them except Anaheim plays twice between Tuesday and Thursday. Setting up another crucial weekend back to back set as the the Ducks come to St. Louis Saturday.

Quick Hits

- Let the Alex Pietrangelo vs. Erik Johnson debate grow. Petro again lead the Blues in TOI (22:52) and had two key helpers. One absolutely beatuiful end to end dash in which he dangled from the near wall at the blueline around three defenders to find a wide open Patrik Berglund on the weak side to roof it on Luongo. He also had the secondary assist on Andy McDonald’s tip in of a perfectly placed Nikita Nikitin point shot.

EJ played just 16:04 and was a Minus-2. Stat lines don’t always tell the story, but Johnson’s does. Very little impact on the game.

What a difference a development path and injury makes. There is no need to write off Erik yet. His style of play is just different than what it was pre-injury. Instead of being a more free flowing, mobile defenseman he is a bulky station to station type defenseman. Would it hurt to shed a little weight in the name of increased mobility? No.

- Speaking of blue line debates, add Nikitin vs.Carlo Colaiacovo to the list. In roughly the same time played N64 outshined Cola. No shots, 1 block, 1 hit and 1 give away for Carlo in 12:31 and 1 assist, 2 blocks in 14:06 for Nikita.

- David Backes has really taken another developmental step this season. After starting another season slowly (1 goal, 5 points in 9 October games), his performance level has elevated to a new high. He is on pace for another 30 goal season and to set a new career high in points (pacing for 61). Ingloriously proving he is worth the contract extension.

- The Jaroslav Halak Jeckyl and Hyde show continues. Stopping 23 of 25 shots and giving his team a chance to win. Just keep this in mind. He is not Roman Turek. He has never played this many games before, pacing for 64. His career high was 45 while in Montreal. Growing pains are acceptable, no matter how precarious the timing.

- Time is ticking down on Dave Checketts soft deadline for resolution in the ownership situation. Puckheads in St. Louis are willing to accept the lesser of two evils, an ownership group vs. having no hockey at all. That doesn’t mean we don’t wonder what it would be like to have one owner with reasonably deep pockets.

The reaction in St. Louis will be interesting should this deadline pass. To date the media has been accommodating to the franchise’s situation. However, with the self described five year rebuild done, the season ticket sales predicated on making the playoffs, consistent promotion of “sellouts” at Scottrade, the opinion writers in the St. Louis sports media may start chiming in. So far its been all fan and blogger questioning of the situation. Not sure it can go on much longer without the MSM getting their teeth in to more than just reporting the situation.

In all honesty, daily operations haven’t been hindered, as DC said they wouldn’t. Checks aren’t bouncing, but not being able to add virtually any payroll to support a depleated roster is an adverse effect to the daily needs of the business.

Trade Talk

- Steve Hindle of Hockeybuzz mentioned that Alex Steen’s name has come up in the rumor mill lately. Teams may inquire, but its doubtful the Swed winger is moved. He is second on the team in goals (16) and leading in points (41). Besides Backes, he is the most complete player in the lineup. Will teams overpay to acquire his services? Not likely enough to have Doug Armstrong complete the transaction.

- Both Hindle and Eklund have talked about captain Eric Brewer as well. He’s having an excellent season, is healthy and is a UFA at season’s end. The perfect rental situation. Steve didn’t have specifics, but Ek says the Rangers have called. If so it appears they could fit Brewer in without trading back salary.

I’ve also seen reference to a Bob McKenzie tweet saying the Bruins could be interested in Brewer if they are out of the Kaberle sweeps. They do not have the space to absorb salary without sending some back. An even swap for pending RFAs Blake Wheeler and Brad Marchand don’t clear enough room. Another player could come with one of those two and not push the Blues over their current budget.

- I rarely dabble in the “trade speculation” game, but when I have a little info and some collaborative evidence, I pass it along.

Rumblings of the Blues and Pens talking are about. It seems to happen every year around the deadline though and both sides have made small AHL deals. With the Pens really hurting up front, the need is there. They’ve also been scouting the Blues lately and were at Monday’s game. Since the Blues and Canucks aren’t on their remaining schedule, there is a reasonable jump to make here.

Pens have defensive depth and needs forward help, Vancouver has forward depth and needs help on defense. The Blues could soon be sellers. Ray Shero’s wheels are always turning.

- No news on the Ty Conklin front. The Red Wings did have a scout at the last few games which falls in line with what Andy Strickland has reported previously. It’s also worth noting the Canadiens had scouts around recently as well. Given the Blues and Habs recent history, a deal is certainly possible. Conklin could serve as back up for Carey Price at a reasonable price.

- Phoenix was also reported to have a scout at the game Monday. Their acquisition of Michal Rozsival make a Brewer rental unlikely. Their interest could likely be in some of the depth forwards the Blues have. Brad Winchester, BJ Crombeen. Or it could purely be to checkup on the Note and Canucks. They have 2 games left with Vancouver and 1 with St. Louis.

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As always, you are invited to follow me at @618_STLBlues and @BlueNoteZone on Twitter.