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I have a gut feeling we are not going to have to wait much longer for a major move..and here is why we should see some movement today and tomorrow....There are too many teams on the bubble and too many points to be had this weekend...with every point so crucial why wait to improve your team and miss the few points which could spell the difference in playoffs or no playoffs...in a GM keeping his job or losing it.
The LA Kings sit in 8th place.
More importantly, they're only 2 points from 11th place. They have forgotten how to score goals, yet sit with an extra goalie in Bernier who some teams would start tonight if they had him, and a highly touted d-man in Jack Johnson..a puck moving D..the flavor of the season right now. They play only once more before the deadline, against Chicago on Saturday. The Kings have been talking to Columbus regarding Nash and Carter, Toronto (Grabovski), Philly (van Riemsdyk) and Buffalo(Roy, Stafford, Pominville)
The Toronto Maple Leafs are in 8th place
The Leafs are only 5 points from 11th place themselves. They have had a crisis in goal as of late, but can score goals...("Toronto meet LA, LA this is Toronto") Brian Burke has come out and said they "might" look around at goalies and today there has been speculation they could either be looking at Anders Lindback or Nabokov. In my opinion Nabokov is more likely, however I will add the Islanders seem deadset on re-signing him and everyone you talk to say the Isles (who aren't sellers and are obviously desperate to make the playoffs) see Nabokov as their only hope. I have heard more about Harding, Bernier, and Sanford to Toronto. While I love Lindback and feel he has a bright future, If Toronto is going to make a serious bolt to the playoffs they need to get a guy who they can trust can handle that sort of pressure..The Leafs are also in on Jeff Carter, and some I trust feel that Carter to Toronto is almost a foregone conclusion at this point.
The Leafs host San Jose tonight and Washington on Saturday night for Hockey Night.
On Columbus...
While the Jackets aren't desperate for wins, they are definitely desperate for trade partners. This deadline will define the next decade for this franchise, and the plethora of UFAs and others who they want to move are sitting in the stable and waiting for their next destination. So far, Scott Howson has only managed to move Antoine Vermette (which given his continuing cap hit and lack of production as of late was rather remarkable) but there are a few people I have spoken to lately...people who are on other teams involved in talks with Columbus who feel the Nash situation has taken away from the more pressing issues of trading Jeff Carter, Derick Brassard, Samuel Pahlsson, and Curtis Sanford over the last day or so I have heard a ton of momentum involving Carter and Brassard, perhaps as a package to Montreal. I have also heard there's interest in Sanford in Philly and Chicago, while Pahlsson is most likely en route to NJ or Nashville.
On Buffalo
The Sabres are still buyers. I was told this in no uncertain terms. Actually, I was told. "We aren't selling but we are looking for trades. We won't make a move that will hurt our chances this season, but will are trying to upgrade at certain positions. Trade from our strength and get strength." I went on to ask what he felt the Sabres strengths were and my source said the Sabres have speed up front...something teams like LA really want. But the Sabres also need scoring...I can see a fit with LA in that the Kings and Sabres are both deep teams on paper, but both have struggled. Perhaps a forward swap and change of scenery could do each team good. The Sabres want Dustin Brown BADLY, but the Kings are more likely offering up Stoll and or Penner...Many Sabres fans believe Buffalo should be in on the Carter sweeps, but I truly feel they are gun-shy about the contract and that Penner could have a re-vitalization in Buffalo.
But here is the thing: Buffalo may be buyers today but will they switch to sellers by Sunday?
The Sabres host Boston tonight and go into Madison Square Garden on Saturday. It doesn't get much tougher than that.
Tough times in Washington.
Enter another buyer onto the scene: To this point the Caps rumors have been few and far between, but now that the team has dropped three in a row (3-6-1 in their last 10) and sit in 10th place (2 points out) the Caps are desperate for change. Today, I heard they are in the Mason Raymond hunt, and are trying to move Roman Hamrlik to make space to add to their lineup.
The Jets are a team that has interest in Hamrlik, but while it is easy to forget this, the Jets are in what is becoming an epic three-way battle for the Southeast division title with Florida. All three teams 2 points apart with the winner getting the third seed and home-ice advantage in round 1 of the playoffs and the other two quite possibly not making the playoffs at all.
Of course, the one move they have considered all year is Alexander Semin. Semin could hold the key to re-tooling this team, however with Ovechkin questionable and Backstrom (the Caps' current best player in my opinion) on injured reserve still moving Semin becomes all the more risky. There have been rumors of a Mike Green trade as well, but everyone I talk to say the price is way too high and doubt the seriousness of such a deal.
One thing is for sure: Without Tomas Vokoun, the Caps wouldn't even be fighting for a spot right now.
The Caps have two MUST wins coming up, tomorrow at home against Montreal (only 5 below them) and then Saturday in Toronto in a battle for that final spot.
Your Daily Nash-Up
This is not yet fully prepared. I still have people to talk to to gauge the temperature today, but I will be back with a Nash update after I dig some more into Nash to San Jose and Nash to NYR rumors. I will say this, if Nash isn't dealt (which I believe is a growing possibility,) the Canucks are looking like a very strong candidate at the for Nash at the Draft.
more to come..
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