February 3, 2010, NHL Trade Deadline preview for Metro NY Newspaper
Published 08:15, March the 3rd, 2010
Movers and shakers
A look at who might be dealt before today's 3 p.m. deadline
The short and long term futures of the 30 NHL franchises begin to be authored by decisions made by NHL executives to add, subtract or stand pat.
The deadline for general manager to report deals to the NHL’s Central Registry is 3 p.m. The league can announce trades after 3 PM.
There may be more activity this year than there has been in any other post-lockout. Two blockbuster deals had been consummated prior to the Vancouver Olympics, as the Devils traded for Ilya Kovalchuk from Atlanta, while the Rangers acquired Olli Jokinen from Calgary. The wheeling-and-dealing re-commenced Monday as Florida and Edmonton each acquired a second round pick in the 2010 draft Monday after the Oilers shipped defenseman Denis Grebeshkov to Nashville, while the Panthers dealt defenseman Jordan Leopold to Pittsburgh. Atlanta nabbed prospect defenseman Nathan Oystrick and a 2011 draft pick from Anaheim for enforcer Evgeny Artyukhin.
The Ducks also acquired Boston’s fourth round pick for the rights of University of Michigan defenseman Steve Kampfer yesterday. Kampfer told reporters that he “was actually really excited,” while noting that he patterns his game after Chicago defenseman and Canadian Gold Medalist Duncan Keith.
The Blackhawks reportedly have been talking to other organizations about wanting to upgrade its goaltending. Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli was recently quoted as wanting to add a “top nine forward” to provide punch to an oft-punchless scoring attack The Rangers may want to bolster its defense corps. There has been speculation that the Devils and Anaheim are talking about a trade that would bring Scott Niedermayer back to New Jersey. Historically, the Flyers try to add bodies for a playoff run.
Edmonton, Florida and Carolina are expected to be major sellers today. The Oilers have not made the playoffs since losing to Carolina in the 2006 Stanley Cup Final, and have the league’s worst record at 19-36-6.
It is believed that Oilers captain Ethan Moreau, defenseman Steve Staios and forward Fernando Pisani could all find their way out of The City of Champions. According to The Canadian Press, all accept that could very well be their reality.
“I realize the situation we're in. There's a strong possibility that I'll be moved, but that's just my assumption from conversations with people I trust and people I know,” Moreau told the wire service. "Nobody in the organization has talked to me about what their plans are. I talk to my agent and I hear the same things other people do, but there is nothing concrete."
Added Staios: “I can't say enough about the way that things have gone for me here. You always want there to be more success, to help the team win. The city deserves it and the organization deserves it, too."
At 24-27-10, the Panthers are 26th overall despite a $54 million payroll and last reached the playoffs in 2000, where they were unceremoniously swept by the Devils in the first round. As it appears that Florida will miss the playoffs for the ninth year in a row, there has been speculation that Panthers GM Randy Sexton has informed rival executives that goaltender Tomas Vokoun, defenseman Dennis Seidenberg, and forwards Rostislav Olesz, Cory Stillman, Steven Reinprecht and Nathan Horton are available for the right price.
Not even a full calendar year after reaching the NHL’s Final Four, the Hurricanes are rebuilding. A 24-30-7 season will do that. Prior to the Olympic break, Carolina GM traded defenseman Niclas Wallin to San Jose for a second round pick in the upcoming Entry Draft, and dealt Matt Cullen to Ottawa for defenseman Alexandre Picard and another second round pick.
Left wing Ray Whitney, dependable checking center Rod Brind’Amour and defenseman Aaron Ward are the most likely candidates to be traded away from Raleigh. Whitney (19-29-48) would provide second-line scoring and bolster a power play. The 39-year-old Brind’Amour has struggled for the second straight year (5-8-13 and -27). On the right team, however, Brind’Amour would be a fourth-line center, whose main duty would be to win defensive zone faceoffs. Ward is a reliable defenseman in his own end.
THINGS TO LOOK FOR:
1: Michal Rozsival and Wade Redden have struggled the last two seasons, to put in charitably. With his team one point out of the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, does GM Glen Sather pull the trigger on a deal to improve the defense corps?
2: Scott Niedermayer-to-the-Devils has been a season long rumor. One of the great winners in the history of The Game, the future first ballot Hall of Famer would be the puck-rushing offensive defenseman the Devils have lacked since Niedermayer left Jersey as a free agent.
3: There was a published report prior to the Games that Islanders GM Garth Snow was informed by owner Charles Wang that he can add payroll. With his team six points out of the last playoff berth, does Snow take a chance by adding a veteran scoring forward and defenseman to a young corps?
posted by Denis P. Gorman at 11:45 AM
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