Syracuse Crunch opts out of Anaheim

The Anaheim Duck's AHL affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch declined to pick up their affiliation agreement with the Anaheim Ducks. This action could lead to the Crunch landing a new parent NHL club.

The Ducks-Crunch deal is in it's second year and according to the Syracuse owner, the Ducks and Crunch agreed on a provision that would extend the deal for another 2 years.

This leaves the Crunch with 2 options. The first one would be to strike a new deal with Anaheim and remain their AHL affiliate. The second one would be to look for a new parent club in the NHL.

Howard Dolgon, the owner of the Syracuse Crunch, didn't hint which option he would choose, but if he chose the second one, the Tampa Bay Lightning would be a viable option.

The Crunch and the Ducks have had their differences in the past like last season, where the Ducks loaned Jason Jaffray to the Manitoba Moose instead of the Crunch because the Moose was willing to pick up part of his salary. The Crunch also did not make the playoffs last year and they don't seem to be near contention for a playoff spot this year.

Overall, the Crunch seemed to be at ends with Anaheim and maybe its best if they went their separate ways. There are always other AHL and NHL affiliates for both of these clubs.

Apparent Final Offer for Nash.

After the Deadline passed and Rick Nash wasn't traded as well as GM Scott Howson blaming the trade talks on Nash, rumors have come on what the Rangers offered. It was widely believed that the package Howson demanded has to have either Michael Del Zotto or Ryan McDonagh, Derek Stepan or Carl Hagelin,  Chris Kreider, and Brandon Dubinsky. What surprised me was that Howson did not include a first round draft pick. In a lighter note, we're also surprised Howson didn't want the Connecticut Whales. However, then we remembered Sean Avery and Wade Redden were there.


The New York Rangers countered with a final offer near the deadline of 3 P.M. EST with a package of Brandon Dubinsky, Tim Erixon, J.T. Miller, Christian Thomas, and a first round pick.


You know the rest.

Jean Beliveau Hospitalized

Jean Believeau is in the hospital for suffering a stroke today.

He is undergoing active treatment and diagnosis about the stroke. Beliveau asked that the public respect his privacy and and his family's as well.

Jean Beliveau captained the Montreal Canadiens for 10 seasons and captured 5 Stanley Cup titles as the captain. Overall, Beliveau has 17 Stanley Cup championships as a player and a front office executive.

From all of us here at Two Bored Teens, we hope that Jean Beliveau will be better and we wish him a speedy recovery.

Winners of the Deadline

Montreal/Nashville Trade:

Nashville gets: Andrei Kostitsyn
Montreal gets: 2nd round pick (2013) and a 5th round conditional pick (2013)
Winners:
Wexler: Montreal because they got rid of Kostitsyn, another older player and are starting to shape up to be a younger team (P.K. Subban, Lars Eller, Max Pacioretty & many picks). Kostitsyn doesn't seem to be able to help the Preds deep into the playoffs.  
Alson: Draft Pick are just so hard to analyze. If Andrei continues at his pace Nashville wins, but for now, Montreal wins.
Mahbod: Nashville because Andrei can now play with his brother Sergei and thier chemistry will produce lots of points.
Kyle: I'm going with Nashville because statistically, a 2nd round pick has a 25-30% chance of making the NHL and Andrei is already an NHLer so it really depends if Montreal gets lucky with the draft picks.
G Tai: Nashville. I think that Nashville added better offense and look good for a deep playoff run.

Tampa/Detroit Trade:
Tampa gets: Mike Commodore
Detroit gets: 7th round conditional pick (2013)

Winners:
Alson: Hands down. Tampa wins. They barely gave up anything. Yes I know Commodore barely played. However, most 7th round picks reach the NHL do they?
Kyle: Tampa Bay because Commodore can already play in the NHL but the 7th round pick would probably be a career minor leaguer... Congrats to Steve Yzerman for making this deal.
Wexler: 1st of all, the 7th round pick would probably be cut in training camp and become a free agent. Tampa wins for sure even if they added a new scratch to their lineup.
Mahbod: Tampa Bay. Mike Commodore is a solid player, but a conditional seventh round pick for him is just like, "here just take him." They technically got Commodore for free.
G Tai: Tampa Bay, who doesn't want a free defensemen?

Minnesota/Edmonton Trade:
Minnesota gets: Tom Gilbert
Edmonton gets: Nick Schultz
Winners:
Kyle: Can't really say... both are big defencemen that don't really put up much points.
Mahbod: Minnesota wins. Tom Gilbert in my opinion is better than Nick Schultz. Schultz is just a big bodied defenceman but Gilbert can actually move the puck around.
Alson: Two great players, I don't know this one...
Wexler: The Wild just because I think that Gilbert will break out and play better with a better club.
G Tai: I'm going to say minnesota because they do some production from their defense since Burns left.

Toronto/Tampa Trade:
Toronto gets: Carter Ashton
Tampa gets: Keith Aulie
Winners:
Mahbod: Toronto. Ashton has not yet played an NHL game but he's only 20 and has a lot of potential. Future top 6 for Toronto.
Wexler: Carter Ashton is never going to be a top 6 forward but he does sound alot more interesting on paper than Keith Aulie. Toronto wins here.
Kyle: Toronto because Ashton is a future first liner with Toronto who can put up points and has a big body to deliver crushing checks. Aulie never had a place with Toronto's many defencemen and he doesn't put up many points.
Alson: Toronto. They needed a big guy to play for them, Ashton's their man. Toronto also has so many defenseman it doesn't hurt to spare one.
G Tai: Toronto, they needed a big forward and they get one

San Jose/Colorado Trade:
San Jose gets: Daniel Winnik, T.J. Galiardi, a 7th round pick (2012)
Colorado gets: Jamie McGinn, Mike Sgarbossa, Mike Connolly
Winners:
Wexler: San Jose because Galiardi is a very underrated player especially because of his unknown scoring ability.
Kyle: San Jose because Winnik and Galiardi can add scoring to their already potent offence of Jumbo Joe and Marleau. McGinn doesn't score as much as either of those two and I haven't even heard of those 2 prospects.
Alson: San Jose. They barely gave up anything for two future studs.
Mahbod: Colorado, because Jamie McGinn is a guy who can be a grinder while being a full-on scorer. He's fast, young and great to play the 3rd line on the Avalanche with David Jones.
G Tai: San Jose because they added NHLers instead of possible NHLers

Tampa/Ottawa Trade:
Tampa gets: Brian Lee
Ottawa gets: Matt Gilroy
Winners:
Kyle: Who are these guys?
Alson: Another toss up. I don't know this one...
Mahbod: Ottawa. Matt Gilroy is a two-way player that sometimes plays 4th line left wing when there is an injury. Also, he's big which is always good right?
Wexler: Tampa for sure because Lee is a great player for penalty killing. He might have some good chemistry with other players in Tampa...
G Tai: Ottawa, Brian Lee is pretty much a draft bust and gilroy has more offensive on his stick

Vancouver/Columbus Trade:
Vancouver gets: Samuel Pahlsson
Columbus gets: 4th round pick (2012), 4th round pick (2012)
Winners:
Alson: Vancouver wins this one. I would have expected Pahlsson to be traded for something like a 2nd and a 5th.
Mahbod: Vancouver wins. Two 4th round picks won't do anything. You might land 2 Steven Reinprecht (who?) type players with them. Pahlsson is a veteran with a lot of experience to bring to the young Canucks.

Wexler: Vancouver because they added some more depth upfront as well as a veteran Stanley Cup winner.

Kyle: Vancouver because 2 fourth round picks wont get you 2 NHL calibre players.
G Tai: Vancouver because of his faceoff ability and the picks are pretty much worthless.


Chicago/Winnipeg Trade:
Chicago gets: Johnny Oduya
Winnipeg gets: 2nd round pick (2013), 3rd round pick (2013)
Winners:
Mahbod: Winnipeg because I think a second rounder would have been enough for Oduya. He's gonna end up on the 3rd line of defence, if he plays at all. Chicago already has 6 good defencemen: Keith, Seabrook, Hjalmarsson, Leddy, Boynton, Lepisto and exciting rookie Dylan Olson who plays the first line with Keith sometimes. 
Wexler: Chicago because they are just adding to their already tough defense without giving up much, I thought Oduya was worth a bit more than a 2nd & a 3rd.
*which does not have any holes to fill in
Kyle: Chicago because they desperately needed more defencemen and Oduya fits the role.
Alson: Winnipeg. They already claimed Clitisome to replace him so by giving him up for picks they are just helping their future.
G Tai: Winnipeg because they are really growing as a young team and could use those picks in trades or draft.


Boston/NY Islanders Trade:
Boston gets: Brian Rolston, Mike Mottau
NY Islanders get: Yannick Riendeau, Marc Cantin
Winners:
Wexler: Islanders because they are rebuilding and it helps to bring in players in their early 2o's and ship players in their 30's. I can see them adding another young piece during the off season and doing well next year.
Kyle: Islanders because they freed up a ton of cap space by trading away Rolston and Mottau.
Alson: Neither. Boston gets old contracts while New York gets salary cap relief... But if I had to Boston wins because they get a veteran presence..
Mahbod: Boston. Rolston and Mottau are nice third and fourth liners while Riendeau and Cantin are just minor leaguers.
G Tai: Boston because they get what they wanted with Horton and Peverley and Boychuk out


Nashville/Buffalo Trade:
Nashville gets: Paul Gaustad, 4th round pick (2013)
Buffalo gets: 1st round pick (2012)
Winners:
Kyle: Buffalo because Gaustad is not worth a first round pick. He is an ageing forward with little scoring touch.
Alson: Buffalo wins this one. The reported asking price was a 1st rounder. They got their asking price minus a little bit. Not too often players get traded for asking price.
Mahbod: Nashville because Gaustad will play with the Kostitsyns and they will put up a lot of points.
Wexler: Buffalo!!! This is one of the trades that made me think they were the winners of the deadline. 
G Tai: Nashville because they get grit, offense and faceoff prescence

Boston/Minnesota Trade:
Boston gets: Greg Zanon
Minnesota gets: Steve Kampfer
Winners:
Alson: Minnesota won this one. I feel Kampfer will have a good career and that he will be a consistent top 4 defenseman in a year or two.
Mahbod: Minnesota. Kampfer is young and has a lot of potential. Good future ahead of him.
Wexler: Minnesota because Zanon & Zidlicky are now both out of the franchise clearing up a lot of cap space. The expensive Z's will take there contracts to teams in the playoff picture.
Kyle:Minnesota because Kampfer is a good puck moving defencemen and those are hard to come by in the NHL
G Tai: Minnesota because like what Kyle said, you need a defensemen who can contribute on the offense

NY Rangers/Chicago Trade:
NY Rangers get: John Scott
Chicago gets: 5th round pick (2012)
Winners:
Mahbod: John Scott is a nice tough guy defenseman that can play left wing. He is worth a 5th round pick. He will just add toughness to the already tough Rangers.
Wexler: John Scott is an exciting player to watch!!! Coming to my Rangers!!! Rangers are my winners in the blink of an eye.
Kyle: Never heard of John Scott... so Chicago for getting the 5th round pick.
Alson: Chicago. They get rid of an enforcer. They can use the 5th round pick to a good use.
G Tai: I know he's big but that's all I know about him. Can't comment on this


Toronto/Anaheim Trade:
Toronto gets: Mark Fraser
Anaheim gets: Dale Mitchell
Winners:
Wexler: Toronto because Dale Mitchell was getting boring over at the Ricoh Coliseum!
Kyle: Anaheim because Fraser can't score, even at the AHL level and has no NHL experience. Mitchell has some NHL experience and was decent last year for the NJ Devils (26 GP, 2A, +2)
Alson: Toronto. Even though they both wont be stars, Mark Fraser plays a more composed game with a good checking skill. Dale Mitchell has a better shot and better stability ,but lets his emotions get over him sometimes.
Mahbod: Toronto. Mark Fraser is a hard hitting defenceman that can fill in for injury prone players like JML and Komisarek.
G Tai: Going to go against the home team and say Anahiem. Dale Mitchell's been in the sysem for a long time and all he needs is a chance.


Vancouver/Buffalo Trade:
Vancouver gets: Zack Kassian, Marc-Andre Gragnani
Buffalo gets: Cody Hodgson, Alexander Sulzer
Winners: 
Kyle: Vancouver because they got a big forward in Kassian and a possible future all star in Gragnani. Although Hodgson is a great player, I think Kassian and Gragnani are better.
Alson: Oh, the big deal of the day. I think Vancouver wins this one. Even though Buffalo got the center they wanted to replace Gaustad, Vancouver got their tough winger, plus a defenseman that I feel will make a difference in Vancouver, especially with Ballard injured.
Mahbod: Buffalo. Hodgson is already at more than 32 points in his rookie year. Potential everywhere.

Wexler: Buffalo!!! Hodgson is going to become a star there and all that Buffalo needs is one more top 4 wing (Hint... on the Blackhawks...) and they will be a huge playoff contender for the next 5 years.

G Tai: Vancouver because Gragnani is young and if he plays like last year's playoff, this is a steal.

Vancouver/Anaheim Trade:
Vancouver gets: Andrew Gordon
Anaheim gets: Sebastian Erixon

Winners:

Alson: Anaheim wins this one. Erixon is a smooth defenseman that needs to show consistency if he shows consistency, he will be a good defenseman for the Ducks.

Mahbod: Vacnouver. Andrew Gordon is an all in one package. He is a utility two-way grinding power forward who scores and makes plays. Just not at a large scale.

Wexler:  Vancouver because I can see Gordon to be the same type of players as a David Steckel but I really cannot see Erixon doing much.

Kyle: Vancouver because they get neither of them have a lot of NHL experience but Gordon has more and can be a fourth liner and add some grit to the Canucks
G Tai: Vancouver because they need more grit like last year. 

Trade Overview

Here's an overview on the 2012 trade deadline

Biggest Trade

Cody Hodgson and Alexander sulzer to Buffalo for Zach Kassian and M-A Garagani.

- cody hodgson was in the run for the Calder Trophy and all of a sudden he gets traded. But the X-factor of this trade might actually be the two forwards but Garagani. He played amazing during the playoffs and has been struggling so far this year. puck moving defensemen are rare so he might make or break this trade.

Worst Trade

Paul Gaustad and 4th round pick to Nashville for a 1st round pick.

- what is buffalo thiniking. they are the smallest team in the entire league and they decide to get even smaller. they trade away Zach kassian (6-3) and Paul Gaustad (6-5) and they just lost all size up front. Buffalo completely loses out on this trade but they better draft a big forward in the up coming draft.

Trade that didn't happen.

obvioulsy the nash rumours. there was so much hype about Nash and he doesn't get traded. jackets GM Howson said Nash asked for a trade but there wasn't an offer that was good for the organization. rumours says that nash isn't changing the list so the nash rumours will come back on during Free Agency

More thoughts

less trades than last year (15 this year, 16 last year). two hours between first deadline trade and second one. 

Teams that stayed out - Calgary, Washington, Philly, pittsburgh, carolina, dallas

TRADE DEADLINE DEALS.

10:00

TO MONTREAL: TO NASHVILLE:

2013 2nd Round Pick Andrei Kostitsyn
2013 Conditional 5th Round Pick

12:57
TO TAMPA BAY: TO DETROIT:
Mike Commodore 2013 Conditional 7th Round Pick

1:06
TO MINNESOTA: TO EDMONTON:
Nick Schultz Tom Gilbert


1:43
TO TORONTO: TO TAMPA BAY:
Carter Ashton Keith Aulie

2:01
TO SAN JOSE: TO COLORADO:
Daniel Winnik Jamie McGinn
TJ Galiardi Mike Sgarbossa
7th Round Pick Mike Connolly

2:06
TO TAMPA BAY: TO OTTAWA:
Brian Lee Matt Gilroy

2:06
TO VANCOUVER: TO COLOMBUS:
Samuel Pahlsson Fourth round pick (2013)

Fourth round pick (2014)

2:12
TO CHICAGO: TO WINNIPEG:
Johnny Oduya 2nd round pick (2013)
3rd round pick (2013)

3:12
TO BOSTON: TO NEW YORK ISLANDERS:
Brian Rolston TBA
Mike Motteau

3:20
TO NASHVILLE: TO BUFFALO:
Paul Gaustad 1st Round Pick
4th Round Pick
3:26
TO BOSTON: TO MINNESOTA:
Greg Zanon Steve Kampfer

3:36
TO VANCOUVER: TO BUFFALO:
Alex Sultzer Marc-Andre Gragnani
Codyt Hodgson Zack Kassian

3:40
TO NYR: TO CHICAGO:
John Scott 5th Round Pick

3:49
TO TORONTO: TO ANAHEIM:
Mark Fraser Dale Mitchell

3:58
TO VANCOUVER: TO ANAHEIM:
Andrew Gordon Sebastien Erixon

TOTAL:
16 TRADES
31 PLAYERS
11 PICKS

News

Montreal has claimed Brad Stabuitz from the Winnipeg Jets.
Winnipeg has claimed Grant Clitisome from the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Cleared Waivers:
Krys Kolanos (CGY)
Ryan Russell (CBJ)
Brian Rolston (NYI)

Deadline Talks and Rumblings.

Talks:
Leafs GM Brian Burke was offered a deal for James Reimer and he said no.
Detroit in on Pahlsson.
Bruins and Jets in on Oduya.
After conversation with Jim Johnson Vokoun has left the ice.
Flames and Sharks in on Gaustad but no team willing to give 1st Rounder.
Habs wanted rights to Radulov but got pick instead.
Rumored JVR for Niemi.
Dallas may be interested in Kulemin
Jason Garrison is available. Trade may be imminent.
PA Parenteu wants to stay in New York but may not be an option.
Rick Nash's  banner has been off since 9:30 AM this morning.
Clitisome's waiver claim by WPG most likely means Oduya will be traded.
NYR interested in Edmonton's Theo Peckham.
Bruins honing in on David Jones

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins finally back?!

Sound the alarms! The first overall pick is back, but will he be the same as before?

Last night, the Edmonton Oilers played the Phoenix Coyotes and lost to them 3-1. Although the Oilers lost, there was some good news as RNH came back from his shoulder injury and scored a goal.

All signs are pointing that he will take over the scoring lead from Adam Henrique (RNH missed 20 of the last 22 games and he only trails Henrique by 6 points) but can he do it with the NHL season dwindling down?


Sure the Edmonton Oilers can pretty much kiss the playoffs goodbye for this year, but they do have a bright future of Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Jordan Eberle and Taylor Hall.


However, there is a big question mark surrounding the durability of RNH. He does have a small frame for an NHL player (6'1'' 175lbs.) and big guys will be looking to hit him to prevent him from scoring.

So how can the Oilers make sure that their latest first overall pick be healthy? Will he be able to avoid having a promising career marred by injuries? Only time will tell but for this blogger, I hope he does avoid it because for such a disappointing season from the Oilers, they should have a positive to remember from it and that is the scoring tandem of Eberle, RNH and Hall.

Ben Bishop to the Ottawa Senators

It is believed right now that St. Louis has a deal in place with the Ottawa Senators that would send G Ben Bishop to the Ottawa Senators for an unknown return. He is a Group VI Free Agent this year. If he plays 15+ games, this year in the NHL, he will be a UFA if he plays less than 15, he will be a RFA. The main problem apparently, is that GM Bryan Murray wants to sign him to an extension before the trade goes through.

Bishop is a starting NHL goalie playing in the minor leagues due to the amazing season of both Jaroslav Halak and Brian Elliot. All the people I have spoke to believe that Bishop has star quality. His big frame, (6'7) allows him to cover more space. Bishop also has good angles and knows where to stand.

Keep it here for updates.

Updates:
11:29 Appears to be done...
11:39 It's done. Awaiting confirmation.
THE OTTAWA SENATORS HAVE TRADED A CONDITIONAL SECOND ROUND PICK TO THE ST. LOUIS BLUES IN EXCHANGE FOR G BEN BISHOP. THE OTTAWA SENATORS HAVE ALSO RE-SIGNED BISHOP TO A ONE YEAR ONE WAY CONTRACT.

Winners:
Alson: Ottawa won this one. Bishop will be a star in this league.It depends on the condition though and what will the other pick be.

Wexler: Ottawa because they needed a goalie to cover in for Anderson. The Sens picked up a really underrated goalie in Bishop because of St. Louis' other star goalies. I think Bishop will lead the Sens into a deep round in the playoffs.

Kyle: Ottawa for sure, since they are high up on the Eastern Conference, the pick will be a late one. In Bishop, they got 2 NHL future all star goaltenders in Bishop and Lehner. In my mind, the Blues could've gotten him for a first round or another prospect.

Mahbod: I actually think St. Louis won. They can use that 2nd round pick to get a John-Michael Liles level player that can boost their play. Ben Bishop is only currently a minor's goalie and Ottawa has countless backup goalies including Auld, Lehner, Leclaire and Mike Brodeur. Ben Bishop just falls in. Although Ben Bishop is expected to be really good; a second round pick is a nice tradeable asset.

Quick News From Around The League

On Waivers:
Ryan Russell - Columbus Blue Jackets 
Grant Clitsome - Columbus Blue Jackets
Eric Boulton - New Jersey Devils 
Brad Staubitz (re-entry) - Minnesota Wild
Krys Kolanos - Calgary Flames
Brian Rolston - New York Islanders


Picked Up:
Darryl Boyce - 
To: Columbus Blue Jackets
From: Toronto Maple Leafs


Call Ups:
David Ullstrom - New York Islanders
Ian Cole - St. Louis Blues

Wojtek Wolski traded to Florida

Wojtek Wolski has been to Florida in exchange for young defenceman Mike Vernace and a third round pick.
Wolski, 26, only played 9 games this year for New York and had 3 points. He spent the rest of the season in the minors.

Winners
Alson: I have to go with the Rangers. Wolski is in the minors for a reason and a third round pick was all he was really worth. However, I still give Wolski credit. He is absolutely amazing in shootouts and this move gives him a fresh start. I am also hearing maybe the Wolski trade is only a precursor.. Time will tell.

Wexler: I think Rangers won this deal only for one purpose. The fact that they dumped Wolskis's contract on another unlucky team, Florida!!!

Mahbod: Rangers are the winners. Wolski just wasn't fitting in and I don't see how he would fit in with Florida either. Vernace is a good puck-moving offensive defenceman and that third round pick is a nice tradeable asset.

Kyle: Florida, since this could be Wolski's wake up call. His ice time has dwindled ever since he arrived at MSG. A change of scenery and more ice time will do Wojtek good and he will put up more points with the Panthers.

Darryl Boyce picked up on waivers.

Darryl Boyce has been picked up on waivers by the Columbus Blue Jackets from the Toronto Maple Leafs. To make up room, the Jackets have placed Grant Clitsome on waivers.

3 overrated and 3 underrated players on the block

With the trade deadline approaching, we take a look at the top 5 overrated players and the top 5 underrated players on the trading block this year.

3 Overrated Players

1. Sam Gagner, C  Edmonton Oilers
   He's been getting so many hype ever since he had that crazy 8 point night against Chicago. Even though he's been on a good run, he's overrated because he hasn't been consistence offensively.

2. Rick Nash, LW  Colombus Blue Jackets
    Because he is an all-star and an Olympian, many people think he is the best player out there. He does have size and skill that make him attractive but he is having a terrible season right now. He didn't contribute much in the olympics. they tried him on the first line but he failed and ended up on the fourth line.

3. Derek Roy, C   Buffalo Sabres
    Roy isn't a bad player but he is not worth that much. He puts up god numbers but his playoff performances are sup-par. If you want to make the playoffs and have a deep run, he's not your guy.

3 Underrated Players

1. Ray Whitney, LW   Phoenix Coyotes
    The desert is known to always hide players. Ray Whitney has quielty been piling up points and at 39 years of age, he's leading the Coyotes in points. He won a cup with the Canes so he has the experience and the veteran leadership.

2. Ryan Suter, D    Nashville Predators
    Shea Weber has been given much credit for the extremely strong defensive game of the Preds. weber's defensive pair has also been a strong leader both on and off the ice. The Preds must have been really happy when they drafted those two in the 2003 draft (Suter was drated 5th, weber was drated 49th)

3. Lubminor Visnovsky, D    Anahiem Ducks
    Visnovsky has always been a terrific puck-moving defensemen. When he started out with the Kings, LA basically tried to cover the existence of him until he started producing too much to not get noticed. Last year, he led defensmen in points. Need I say more?

Marek Zidlicky trade to New Jersey Devils Imminent.

Marek Zidlicky was asked to waive his no trade clause today. It is widely believed that the New Jersey Devils are the ones who are most interested in him. We expect a trade imminently. He has been benched multiple times this season and has expressed his displeasure towards coach Mike Yeo and the Wild organization.

Keep here for the latest updates.

Update:
7:53 Hearing Kurtis Foster + Pick for Zidlicky?
8:00 Kurtis Foster scratched before the game.
8:01 Sounding like a done deal.
8:45 DONE DEAL. OFFICIAL.

TO NEW JERSEY:
D MAREK ZIDLICKY

TO MINNESOTA WILD:
D KURTIS FOSTER
W STEPHANE VEILLEUX
W NICK PALMIERI
2012 2ND ROUND PICK
CONDITIONAL 2013 3RD ROUND PICK
CONDITION: IF THE DEVILS MAKE THE CONFERENCE FINALS AND ZIDLICKY PLAYS 75% GAMES THE WILD GET A 2013 3RD AS WELL.

Analysis to come:

Winners:
Alson: Minnesota won this one for sure. Zidlicky is a big name yes, but he's old, complaning, and on the moonlight of his career. The Devils gave up a NHL D man, an average winger, a future second line winger, and a second. That's too much for me.

Kyle: Minnesota because Zidlicky is sort of a rental for the New Jersey Devils. He is in the twilight of his career and won't be a huge impact like Adam Larsson for the Devils. In Zidlicky, the Wild got an offensive d-man in Foster (he has a booming slapshot), Nick Palmieri and other players and a second and possible third round pick. In my mind, Zidlicky was only worth the second and third round pick.

Mahbod: Im going to go ahead and say Minnesota won this deal. Marek Zidlicky is a big name, but he hasn't been doing much this year with only 14 points. Kurtis Foster is a smooth skating defenceman that can chalk up some points. Kyle Palmieri is a young gun with plenty of potential and lastly, Stephane Veilleux is a nice little Utility Forward for the 4th line or an injury filler. Plus all of this Minnesota got a 2nd round pick. Basically New Jersey traded for the name Zidlicky rather than the player.

Wexler: New Jersey wins this because they acquired a "big name" defenseman without giving up much. Zidlicky could also help with the inconsistency of New Jersey Defenseman Anton Volchenkov.

Ales Hemsky Re-Signs + Calgary Twitter Blooper

Ales Hemsky has re-signed with the Edmonton Oilers in a two-year $10 Million dollar extension. This effectively takes him away from the trade market. for now.

The Calgary Flames official twitter made a blooper today while commenting about the signing. Like all professionals it was deleted and an apology came after.

Preds - Florida trade.

Jerred Smithson of the Nashville Predators has been traded to the Florida Panthers for a 6th Round Pick.

Analysis:
Jerred Smithson is just your average dime a dozen fighter/ third or fourth liner. He has one goal and four assists and 30 PIMS in 53 games.

Winners:
Alson: Calgary wins this one. Even though Jerred Smithson is average, he has shown at times that he can score. The 6th round pick is well. Just a 6th round pick. It's not worth much.
Mahbod:
Kyle:I agree with Alson, a sixth round pick is useless and is probably going to be a career minor leaguer. Jerred has a chance of staying in the NHL if Calgary needs some grit.
Wexler:

Jeff Carter to LA

It is exploding all over the media that Jeff Carter to the LA Kings is a REAL possibility. The deal may finsih within the next 24 hours ,unless something big happens.

Refresh for updates when they come!

Update:
6:30 Jonathan Bernier will NOT be involved in the trade talks.
6:34 Jeff Carter for Jack Johnson and a 1st is a real possibility.
6:40 Pierre LeBrun of ESPN is saying that if the LA deal gets done that pretty much leaves the NYR and the SJ Sharks for Rick Nash.
6:42 Rumblings are that the main thing stopping this deal is that the CBJ wants a roster player as well.
6:52 Dennis Bernstein of The Fourth Period is reporting that Carter's attitude may be the problem.

6:56 Jeff Carter is trending Worldwide on Twitter and Jack Johnson is trending in LA as well.
7:26 Helene Elliot of the LA Times via @NHLWiki has said that the trade is waiting to be confirmed.
7:49 Both Leafs' GM Brian Burke and Assistant GM Dave Nonis are nowhere to be seen 10 minutes into the game. I assume its to make one last push for Carter.
7:54 @The_Creasy is reporting that CBJ is waiting for one more phone call before finalizing the deal. Perhaps it's the Leafs? Dave Nonis and Brian Burke are no where to be seen...
8:00 Hearing the problem is that Leafs' GM Brian Burke is refusing to include the Leafs' 1st Round Pick.
8:37 CBJ GM Scott Howson will address media within the hour, we will catch that and post some updates on that.
8:37 OFFICIAL JEFF CARTER HAS BEEN TRADED. DEAL IS PENDING PHYSICAL.


TO LA KINGS:
F JEFF CARTER


TO COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS
D JACK JOHNSON
CONDITIONAL 1ST ROUND PICK.
CONDITION: IF LA MISSES PLAYOFFS IT EITHER BECOMES 2012 1ST ROUNDER OR 2013 FIRST ROUNDER. IF LA MAKES THE PLAYOFFS IT BECOMES A 2013 FIRST ROUNDER.


Winners:
Mahbod: Los Angeles is your winner. Carter was unhappy and unmotivated in CBJ, which may be the reason for his scoring slump. With the addition of Jeff Carter, LA will soar because now they have the previously stacked chemistry between Carter and Mike Richards from Philly on the Power Play. Add Kopitar, Brown and Gagne to that and you have a dangerous team.

Kyle: I'm going to go with LA because they got a proven goal scorer who should mesh well with Mike Richards since they were former teammates. Jack Johnson's play hasn't been that great this year and if Carter wakes up from his slump, the first round pick will become a late one and not worth it for Carter.

Alson: LA wins this one. In 11 years (when Carter's contract ends) a fourth liner will probably make as much as Carter makes now. The 1st round pick will probably a late round pick anyways. Carter and Richards' chemistry is unmistakable and now with another threat like Carter, LA is a team to be feared. But on that note, I think its a matter of time before they get caught doing something stupid...

Wexler: In my opinion this is diffidently a win for Columbus. Jeff Carter did not have any chemistry in Columbus an he wasn't going to preform at his full potential there. Meanwhile the Blue Jackets have gotten a younger top 2 Defensman in Johnson and a 1st round pick which may become very important if the Kings do not make the playoffs. I really don't know what these guys are talking about but Columbus is at a rebuilding stage, where Carter would not have not fit in with and may have up to 4 first round picks in the 2012 draft if they deal Rick Nash as well.

Vermette Traded to Coyotes

The Columbus Blue Jackets have traded away Forward Antoine Vermette to the Phoenix Coyotes in exchange for Curtis McElhinney, a 2nd round pick (2012, acquired from Ottawa in the Turris deal), & a 5th round pick conditional (2013). The condition is that if the Phenoix Coyotes get past the first round of the playoffs, it turns in to a 4th round pick.

Winners:
Wexler: I'm gonna say Phoenix wins this one because they brought in a top 6 forward for the price of almost nothing. Vermette will help the surging Coyotes to a higher position in the West and during the playoffs. The only advantage for the Blue Jackets is that they got a 2nd round pick but that pick will not be too significant down the stretch for them.

Kyle: Phoenix because Vermette will add secondary scoring to Phoenix's offence. McElhinney won't ever be a starting NHL goaltender unless he starts playing better. The second and fifth round picks will be around the median of the NHL. I think Columbus will deal those picks for a veteran forward/goaltender for next season.

Mahbod: In my opinion, Phoenix came out on top. Vermette is a sure 19+ goal scorer. Like Alson said, McEllhinney will just fit in with the Blue Jackets mid-tier goalies like Sanford, Dekanich and York. The 2nd and 5th round picks are good for Columbus in their rebuild stage because they can use them to wheel and deal some nice players. Again, I rather have Vermette over a third string goalie and draft picks.

Alson: This is a close one but I gotta go with Phoenix. Vermette is a proven scorer and McElhinney will just add on to the number of average goalies that the Columbus Blue Jackets have in their system (Curtis Sanford).

Tuomo Ruutu Contract Extension

Tuomo Ruutu has agreed to a 4 year, $19m extension (4.75m per year) with the Carolina Hurricanes. Ruutu has been one of the most talked about names coming up to Monday's Trade Deadline. But his name is now off the market and he will now be a part of the Hurricanes rebuilding process. Fellow teammate Tim Gleason also is a part of Carolina's rebuilding process when he signed a 4 year extension with the Canes in late January.

Todd Bertuzzi re-signs

The Red Wings have resigned Todd Bertuzzi to a two year $4.4 Million  contract extension. It will be a $2.2 Million / year.

The apparent asking price for Columbus Blue Jackets' Rick Nash to Toronto Maple Leafs' GM Brian Burke is Joffery Lupul + a 1st Rounder or Lupul + Reimer. My question to you guys is would you do it?

Wexler Rumor: I heard the price for Nash was a 1st Rounder, Kulemin, Gardiner & either a prospect (Joe Colborne) or Macarthur.

Segal to Tampa; Fornataro to Chicago

The Chicago Blackhawks have traded Brandon Segal to the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for Matt Fornataro. Segal, 28 has played over 70 NHL games and totals 20 points while Fornataro, who is 26 has no NHL experience.

Winners
Mahbod: I think the Lightning came out on top on this deal. Fornataro is 26 and still hasn't made his NHL debut and will most likely spend the rest of his career in the minors. Brandon Segal is a nice little mid-aged player to have scratched or in the minors so that when he comes up to fill in for an injured player, he can play with more confidence because of his prior experience.

Kyle: I Agree with Mahbod since Segal can be the emergency call up if there is an injury to any player on the NHL roster. He has NHL experience so that makes him get picked earlier for a call up than an untested rookie.

3 Team trade.

The Tampa Bay Lightning have traded F Steve Downie to the Colorado Avalanche. In return, the Colorado Avalanche gave up F Kyle Quincey. Lastly, Quincey has been traded to the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for D Sebastien Piche and a 1st Round Pick in 2012.

Steve Downie is a gritty 2nd or 3rd liner that can fight, grit, and score every so often. He is a pending UFA earning $1.85Million this year.

Kyle Quincey is talented 2nd line defenseman that is good all around ability. He can score and do it all, but is inconsistent at times. If he becomes consistent, the Red Wings win this trade for sure.

Sebastien Piche is a projected depth defenseman that has a good slap shot, and ok defensive skills. I expect him to be a minor leaguer all his career.

Winners:
Wexler: In my opinion the winner was Tampa because they are adding more and more picks to go along with their already youthful team. Also adding a young defenseman, Sebastien Piche who is currently playing in the AHL but has some potential. Also I do not think that Kyle Quincey will make a big impact on Detroit during their playoff run.

Mahbod: I believe that the Colorado Avalanche won in this deal. They have a decent defensive core including players such as Eric Johnson, Shane O'Brien and Ryan O'Byrne. The Avalanche are in 11th place in the West, but only 3 points out of the playoffs and with the addition of Steve Downie -a grinder who also lights up the score board- they have a much higher chance of making the playoffs, because now they have stacked offense. With Matt Duchene, Paul Stastny, Peter Mueller, Milan Hejduk, Gabe Landeskog and Steve Downie, not only do I think that they will make the playoffs, but they are probably going to have a deep run too.

Kyle: Red Wings because Quincey adds scoring to their defence. Downie is really only used as an enforcer and the first round pick of Detroit will be low in the draft because they are leading the Western Conference.

Deadline Special!

Our deadline special consists of a bunch of names we have heard a lot from the media and sources a like. We will have a bunch of names and teams we believe are interested in the said player. We can't guarantee that the player will go that team, but we try to give you the best and quickest information as quickly as possible! So without further to do, here is our deadline special!


Wexler's rumor: I heard J.S. Giguere's name brought up by teams in need of a solid backup going into the playoffs.
Teams Interested:


Alson + Wexler's rumor: There's lots of rumors about Rick Nash going to the Philadelphia Flyers for Sean Couturier or Brayden Schenn, James Van Riemsdyk, or Wayne simmonds plus a 1st Round pick (2012) . We've also heard that Jack Johnson, Dustin Penner, and Johnathan Bernier in exchange for Rick Nash. However, there were also rumblings that Jack Johnson may have complained that he would be unhappy there. On his short list he submitted I can confirm that the Toronto Maple Leafs and the LA Kings. Rumored teams include the Sharks and the Bruins. I can also confirm that Leaf's GM Brian Burke met with CBJ GM Scott Howson over breakfast at a New York hotel.


Wexler's rumor: Hearing Hawk's Patrick Kane is available in exchange for Buffalo's Ryan Miller.


Alson + Wexler's rumor: Grabovski will be traded if he does not resign. He clearly wants to stay with his entire family here, but is looking for $5 Million a year. It may be too much for GM Brian Burke and teams interested include the Senators and Islanders.


Mahbod's rumor: Kyle Quincey's name has been named. No word yet on which teams are interested. Also, the Anaheim Ducks seem to be interested in Ryan Miller.


Alson's rumor: The Edmonton Oilers are looking at a long term soloution for goaltending. Tukka Rask, Corey Schneider and Johnathan Bernier have all been named. I heard the LA Kings wanted Linus Omark and either Magnus Paajarvi and a 2nd or 1st round pick with that.


Alson's rumor: There's talk that the Colorado Avalanche are interested in Columbus Blue Jackets' Jeff Carter. Also a lot of talk about Ales Hemsky being traded. Nashville and LA being named...


Kyle's rumor: Multiple sources confirm that the Philadelphia Flyers have withdrawn from the Rick Nash sweepstakes since they acquired Nicklas Grossman and Pavel Kubina.


Also, as per Darren Dreger tweets, The New York Rangers are the front runners for Rick Nash.

There is a rumor that Ales Hemsky of the Edmonton Oilers could be dealt to the Nashville Predators for Ryan Ellis and a draft pick.

Kyle Brodziak re-signed by the Minnesota Wild

The Minnesota Wild have signed Kyle Brodziak to a three-year extension.

Brodziak was in the final year of a previous three-year contract that paid him $1.3 million this season.

He is third on the Wild in scoring with 29 points (15 goals, 14 helpers).

He was set to become an Unrestricted Free Agent at the end of this season.

Ty Conklin Waived

As we reported first yesterday, Ty Conklin has been waived by the Detroit Red Wings.

Deadline Special!

We know that our readers loved the Christmas Specials so we brought back the brain trust of the original thing and we created a deadline special for you guys. We have a bunch of players and teams and we are setting a big list for you guys go to  read and share with your friends! We will have it done and posted within the next 48 hours! Make sure to check every hour so you can be the first of your friends to read and post it on Facebook! If you have Facebook, and would like to do us a favor, make sure to like us on Facebook as well! It's much appreciated!

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James Neal Extension

The Pittsburgh Penguins have resigned F James Neal to a 6 year $30Million extension. He has been an instrumental player for the Pens when both Crosby and Malkin were injured and out.

Trade Deadline: Dominos falling

Finally, some trades going on.

All the GMs indicated that all it takes is one trade and the dominos will start following. After the Grossman trade, things got rolling with Moore, Gill and Kubina changing jerseys. More trades are definitely going to happen as the deadline approaches though. The JVR for Schenn trade might be over too now that Philly has added two more defensemen. I also think that there is a really good chance that Nash might actually stay in Colombus because Jackets GM has a huge asking price and not many teams would want to give up so much. This is actually like the ruutu rumours but the price was too steep again. 

Hopefully, there will be some big trades in the following weeks...

Pavel Kubina traded.

Citing multiple twitter feeds, I can confirm that Pavel Kubina HAS indeed been traded to the Philadephia Flyers for a 2nd round pick and a 5th round pick. The problem now is that the Flyers has 51 players on contract and the limit is 50. A player WILL be moved along with that or a new trade will happen.

Updates:
7:08 Instead of a fifth it will be a fourth.
7:22 It will be Florida's 2012 2nd round pick from the Kris Versteeg trade and a 2013 4th round pick.
11:20 Jon Kalinski has been added along to reach the 50 contract limit. Kalinski is a projected fourth liner that can score every so often. However, his fists are pretty strong and will be a good enforcer.

Winners:
Wexler: I'm gonna go with Tampa on this one because we now know that they have no intention to make the playoffs this year and are adding picks for the upcoming draft. The 2 picks today give Tampa 3 in the past two days adding to the youth on their team.
Kyle: It really depends on the picks, but I would say Philadelphia because they will go far in the playoffs and their picks are going to be late ones. Kubina can help stabilize their blue line along with Grossman.

Van Riemsdyk healthy; back in line-up

James Van Riemsdyk is officially concussion-free and back in the line up. He is still recovering, so he will join Voracek and Talbot on the Flyers' third line. With JVR back, this could mean that the Luke Schenn for Van Riemsdyk trade that was being talked about in December might take place. The trade negotiations were cancelled due to his injury, but now that he's back it's a different story.

Hal Gill traded.

Hal Gill of the Montreal Canadiens has been traded to the Nashville Predators along with a conditional fifth round pick (2013). In return, the Nashville Predators have given up Robert Slaney, Blake Geoffrion, and a second round pick (2012).

Analysis to come.

Winners:
Kyle: Canadiens because Gill is really only good for 1-2 more seasons. They also get Geoffrien, Slaney and the second round pick. In the end, Nashville must've been very desperate to obtain Gill because they gave up a lot to acquire him.
Wexler: Preds because bringing in Gill adds to there already tough defense. They are going into the playoffs with one of the strongest and underrated defense in the league and adding Gill makes their defense a lot  stronger.

Jack Johnson Rumors

Jack Johnson's name has been coming up in a lot of trade talks lately. The Kings are throwing his name out there as trade bait to hopefully bring in a 1st line Forward. Iv'e heard many rumors about a Nash for Johnson 1 for 1 deal but it doesn't seem like it's going to happen.

Right now Jack Johnson is Los Angels's #2 Defenseman only behind Drew Doughty.
Johnson has 6 more years on his contract paying 4.4m per year.

Another trade. Here it goes.

The Tampa Bay Lightning have traded C Dominic Moore and a 7th Round Pick to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for a 2012 Second Round Pick.

Moore has been named in a lot of rumors and now that he has been traded, it seems that there's another highly sought after player off the market.

Winners:
Kyle: Sharks because Moore is a gritty player that brings toughness to the San Jose Sharks. Since the Sharks are third in the Western Conference, the second round pick will be a late one.
Wexler: The Sharks were the winners because the addition of Moore helps bring depth upfront to another playoff team. Also the pick is not an early one so it is not a big loss.

Breaking: Two Trades.

The Dallas Stars have traded D Nicklas Grossman to the Flyers for their 2012 2nd round pick , and a 2013 3rd round pick.
Grossman is a stay at home defender that the Flyers wanted very desperately. He will anchor the blue line and try to fill some of the void that Chris Pronger has left.

Winners:
Wexler: Flyers because they needed a defensive defenseman to fill the void from Pronger. The two picks wont do much because the flyers are a high ranked team looking to make it deep in the playoffs.
Kyle: Flyers needed a shutdown defender after Pronger was declared out for the season with post concussions syndrome. The picks won't get good unless the Flyers breakdown and fall out of playoff contention

The Anaheim Ducks trade D Bryan Rodney to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for C Ryan O'Marra.
Rodney is Defender that has played rather well for the Syracuse Crunch of the AHL, I expect him to only be called up when there is an injury. O'Marra is a good bottom six center, that can be physical but needs to get more of a scoring punch. He is a good gritty physical player though.

Winners:
Kyle: Edmonton, they need defencemen and I believe he should get called up soon. Anaheim already has gritty forwards like Perry and Parros so they basically gave up an NHL Defencemen for an AHL forward.
Wexler: I'm gonna say the Ducks because the addition of O'Marra is going to help during the offseason when the contracts of three veteran forwards expire (Sealane, Blake, Koivu)

Breaking trade rumors.

Pavel Kubina is not at practice. Most of my sources have been in agreement that he is going to be traded imminently. We don't have have the teams but we will update as this comes.

Fedor Tyutin, Jeff Carter, and Rick Nash are all not at practice. Not too sure why. Will update soon as well.

Nash List.

Due to Rick Nash's Modified NTC, he can submit teams he would want to be traded to. I can confirm right now LA Kings and the Toronto Maple Leafs are on it. Anything else, I'm not too sure. Stay Tuned.

Montreal Rumors

Sources say that both Travis Moen and Andrei Kostitsyn are almost guarenteed to go at the trade deadline. Even though Moen is injured, I don't think that will scare away GMs too much. Kostitsyn is a new name to the trade deadline talk. However, like many deals with Pierre Gautheir, he will wait until the deadline before he trades away either of them. Time will tell.

Marek Zidlicky trade imminent.

We have learned that a Marek Zidlicky trade to the New Jersey Devils is imminent and that he has waived his No Trade Clause for this to happen. He has a cap hit of $4Mil for this year and next year as well. This has been waiting to happen for a while since he has been scratched for the last few games and has publicly voiced his displeasure.

Stay tuned to see what happens.

Boston signs Boychuk to a three year extension.

For anybody speculating a Johnny Boychuk trade, that's not going to happen. Boychuk signed an extension with the Boston Bruins through the 2014-2015 season worth $10.08 Million. That's roughly $3.36 Million a year. A limited no-trade clause was agreed on as a part of the deal. "I think he’s 28 ... so that’s young. It used to be that you’d have a player like that under your – the rights to the player until he was 31, and then you’d think about signing 31-, 32-year-olds in the free market. He’s still young and still learning, and he’s an enthusiastic player, and as I said earlier, he wants to stay here." said Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli.

Rick Nash Available.

I can confirm to all of you that Rick Nash of the Columbus Blue Jackets IS available for trade. However, like most superstars, the asking price is ridicolously high. I won`t be able to tell you which team because the teams named are pretty much every team in the league. There are rumors that if Nash gets traded, so will Jeff Carter.

Breaking: Tuomo Ruutu injured?

Tuomo Ruutu of the Carolina Hurricanes has been injured. He has been in a lot of rumors and with his injury, it could cancel all the deals in place. Only time will tell.

Mike Comrie retired.

Mike Comrie has officially retired. In 589 games, he had 365 points and 443 PIM in 15 years. Just a quick note. Mike Comrie could have been a Anaheim Duck. There was an old deal in place that would have traded Comrie to the Ducks in exchange for Corey Perry and a first round pick (Ladislav Smid) but that fell through.

Some quick news and trades.

The Anaheim Ducks trade Maxime Macenauer to the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for Riley Holzapfel.


Macenauer is a good center that always knows where to be when he wants to bank in a few goals. He will be a long term project, and after that I can't really be sure if he will be a good player. After a lot of reading and analysis I see him as a minor leaguer and nothing more.


Holzapfel is a lot like Macenauer ,but needs to beef up if he wants to make it to the bigs. He has some potential but I think his overall skill set is a bit better than Macenauer's.


To follow up on yesterday Sutton's deal is 1 year $1.5 Million. 


Decision on Tuomo Ruutu is expected later this week.

Lots of Rumors. Will be updated when news comes.

We don't want to bombard you with posts, so we're going to have one big posts of a bunch of rumors. It's pretty much a well known fact that the teams are going to be calling like crazy this weekend.

So let's start the fun!

1:06 Rumor - The Detroit Red Wings have spoken to the Buffalo Sabres about Paul Gaustad and/or Brad Boyes. The Red Wings are only willing to part with picks in return.

1:08 Rumor - The St. Louis Blues are having continually discussions with the Montreal Canadiens, names have included Gill, Kostitsyn. No word on what the St. Louis Blues are willing to give back in return. Habs GM Pierre Gauthier is waiting till the trade deadline until making any big moves.

1:08 Rumor/Confirmed (Hearing mixed things...) -  The San Jose Sharks, Vancouver Canucks, and Chicago Blackhawks have all either reconsidered or withdrawn offers for the Montreal Canadien's Travis Moen due to Moen's injury.

1:11 Confirmed - Andy Sutton has signed a one year contract extension with the Edmonton Oilers. Details to come. This could mean he is off the trade market or is a signal for a sign and trade with another team...

2:35 (sorry for the lack of posting. Just no rumors for me to write about...) Rumor - NYR are interested in Hal Gill as well.

This is the weekend where teams decide if they are buyers or sellers. If they are low in the standings, (Columbus Blue Jackets) they may want to sell their assets and get prospects in return, and if they are high in the standings, (Boston Bruins) they will want to get the sellers assets and give picks away.

SCOTT GOMEZ SCORED.

WE ARE NOT LYING HERE PEOPLE. AFTER OVER A YEAR AND ALMOST $7.4 MILLION LATER, SCOTT GOMEZ HAS SCORED.

2013 Winter Classic.

The 2013 Winter Classic has been announced. It will be the Toronto Maple Leafs against the Detroit Red Wings. The game will be played in Detroit's Comerica Park. The field will be converted in to a rink just like the one at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. Expect a lot of Toronto Maple Leafs jerseys to be in attendance due to the close driving distance.

The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed Vinny Prospal to a one year extension worth $1.25 Million. The 36 year old is in the moonlight of his career and has 33 points in 53 games this year.

There are rumblings the Ottawa Senators are intereted in a goalie to play before Robin Lehmer can play full time. Nabokov and Harding has been named.

Jed Ortmeyer of the Minnesota Wild is on waivers. The career fighter has had one assist in ten games with the Wild. Anyone who picks him up will pay $292,500 for the rest of the season.

Update: He has cleared waivers.

Frans Nielsen Contract Extention

Frans Nielsen has just signed a 4 year, $11m contract extension. Nielsen is now 27 and his contract will take him to the 2016 season. He has 25 points in 52 games this season for the New York Islanders.

Scouts at Leafs and Oilers game?

There's supposedly 28 scouts from 22 teams in attendance for the Leafs and Oilers game tonight. Teams that they are from aren't confirmed right now...

Waivers

Anthony Stewart of the Carolina Hurricanes has been put on waivers.
Zach Hamill of the Boston Bruins has been put on waivers.
Andrew Murray of the San Jose Sharks has been put on waivers.

More to follow.

Update:
9:39 Hearing Habs, Blues, CBJ, and NYI all have interest in Stewart.

Coaches are being targeted no?

The Buffalo Sabres' Lindy Ruff has had a bad day today. The Buffalo News' Adam Harrington describes it best...

Leopold was working in a 1-on-1 drill with Ville Leino and lost his balance, sliding to the ice and barreling into Ruff from behind. Ruff went airbone and landed hard on the ice, letting out a scream as his body crumpled that echoed through the empty arena.

After X-Rays, he has three broken ribs... He is still expected to be at practice tomorrow. What a trooper!

The Edmonton Oilers' Tom Renney had a bad day as well... He took a puck off the face today during practice. He will not be behind the bench tonight against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Assistant Coach Ralph Kreueger will be behind the bench tonight. 

This intrigued me. According to Johnathan Bernier Sports writer of Journal de Montreal, there are many, many scouts at Habs - Jets game today. Here's the list.

Teams:
Pittsburgh Penguins - 1
Ottawa Senators - 1
Chicago Blackhawks - 1
St. Louis Blues - 3
Phoenix Coyotes - 1
Vancouver Canucks - 1
Nashville Predators - 1
Toronto Maple Leafs - 1
Colorado Avalanche - 1
Florida Panthers - 1
Dallas Stars - 1
Columbus Blue Jackets - 1
Minnesota Wild -1

Total - 15 scouts at the game.

Wayne Gretzky's Record Broken!

The Edmonton Oilers' Sam Gagner set a franchise record for being part (actual goal, assisting) of 11 straight goals beating Wayne Gretzky's record of 10.