Top 5 GM's of 2011 Trade Deadline

Here’s a look at some of the fine work done by five general managers this trading season…

1. Brian Burke, Toronto
Acquired: Joffrey Lupul, Aaron Voros, (P) Joe Colborne, (P) Jake Gardiner, 1st round pick (BOS), 1st round pick (PHI), 3rd round pick (PHI), 7th round pick (NYR), Conditional draft pick (BOS), Conditional 2013 draft pick (ANA)
Traded: Tomas Kaberle, Francois Beauchemin, Kris Versteeg, John Mitchell, Conditional 7th round pick

I feel Brian Burke deserves a big pat on the back for his moves at this deadline. Yes, he has received a lot of scrutiny in the past over previous moves. But when you look at the players he traded away, they were not a part of the ‘blueprint’, as Burke would describe it. What did he get in return? Two upcoming and two former first-rounders, along with additional picks; and Joffrey Lupul, who has jelled with the Leafs in his first couple weeks with the team.

Trade Deadline Twitter feed (archive)

Composite look at trade deadline

Going back to Feb. 9, when the trades started at a regular pace, here is a composite look at what teams gave up and acquired this trading season…

Anaheim Ducks
Acquired: Francois Beauchemin, Dan Ellis, Jarkko Ruutu, Brad Winchester, Joel Perrault, 2012 3rd round pick (VAN), 2012 5th round pick (MTL), Conditional 7th round pick
Traded: Joffrey Lupul, Paul Mara, Maxim Lapierre, Curtis McElhinney, Aaron Voros, (P) Jake Gardiner, (P) MacGregor Sharp, 2012 3rd round pick, 6th round pick, Conditional 2013 draft pick

Capitals make moves before deadline

In two separate deals, the Capitals acquired Jason Arnott from New Jersey and Dennis Wideman from Florida. Last year at this time, Washington GM George McPhee made a lot of deals for the league-leading Capitals. This time around, McPhee has acquired two players that should help them down the stretch.

Kings acquire Penner from Edmonton

The first (and perhaps the only) blockbuster deal of the day has gone down. Edmonton trades winger Dustin Penner to Los Angeles for three assets: prospect Colten Teubert, a first-round pick and a 2012 conditional third-round pick.

The Week Ahead

Here we are folks - NHL trade deadline day. In this installment of "The Week Ahead", we'll look at three players that have been moved in the last week along with two teams that have been busy prior to the deadline.

Players to Keep an Eye On
The three players below have all had to adjust or now have to adjust to their new team.

- Erik Johnson, Colorado Avalanche

Given this young defenseman's talent, many hockey pundits and fans alike were surprised when St. Louis Blues blueliner Erik Johnson was traded to the Colorado Avalanche.

Trade deadline morning links

Some links from around the league to get ready for today’s trade activity!

- Sporting News… Craig Custance highlights three teams and four players to watch today.
- Puck Daddy… Greg Wyshynski takes a look at last night’s deal between Buffalo and St. Louis.
- The Fourth Period… Dennis Bernstein features the trade deadline from the Western Conference’s point of view.
- Edmonton Journal… Jim Matheson has an update on numerous Oilers that could be dealt today.
- Globe and Mail… Matt Sekeres looks at how the Canucks may approach deadline day.

Morning Skate: February 28

The Morning After:
Yesterday’s scores:
Lightning 2, Rangers 1
Predators 3, Blue Jackets 2
Thrashers 3, Maple Leafs 2 (OT)
Devils 2, Panthers 1
Blackhawks 4, Coyotes 3 (SO)
Flames 1, Blues 0
Bruins 3, Oilers 2
Ducks 3, Avalanche 2
Predictions record: 7-1

My 3 stars of the night:
1. Miikka Kiprusoff, CGY (27 Saves, Shutout)… ‘Kipper’ lifted Calgary to a big shutout win over the Blues, holding on without much offensive support.
2. Jonathan Toews, CHI (2 Goals, SO Goal)
3. Martin St. Louis, TB (1 Goal, 1 Assist)
---

Tonight’s Slate:
Blackhawks @ Wild, 8:00 ET
Red Wings @ Kings, 10:30

Games of the Night:
Chicago Blackhawks @ Minnesota Wild
8:00 ET… TV: VERSUS

Kings making noise despite difficult stretch

These are the Kings that we’ve grown accustomed to in the last year and a half.

Back in January, I stated that this last month would be ‘do or die’ for the then-slumping Los Angeles Kings; at the time (Jan. 20) they had lost 9 of 11. They were sitting on the outside of the top eight, staring at the prospect that anything less than a huge turnaround, playoff tickets wouldn’t be printed in L.A. Terry Murray’s job wasn’t on the line, but many fans wondered that he could eventually get the axe if the struggles continued.

Following Saturday’s win over Colorado, Murray’s bunch upped their record 11-1-3 in their last 15 games. They survived the dreaded 10-game roadie following the All-Star break; and you can even make the argument that they saved their season away from Staples Center.

Morning Skate: February 27

The Morning After:
Yesterday’s scores:
Stars 3, Predators 2
Kings 4, Avalanche 3
Red Wings 3, Sabres 2 (SO)
Penguins 6, Maple Leafs 5 (SO)
Canadiens 4, Hurricanes 3
Senators 4, Flyers 1
Capitals 3, Islanders 2
Bruins 3, Canucks 1
Predictions record: 5-3

My 3 stars of the night:
1. Milan Lucic, BOS (1 Goal, 2 Assists)… Lucic had a nice homecoming in Vancouver, collecting three points and the game-winner.
2. Erik Condra, OTT (2 Goals)
3. Alex Goligoski, DAL (1 Goal, 1 Assist)
---

Today’s Slate:
Lightning @ Rangers, 1:00 ET
Blue Jackets @ Predators, 3:00
Maple Leafs @ Thrashers, 5:00
Devils @ Panthers, 5:00
Coyotes @ Blackhawks, 7:00
Blues @ Flames, 8:00
Bruins @ Oilers, 8:00
Avalanche @ Ducks, 8:00

Games of the Day:
Tampa Bay Lightning @ New York Rangers
1:00 ET… TV: Local Networks

Lundqvist making a case for the Vezina

When talking about the Vezina Trophy winner this season, it is obvious that with his play and unbelievable statistics, Boston Bruins netminder Tim Thomas is going to get a lot of attention. With that being said, one goaltender whose name should be thrown into the hat is New York Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist.

Saturday Faceoff: Is the trade deadline overrated?

With Monday’s trade deadline looming large, Patrick and I debate whether it is an overrated entity or something that lives up to the hype.

Yes; big moves don’t exactly equal playoff success
By Ryan Porth

This time of year is something that most of us hockey fans look forward to. We all sit around at work or at home on deadline day, keeping track of the craziness that ensues. At the time, every team seems to get better with all of the trades that go down… but do the deals actually live up to what they are made to be?

Morning Skate: February 26

The Morning After:
Yesterday’s scores:
Rangers 6, Capitals 0
Hurricanes 4, Penguins 1
Blue Jackets 5, Coyotes 3
Sabres 4, Senators 2
Panthers 2, Thrashers 1 (SO)
Lightning 2, Devils 1
Sharks 4, Flames 3 (SO)
Blues 5, Oilers 0
Wild 3, Ducks 2 (OT)
Predictions record: 6-3

My 3 stars of the night:
1. Matt Calvert, CBJ (3 Goals, 1 Assist)… Calvert has quietly been hot for the Jackets and picked up his first career hat trick last night.
2. Ben Bishop, STL (39 Saves, Shutout)
3. Erik Christensen, NYR (2 Goals, 2 Assists)
Close but no cigar: H. Lundqvist, NYR; T. Vokoun, FLA; J. Theodore, MIN; C. Stewart, STL; E. Cole, CAR; R. Umberger, CBJ; R. Clowe, SJ
---

Today’s Slate:
Predators @ Stars, 2:00 ET
Avalanche @ Kings, 4:00
Red Wings @ Sabres, 7:00
Penguins @ Maple Leafs, 7:00
Hurricanes @ Canadiens, 7:00
Flyers @ Senators, 7:00
Capitals @ Islanders, 7:00
Bruins @ Canucks, 10:00

Games of the Day:
Nashville Predators @ Dallas Stars
2:00 ET… TV: Local Networks

Friday Night Fights

Some of the best fights from the last week... plenty of good ones here!

Trophy Tracker

Every other Friday, we bring you an updated look at the candidates for the major awards around the league…

HART TROPHY

1. Steven Stamkos

Stats: 60 GP, 41 G, 36 A, 77 Pts, +11

It’d take a pretty big slump for Stamkos not to win the Rocket Richard Trophy. He has to be viewed as the favorite for the Hart right now, as well.

2. Daniel Sedin
Stats: 62 GP, 32 G, 47 A, 79 Pts, +24
Daniel is well on his way to a career-high in points, but how will Henrik’s and Ryan Kesler’s presence hurt his chances at MVP? They all may cancel each other out.

3. Tim Thomas
Stats: 43 GP, 27-8-6, 1.99 GAA, .939 SV%, 7 SO
Even though Thomas’ stats are starting to take a turn for the worse, there’s no doubt that he’s carried Boston at times this year.

Other candidates: Henrik Sedin, Sidney Crosby, Corey Perry

The Stretch Run: February 25

Our stretch run feature has returned for the rest of the season, but not on a daily basis like last year. With less than seven weeks left in the regular season and teams heading into the quarter pole, here is a rundown for each team with a breakdown of remaining games and playoff chances…

Eastern Conference
1. Philadelphia Flyers – 40-15-6, 86 pts.
Games remaining: 21 (10 home, 11 away)
Games remaining vs. teams .500 or better: 11
SportsClubStats playoff percentage: 100%

Top 5 things to watch on Deadline Weekend

We are a little over 72 hours away from Monday’s 3 p.m. Trade Deadline. An astonishing 22 deals have been made since the All-Star break, but there are still some mysteries to be solved. Here are five things to watch as we head into Deadline Weekend.

1. Brad Richards: Is he staying or is he going?
The trade talk surrounding Richards has seemingly intensified over the last few days, making him the top player to be had before Monday’s deadline. The question is, since Richards has a concussion and a return date is uncertain, what could the Stars realistically get in return? There was a report in yesterday’s New York Post stating that GM Joe Nieuwendyk is asking for the moon. I wouldn’t expect any team to give up that much.

Morning Skate: February 25

The Morning After:
Yesterday’s scores:
Flyers 4, Islanders 3 (OT)
Stars 4, Red Wings 1
Maple Leafs 5, Canadiens 4
Blackhawks 3, Predators 0
Canucks 3, Blues 2
Kings 4, Wild 2
Predictions record: 4-2

My 3 stars of the night:
1. Phil Kessel, TOR (2 Goals, 2 Assists)… Kessel continued his hot streak in Montreal with a pair of goals and a pair of primary assists.
2. Kari Lehtonen, DAL (38 Saves, 1 GA)
3. Corey Crawford, CHI (31 Saves, Shutout)
Close but no cigar: W. Simmonds, LA; T. Bozak, TOR; J. Carter, PHI; C. Schneider, VAN
---

Tonight’s Slate:
Rangers @ Capitals, 7:00 ET
Penguins @ Hurricanes, 7:00
Coyotes @ Blue Jackets, 7:00
Senators @ Sabres, 7:30
Panthers @ Thrashers, 7:30
Devils @ Lightning, 7:30
Sharks @ Flames, 9:00
Blues @ Oilers, 9:00
Wild @ Ducks, 10:00

Games of the Night:
New York Rangers @ Washington Capitals
7:00 ET… TV: NHL Net. (US), Local Networks

Buyers Beware

For many of us puckheads, the NHL trading deadline is an exciting time. For some of you, your club may be one or two solid players away from going from a solid playoff team to a Stanley Cup contender. For others, it is all about your team rebuilding for the future and, sometimes, gutting the team (see: Ottawa).

With this in mind, it is time remind fans to be patient with their respective teams during the deadline and to think about the future of their club. For example, do you want to give up one of your best prospects, a few picks and/or one of your better players for someone that is just going to be on your roster for a couple months?

What if we had an Olympic point system?

Here is the fifth look of the 2010/11 season at the standings if there was a different points system. The most popular solution is to dish out three points per game (and the one I’m in favor of the most) like they do in the Olympics. A regulation win would be worth three points apiece, whereas an overtime/shootout victory will get you just two. The loser in extra time would still get a single point.

The tiebreaker at the end of the year would be total wins, followed by regulation wins. I’m a big fan of this system (which was used at this year’s Olympics), and did some ‘research’ as to what the standings would look like if this was indeed how we handed out the points.

It would create more excitement for the final two minutes of regulation in a tied game. Also, this eliminates all of the extra point crap when a game goes to OT, plus rewards teams for getting the job done in 60 minutes.

Here’s what this year’s standings would look like through last night’s action…

Morning Skate: February 24

The Morning After:
Yesterday’s scores:
Sabres 4, Thrashers 1
Senators 5, Panthers 1
Sharks 3, Penguins 2 (OT)
Lightning 8, Coyotes 1
Oilers 5, Avalanche 1
Kings 3, Ducks 2
Predictions record: 4-2

My 3 stars of the night:
1. Teddy Purcell, TB (3 Goals)… Purcell’s first career hat trick helped Tampa Bay trounce streaking Phoenix.
2. Patrick Marleau, SJ (2 Goals)
3. Vincent Lecavalier, TB (1 Goal, 4 Assists)
Close but no cigar: M. St. Louis, TB; R. Miller, BUF; B. Butler and R. Shannon, OTT; T. Kennedy, PIT; J. Williams, LA
---

Tonight’s Slate:
Islanders @ Flyers, 7:00 ET
Stars @ Red Wings, 7:30
Maple Leafs @ Canadiens, 7:30
Blackhawks @ Predators, 8:00
Blues @ Canucks, 10:00
Wild @ Kings, 10:30

Games of the Night:
Chicago Blackhawks @ Nashville Predators
8:00 ET… TV: Local Networks

Wednesday Game of the Week

Kings wrap up road trip against rival Anaheim

The Western Conference playoff race heats up in Anaheim tonight as the Kings and Ducks – tied with 68 points – faceoff in a crucial contest. Both are in the midst of the unbelievable playoff race out west and need points tonight to keep pace.

Could the Devils do the unthinkable?

Dead in the water. That’s what this New Jersey Devils club was just two months ago. Their season was practically over as they brought up the rear in the entire National Hockey League. But a coaching change and a trade later, the Devils find themselves making a late-season push for an improbable playoff berth.

RLD Hockey Talk - Episode 49 Outline

You can listen to today's show HERE at 1 PM ET / Noon CT!

12:00 CT
- Show Introduction
- Welcome in co-host Buddy Oakes, Preds On The Glass
- Welcome in guest Darren Dreger, TSN
- Early trades
- Affect on Deadline Day?
- Youngsters getting dealt
- Edmonton Oilers
- Hemsky/Penner
- Tomas Vokoun
- Is Pittsburgh done?
- Buyers to watch


12:15/20 CT
- Welcome in guest John Forslund, Carolina Hurricanes
- Carolina Hurricanes
- Trades?
- Eastern Conf. bubble
- New Jersey Devils
- Rod Brind’Amour night
- ASG festivities


12:30/35 CT
- Roundtable Discussion
- STL/COL & PIT/DAL trade recap
- Boston a Cup contender?

Morning Skate: February 23

The Morning After:
Yesterday’s scores:
Maple Leafs 2, Islanders 1
Coyotes 3, Flyers 2 (OT)
Rangers 4, Hurricanes 3 (SO)
Blue Jackets 4, Predators 0
Sharks 4, Red Wings 3
Avalanche 4, Blues 3
Wild 4, Oilers 1
Devils 1, Stars 0
Bruins 3, Flames 1
Canadiens 3, Canucks 2
Predictions record: 5-5

My 3 stars of the night:
1. Carey Price, MTL (37 Saves, 2 GA)… Price needed to come up big for the Habs, and he did just that with 37 saves in Vancouver.
2. Joe Thornton, SJ (1 Goal, 2 Assists)
3. Rick Nash, CBJ (2 Goals)
Close but no cigar: S. Mason, CBJ; J. Hedberg, NJ; P. Bouchard, MIN; P. Stastny, COL; D. Setoguchi, SJ; W. Wolski, NYR; I. Bryzgalov, PHX; T. Thomas, BOS; J. Reimer, TOR
---

Tonight’s Slate:
Thrashers @ Sabres, 7:00 ET
Panthers @ Senators, 7:00
Sharks @ Penguins, 7:30
Coyotes @ Lightning, 7:30
Oilers @ Avalanche, 9:30
Kings @ Ducks, 10:30

Games of the Night:
Phoenix Coyotes @ Tampa Bay Lightning
7:30 ET… TV: Local Networks

The Stretch Run: February 22

Our stretch run feature has returned for the rest of the season, but not on a daily basis like last year. With less than seven weeks left in the regular season and teams heading into the quarter pole, here is a rundown for each team with a breakdown of remaining games and playoff chances…

Eastern Conference
1. Philadelphia Flyers – 39-15-5, 83 pts.
Games remaining: 23 (12 home, 11 away)
Final ten games breakdown: 5 home, 5 away
SportsClubStats playoff percentage: 100.0%

Conversation with Shane Doan

On Saturday I caught with the Coyotes captain to get his thoughts on how the team is doing it again this season, Keith Yandle’s success and his love for horses.

RLD: It seems like you guys are proving the doubters wrong again. Is there any difference between this and last year’s success?
Shane Doan: The expectations are a lot higher. Last year, the expectations were about as low as you could get when we picked to finish 30th. So this year to have the opportunity to see if we can prove people wrong and make the playoffs would be big.

Morning Skate: February 22

The Morning After:
Yesterday’s scores:
Islanders 5, Panthers 1
Blackhawks 5, Blues 3
Capitals 1, Penguins 0
Predictions record: 3-0

My 3 stars of the night:
1. Michal Neuvirth, WSH (39 Saves, Shutout)… ‘Neuvy’ stood tall between the pipes for the Caps in their shutout win over Pittsburgh.
2. Matt Moulson, NYI (3 Goals)
3. Patrick Kane, CHI (1 Goal, 1 Assist)
---

Tonight’s Slate:
Islanders @ Maple Leafs, 7:00 ET
Coyotes @ Flyers, 7:00
Rangers @ Hurricanes, 7:00
Predators @ Blue Jackets, 7:00
Sharks @ Red Wings, 7:30
Avalanche @ Blues, 8:00
Oilers @ Wild, 8:00
Devils @ Stars, 8:30
Bruins @ Flames, 9:00
Canadiens @ Canucks, 10:00

Games of the Night:
San Jose Sharks @ Detroit Red Wings
7:30 ET… TV: Local Networks

Penguins pickpocket Stars in trade

Due to the countless injuries, we all expected Penguins GM Ray Shero to be active before Monday’s deadline… yet didn’t know in what matter. Would he pull of a blockbuster, or just go with a depth pickup? Well, we got that answer today.

Shero pulled the trigger on a big deal to acquire James Neal and Matt Niskanen from Dallas for defenseman Alex Goligoski. The initial reaction to this deal is that Shero bested Stars GM Joe Nieuwendyk, which is hard to argue.

Remaining Trade Targets

In the last 10 days or so, there has been a flurry of activity. So much so, that it could somewhat water-down deadline day a week from today. Nonetheless, here are the most likely trade targets that could switch teams before next Monday’s deadline.

Trade likelihood key: 5 = Very likely … 1 = Doubtful

Ales Hemsky, EDM
Cap hit: $4.1 million through 2011/12
Stats: 42 GP, 13 G, 27 A, 40 Pts, +2
Trade likelihood: 3/5
Possible destinations: Los Angeles, Washington

Power Rankings: Week 20

1. Vancouver Canucks… LW: 1
Vancouver’s next five games will take place on home-ice, where they are an NHL-best 21-4-5 this season.
2. Philadelphia Flyers… LW: 2
Since the New Year, Peter Laviolette and company are 16-5-0 and haven’t lost more than one game in a row. They are easily the team to beat in the East.
3. Detroit Red Wings… LW: 4
The Wings are 6-1-0 since Pavel Datsyuk returned to the lineup on Feb. 7. In that time, Datsyuk has nine points and hasn’t missed a beat.
4. San Jose Sharks… LW: 7
Any thoughts of trading Devin Setoguchi may be put on hold as the 24-year-old scored a hat trick on Saturday and has played much better in his last 12 games.
5. Phoenix Coyotes… LW: 14
The ‘Yotes are absolutely rolling, winning seven straight and taking over the lead in the Pacific Division (their first division lead since 2000).

The Week Ahead

It was a crazy week in the NHL with plenty of great games, actions and surprisingly, a ton of trades. In this week's installment of "The Week Ahead", I'd like to take a look at three players in new uniforms this week as well as two teams who desperately need to make a move at the deadline.

Three Players to Keep an Eye On
In this week's installment of "Players to Keep an Eye on", I'd like to take a look at three players who are on new teams this week after being traded a few days ago.

- Craig Anderson, Ottawa Senators

After struggling with the Avalanche this season, goaltender Craig Anderson was traded to the Senators in exchange for goaltender Brian Elliot.

Morning Skate: February 21

The Morning After:
Yesterday’s scores:
Capitals 2, Sabres 1
Flyers 4, Rangers 2
Red Wings 2, Wild 1 (SO)
Blackhawks 3, Penguins 2 (SO)
Flames 4, Canadiens 0
Predictions record: 4-1

My 3 stars of the night:
1. Rene Bourque, CGY (2 Goals)… Bourque shined in the Heritage Classic, scoring two big goals and recording 11 shots.
2. Miikka Kiprusoff, CGY (39 Saves, Shutout)
3. Mathieu Perreault, WSH (1 Goal, 1 Assist)
---

If the playoffs started today…
Eastern Conference:
1) PHI vs. 8) CAR
2) TB vs. 7) NYR
3) BOS vs. 6) MTL
4) PIT vs. 5) WSH
Western Conference:
1) VAN vs. 8) DAL
2) DET vs. 7) MIN
3) PHX vs. 6) CGY
4) SJ vs. 5) NSH
---

Today’s Slate:
Panthers @ Islanders, 1:00 ET
Blackhawks @ Blues, 2:00
Capitals @ Penguins, 7:30

RLD All-time American Lineup

To celebrate Hockey Day in America here at RLD Hockey, I am proud to present you puckheads an historic/ultimate All-American hockey lineup.

The team has three forwards, two defensemen and of course, a goaltender. In naming this team, I looked at how they did both internationally and in the NHL. While you may not agree with my picks, I feel that the players mentioned below are worthy of being on our All-American hockey team.

Morning Skate: February 20

The Morning After:
Yesterday’s scores:
Oilers 4, Thrashers 3
Senators 1, Maple Leafs 0 (SO)
Islanders 3, Kings 0
Devils 4, Hurricanes 1
Panthers 3, Lightning 2 (SO)
Blues 9, Ducks 3
Coyotes 3, Predators 2
Canucks 5, Stars 2
Sharks 4, Avalanche 0
Predictions record: 4-5

My 3 stars of the night (Skaters):
1. Taylor Hall, EDM (3 Goals)… Hall’s third period natural hat trick (the first of his young career) vaulted the Oilers past Atlanta.
2. Devin Setoguchi, SJ (3 Goals)
3. Daniel Sedin, VAN (2 Goals, 1 Assist)
Close but no cigar: T. Oshie, A. McDonald and C. Stewart, STL; M. Moulson, NYI; D. Zubrus, NJ; H. Sedin, VAN
My 3 stars of the night (Goalies):
1. Craig Anderson, OTT (47 Saves, Shutout)… Anderson’s debut in Ottawa couldn’t have gone any better, making 47 saves in a 65-minute-plus shutout of the Leafs.
2. Al Montoya, NYI (35 Saves, Shutout)
3. Antti Niemi, SJ (25 Saves, Shutout)
---

Today’s Slate:
Capitals @ Sabres, 12:30 ET
Flyers @ Rangers, 12:30
Red Wings @ Wild, 12:30
Penguins @ Blackhawks, 3:30
Canadiens vs. Flames, 6:00 – Heritage Classic

Video: Canucks' tic-tac-toe goal

Henrik Sedin's tally in Saturday's game against Dallas was one of the best and slickest goals we have seen this season...

Saturday Faceoff: Should the NHL have more than one outdoor game?

With tomorrow’s Heritage Classic on the slate, some fans – most notably north of the border – are hoping that it eventually becomes an annual event. Should it, though? Patrick and I debate whether the league should continue to have two outdoor games in a season (or more), or if they should just stick with one.

More outdoor events good for the game
By Patrick Hoffman

Every knowledgeable hockey pundit and fan knows that the sport is nowhere near as popular in the U.S. as baseball, football, or even basketball.

With that said, however, one thing that separates the NHL from other professional leagues is the fact that it annually holds an outdoor game. The event brings the sport back to its roots and shows people what a great game hockey truly is.

Bruins beef up for playoff run

As we sit here on Feb. 19, the Eastern Conference is thin on Stanley Cup contenders. Philadelphia leads the charge with their incredible mix of skill and depth, but there are question marks beyond that point. Pittsburgh and Washington aren’t the same, while Tampa Bay may be a year away from going really deep. Boston was caught right in the middle of those teams – until yesterday.

Morning Skate: February 19

The Morning After:
Yesterday’s scores:
Devils 1, Rangers 0
Blues 3, Sabres 0
Bruins 4, Senators 2
Red Wings 4, Panthers 3
Hurricanes 3, Flyers 2
Wild 5, Ducks 1
Blue Jackets 4, Blackhawks 3
Predictions record: 5-2

My 3 stars of the night:
1. Ty Conklin, STL (25 Saves, Shutout)… Conklin filled in for Jaroslav Halak nicely, getting the shutout in Buffalo.
2. Todd Bertuzzi, DET (2 Goals)
3. Patrick Sharp, CHI (2 Goals, 1 Assist)
---

Tonight’s Slate:
Thrashers @ Oilers, 3:30 ET
Senators @ Maple Leafs, 7:00
Kings @ Islanders, 7:00
Devils @ Hurricanes, 7:00
Panthers @ Lightning, 7:30
Ducks @ Blues, 8:00
Coyotes @ Predators, 8:00
Stars @ Canucks, 10:00
Avalanche @ Sharks, 10:30

Game of the Night:
Phoenix Coyotes @ Nashville Predators
8:00 ET… TV: None

Johnson, Stewart dealt in shocking blockbuster

To cap off a crazy day on the trade front, St. Louis has traded former No. 1 overall pick Erik Johnson, Jay McClement and a conditional first-round pick to the Avalanche for Chris Stewart, Kevin Shattenkirk and a conditional second-round pick.

I don’t even know where to begin with this one. I was so caught off-guard by this trade that I think my jaw is still on the floor. My first impression was: How can Colorado deal youngsters like Stewart and Shattenkirk? Then it turned to: Why is St. Louis giving up on Johnson now?

Friday's Trade Roundup

So I guess we got a small sampling of the trade deadline today! My thoughts on today’s deals…

- For more on what I thought about the Kaberle acquisition for Boston, read it here. In a nutshell, this is a great deal for both sides. GM Brian Burke keeps stockpiling picks and prospects for the Leafs, while the Bruins seem to be going for it and are getting a guy they’ve coveted for a long while.

Before that trade could be completed though, B’s GM Peter Chiarelli had to swing a deal with Atlanta to make everything work within the salary cap. Blake Wheeler and Mark Stuart head to Atlanta in exchange for Rich Peverley and Boris Valabik. The fact that Chiarelli was able to grab a guy like Peverley instead of settling for picks is a huge bonus in my opinion. I like this pickup as much as the Kaberle one.

Do these acquisitions make Boston a legitimate Cup contender? I’ll have more on that tomorrow morning.

Friday Night Fights

The best fights of the week...

2006 Trade Deadline Look-back

We conclude our week-long feature, looking at past trade deadlines and seeing how they affected the teams and players involved. If you missed any this week, you can check them out here.

The Blockbuster: Doug Weight to Carolina
Carolina: Doug Weight, Erkki Rajamaki
St. Louis: Jesse Boulerice, Mike Zigomanis, Magnus Kahnberg, 1st round pick (Patrik Berglund), two 4th round picks

This blockbuster didn’t draw much on the Richter scale but it did involve a boatload of assets. Like Keith Tkachuk in 2007, Doug Weight left St. Louis as a rental, then returned the following season. The Hurricanes acquired Weight with the postseason in mind, and the veteran certainly helped them in their quest for the Cup.

Boston gets their man in Kaberle

After three years of endless trade speculation, Tomas Kaberle is finally on the move. The 32-year-old defenseman has been dealt from Toronto to Boston in exchange for prospect Joe Colborne and a first-round pick, along with a conditional pick.

Strength of Victory numbers

Below are the strength of victory numbers for every team through Thursday's action. Interesting results...

Morning Skate: February 18

The Morning After:
Yesterday’s scores:
Bruins 6, Islanders 3
Rangers 4, Kings 3 (SO)
Red Wings 6, Lightning 2
Predators 3, Canucks 1
Oilers 4, Canadiens 1
Coyotes 4, Thrashers 3
Sharks 3, Capitals 2
Predictions record: 6-1

My 3 stars of the night:
1. Pekka Rinne, NSH (35 Saves, 1 GA)… Rinne had another sensational effort, stone-walling the high-powered Canucks with 35 saves.
2. Nikolai Khabibulin, EDM (36 Saves, 1 GA)
3. Pavel Datsyuk, DET (2 Goals)
Close but no cigar: D. Cleary, DET; D. Krejci, BOS; J. Pavelski, SJ; R. Callahan, NYR; L. Korpikoski, PHX; D. Brown, LA; R. Peverley, ATL; A. Ovechkin, WSH
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Tonight’s Slate:
Rangers @ Devils, 7:00 ET
Blues @ Sabres, 7:30
Bruins @ Senators, 7:30
Red Wings @ Panthers, 7:30
Flyers @ Hurricanes, 8:00
Ducks @ Wild, 8:00
Blue Jackets @ Blackhawks, 8:30

Game of the Night:
Anaheim Ducks @ Minnesota Wild
8:00 ET… TV: Local Networks

Thinking Out Loud

- For the most part, I’ve held my tongue on the Penguins/Islanders fiasco. If you follow me on Twitter, you know how I feel about Trevor Gillie’s actions. (That suspension should have been in the double digits… but I digress.)

Mario Lemieux really stirred the pot with his statement on Sunday, causing an immediate backlash from people around the league. Did Lemieux have the right to voice his opinion the way he did when Matt Cooke is on the team he owns? That’s turned into the biggest debate of this unfortunate ordeal.

2007 Trade Deadline Look-back

We continue a week-long feature, looking at past trade deadlines and seeing how they affected the teams and players involved...

The Blockbuster: Peter Forsberg to Nashville
Nashville: Peter Forsberg
Philadelphia: Scottie Upshall, Ryan Parent, 1st and 3rd round pick

The Predators sent shockwaves throughout the NHL the night they acquired Peter Forsberg. Barry Trotz’s gang was residing in first in the Western Conference standings, thought by many to be the team to beat in the entire league. With three bonafide lines, a deep blueline and Tomas Vokoun in net, Forsberg was that final piece to the puzzle.

Morning Skate: February 17

The Morning After:
Yesterday’s scores:
Maple Leafs 2, Sabres 1
Devils 3, Hurricanes 2
Kings 4, Blue Jackets 3 (SO)
Flyers 4, Panthers 2
Blackhawks 3, Wild 1
Penguins 3, Avalanche 2 (OT)
Flames 4, Stars 2
Capitals 7, Ducks 6
Predictions record: 6-2

My 3 stars of the night:
1. Alexander Semin, WSH (3 Goals)… It’s fitting that Semin scored a hat trick in a game where there was no defense, huh? Anyways, he had a great game, scoring for the first time since Nov. 28. He now has four hat tricks this year.
2. Corey Perry, ANA (1 Goal, 3 Assists)
3. Corey Crawford, CHI (33 Saves, 1 GA)
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Tonight’s Slate:
Bruins @ Islanders, 7:00 ET
Kings @ Rangers, 7:00
Red Wings @ Lightning, 7:30
Canucks @ Predators, 8:00
Canadiens @ Oilers, 9:00
Thrashers @ Coyotes, 9:00
Capitals @ Sharks, 10:00

Games of the Night:
Detroit Red Wings @ Tampa Bay Lightning
7:00 ET… TV: Local Networks

Wednesday Game of the Week

Pressure mounting on ‘Hawks as they host Minnesota

Two teams looking to climb back into the top eight of the Western Conference will be facing off tonight in the Windy City. 9th-seeded Minnesota will pay a visit to 11th-seeded Chicago in what should be an exciting (and very important) tilt.

2008 Trade Deadline Look-back

We continue a week-long feature, looking at past trade deadlines and seeing how they affected the teams and players involved...

The Blockbuster: Marian Hossa to Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh: Marian Hossa, Pascal Dupuis
Atlanta: Colby Armstrong, Erik Christensen, Angelo Esposito, 1st round pick (Daulton Leveille)

Just moments before the deadline came and went, Penguins GM Ray Shero pulled off the biggest blockbuster of the 2008 trading season. Marian Hossa was long-rumored to be traded as the Thrashers were out of the hunt and looking to get a return before Hossa hit free agency in the summer.

RLD Hockey Talk - Episode 48 Outline

You can listen to today's show HERE at 1 PM ET / Noon CT!

12:00 CT
- Show Introduction
- Welcome in co-host Buddy Oakes, Preds On The Glass
- Welcome in guest E.J. Hradek, ESPN.com and NHL Live
- Trade season
- 1st rounder frequency
- Fisher in Nashville
- Toronto’s moves
- Buyers
- Pens/Isles fiasco
- Hart Trophy race
- New Jersey Devils


12:20 CT
- Welcome in guest Jay Grossman, Puck Agency
- Ilya Kovalchuk
- Looking back on the negotiation
- Anton Volchenkov
- Pekka Rinne
- Agent’s prospective of trade deadline


12:35 CT
- Roundtable Discussion
- Recent brawls

Morning Skate: February 16

The Morning After:
Yesterday’s scores:
Maple Leafs 4, Bruins 3
Sabres 3, Canadiens 2 (SO)
Islanders 4, Senators 3 (SO)
Flyers 4, Lightning 3 (SO)
Sharks 2, Predators 1 (OT)
Canucks 4, Wild 1
Oilers 4, Stars 1
Predictions record: 3-4

My 3 stars of the night:
1. Mikhail Grabovski, TOR (2 Goals)… Grabovski provided the slick game-winner late in the third to give the Leafs a dramatic comeback win.
2. Antti Niemi, SJ (30 Saves, 1 GA)
3. Shawn Horcoff, EDM (2 Goals, 1 Assist)
Close but no cigar: C. Schneider, VAN; P. Kessel, TOR; P. Marleau, SJ; M. Grabner, NYI; P. Rinne, NSH; J. van Riemsdyk, PHI; T. Chorney, EDM
---

Tonight’s Slate:
Maple Leafs @ Sabres, 7:00 ET
Hurricanes @ Devils, 7:00
Kings @ Blue Jackets, 7:00
Flyers @ Panthers, 7:30
Wild @ Blackhawks, 8:00
Penguins @ Avalanche, 9:00
Stars @ Flames, 9:30
Capitals @ Ducks, 10:00

Games of the Night:
Dallas Stars @ Calgary Flames
9:30 ET… TV: TSN, Local Networks

Niemi, defense at center of Sharks' success

Over the last three weeks, the San Jose Sharks have looked like the playoff team that we have expected to see all season. As the standings sit today, they are three points out of the Pacific Division lead thanks to a 9-2-1 surge in their last 12 games.

They haven’t been winning games the same way that they have in the last couple years, though. The offense is not setting the world on fire. Joe Thornton, an annual top point-getter in the NHL, has just three points in his last 10 games and, overall, 46 points in 55 games – which is well below his usual point-per-game pace. Dany Heatley has also gone cold with just one goal in his last 10 games.

Instead, the Sharks are winning games and racking up crucial points with their all-around defensive play.

Top 5 Deadline Buyers and Sellers

We were going to put this up yesterday, but Peter Forsberg apparently had other ideas. Less than two weeks until deadline day (Feb. 28), we take a gander at some key buyers and sellers during this trading season…

Buyers
1. Boston Bruins
Cap space: $2.5 million
Needs: Offensive-minded defenseman, Depth center

Some people are expecting big things out of the Bruins before the deadline. A lot of that speculation kicked up a notch when Marc Savard was shut down for the remainder of the season. But will GM Peter Chiarelli go after a top-line center? Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci are solid, but that may not be enough down the middle to get the B’s deep into the playoffs and possibly the finals.

2009 Trade Deadline Look-back

We continue a week-long feature, looking at past trade deadlines and seeing how they affected the teams and players involved...

The Blockbuster: Olli Jokinen to Calgary
Calgary: Olli Jokinen, 3rd round pick
Phoenix: Matthew Lombardi, Brandon Prust, 2010 1st round pick

The deadline in 2009 came up a bit short when it came to blockbusters. However, the biggest one made the Calgary Flames true Cup contenders for a day when they acquired Olli Jokinen. When the trade went down, I remember everyone making them out as favorites to get out of the West since he was supposed to be the answer as the top-line center next to Jarome Iginla. That wasn’t quite the case, as they stumbled down the stretch and lost their grip on the division.

That trade alone has been a big reason for Calgary’s demise over the last couple years. Jokinen wasn’t the best fit on or off the ice with the team; it began the tailspin that they are still suffering from today.

The commitment to Jokinen for the 2009/10 season caused GM Darryl Sutter to pass on re-signing Michael Cammalleri due to cap restrictions. Half a year later, Dion Phaneuf was dealt and, days later, Jokinen was out of town (only to be re-signed this summer). Sutter’s gamble on deadline day in 2009 backfired big-time.

On the flip side, Phoenix got Matthew Lombardi, who centered the top line for the fourth-seeded Coyotes last season. The first-rounder from Calgary was utilized this past summer when they nabbed defenseman Brandon Gormley at 13th overall. Brandon Prust was eventually traded back to Calgary.

The Steal: Jussi Jokinen to Carolina

Carolina: Jussi Jokinen

Tampa Bay: Wade Brookbank, Josef Melichar, 4th round pick

I bet the Lightning are kicking themselves over this one. Even though Jussi Jokinen wasn’t meshing well in Tampa Bay (16 points, -8 rating in 46 games), they have seen him thrive with a Southeast Division foe.

All Hurricanes GM Jim Rutherford had to give up for Jokinen was a bag of pucks and a pick (no, literally). The Finland native has made Rutherford look incredibly smart by being a go-to-guy up front for the Hurricanes. In the 2009 postseason Jokinen was extraordinarily clutch, notching seven goals (including three game-winners) in 18 games. Last season he registered a career-high 30 goals and 65 points.

Meanwhile, Brookbank is in the AHL and Melichar is playing overseas. Melichar was the only one to play with the Lightning (24 games). The pick was traded to Toronto in a deal later in the year in exchange for Richard Petiot.

Point, Rutherford.

The Steal, Part 2: Mark Recchi to Boston
Boston: Mark Recchi, 2010 2nd round pick
Tampa Bay: (P) Matt Lashoff, (P) Martins Karsums

At the time of this deal, it looked like Mark Recchi was a pure rental pickup by Boston. The veteran fit in right away with his new team and management has decided to bring him back in each of the last two seasons. In 154 games with the B’s, Recchi has 96 points.

Tampa Bay was obviously in a rebuild mode, but the two prospects have yet to live up to expectations (and may never do so). Matt Lashoff and Martins Karsums have combined to just play 35 games with the Lightning. Neither are in the organization anymore.

The second-rounder that went to Boston was used in the trade to acquire Dennis Seidenberg from Florida in 2010. You have to like how GM Peter Chiarelli made out in this deal.

The Win-win: Scottie Upshall for Dan Carcillo
Philadelphia: Dan Carcillo
Phoenix: Scottie Upshall, 2011 2nd round pick

Here’s another one of those player-for-player deals that has worked out for both sides.

Dan Carcillo would not fit in the current-day Phoenix system but has become something of value with the Flyers… no matter how dumb he may act on occasion. He scored 12 goals with Philly last year and even saw some time on a line with Mike Richards in the playoffs.

Scottie Upshall – when in the lineup – has been a nice fit with the ‘Yotes. Injuries throughout his career have lowered his ceiling, but he’s still an effective player with 71 points in 124 games in the desert.

The Cup Champion’s acquisitions…
Pittsburgh Penguins:
Acquired: Bill Guerin, Chris Kunitz, (P) Eric Tangradi
Traded: Ryan Whitney, Conditional draft pick

Possibly the best work GM Ray Shero has done since arriving in Pittsburgh occurred at this trade deadline. He picked up Chris Kunitz and Bill Guerin via a small price, and both were key contributors in their march to the Stanley Cup.

Both Kunitz and Guerin played on the top line alongside Sidney Crosby in the Pens’ quick roster shuffle. Guerin didn’t set the world on fire production-wise, but did rack up 15 points in 24 playoff games that year. He also scored 21 goals last year before calling it quits.

Kunitz was acquired for the popular, but oft-injured, Ryan Whitney. Kunitz had 32 points in 44 games following the trade (including the playoffs), and is still a primary offensive threat for the Penguins.

Other notable deals…
Montreal: Mathieu Schneider, Conditional draft pick
Atlanta: 2nd round pick, 2010 3rd round pick

Ottawa: Mike Comrie, Chris Campoli
NY Islanders: Dean McAmmond, 1st round pick (Calvin de Haan)

Columbus: Antoine Vermette
Ottawa: Pascal Leclaire, 2nd round pick

Calgary: Jordan Leopold
Colorado: Lawrence Nycholat, Ryan Wilson, 2nd round pick

Boston: Steve Montador
Anaheim: Petteri Nokelainen

NY Rangers: Nik Antropov
Toronto: 2nd round pick, Conditional draft pick

NY Rangers: Derek Morris
Phoenix: Petr Prucha, Nigel Dawes, Dmitri Kalinin

Buffalo: Dominic Moore
Toronto: 2nd round pick

Anaheim: James Wisniewski, Petri Kontiola
Chicago: Samuel Pahlsson, Logan Stephenson, Conditional draft pick

San Jose: Travis Moen, Kent Huskins
Anaheim: Nick Bonino, Timo Pielmeier, Conditional draft picks

Los Angeles: Justin Williams
Edmonton: Patrick O’Sullivan, 2nd round pick
Carolina: Erik Cole, 5th round pick

Edmonton: Ales Kotalik
Buffalo: 2nd round pick

Photos credit: Getty Images

Morning Skate: February 15

The Morning After:
Yesterday’s scores:
Blues 3, Canucks 2
Coyotes 3, Capitals 2
Flames 9, Avalanche 1
Predictions record: 1-2

My 3 stars of the night:
1. Olli Jokinen, CGY (1 Goal, 3 Assists)… Jokinen had one of his best periods as a Calgary Flame before going down with a lower-body injury.
2. Curtis Glencross, CGY (2 Goals, 1 Assist)
3. Ray Whitney, PHX (1 Goal, 1 Assist)
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Tonight’s Slate:
Maple Leafs @ Bruins, 7:00 ET
Sabres @ Canadiens, 7:30
Islanders @ Senators, 7:30
Flyers @ Lightning, 7:30
Sharks @ Predators, 8:00
Canucks @ Wild, 8:00
Stars @ Oilers, 9:00

Games of the Night:
Philadelphia Flyers @ Tampa Bay Lightning
7:30 ET… TV: Local Networks

Forsberg riding into the sunset

Peter Forsberg’s latest comeback ended the way it began: Out of the blue.

After playing two games over the weekend, Forsberg has decided to call it quits and say goodbye to the NHL. He will formally announce his retirement this afternoon. It’s a weird ending for one of the more talented players this league has ever seen.

2010 Trade Deadline Look-back

We are beginning a week-long feature, looking at past trade deadlines and seeing how they affected the teams and players involved...

The Blockbuster: Ilya Kovalchuk to New Jersey
New Jersey: Ilya Kovalchuk, Anssi Salmela, 2nd round pick
Atlanta: Niclas Bergfors, Johnny Oduya, (P) Patrice Cormier, 1st round pick, 2nd round pick

Devils GM Lou Lamoriello sent shockwaves through the NHL the night he acquired Kovalchuk. He went outside the box, acquiring the highly-coveted goal-scorer from Atlanta. Lamoriello sent some valuable assets to the Thrashers, including Bergfors and a first-rounder.