Hockey trades as they happen
It's Christmas Day for hockey fans as NHL Trade Deadline Day has arrived. Hockey.com's Rick Couchman and Marty Henwood are here all day long for the Trade Deadline Live Blog, where we will announce today's deals while allowing you to offer your analysis on who the real winners and losers are.
So, settle in for a long day of wheeling and dealing as we get set to break things down right here on Hockey.com:
Let's start with some moves late last night:
MONDAY, FEB. 25
PETER FORSBERG signs a one year deal with the COLORADO
OUR TAKE: So much for Forsberg not coming back this year. The Flyers must be thrilled. A deal that caught many off-guard, but could be a low-risk, high-reward propostion for the Avs.
BARRET JACKMAN signs a four-year deal with ST. LOUIS
TO PHILADELPHIA: VACLAV PROSPAL
TO TAMPA BAY: ALEXANDRE PICARD and a conditional draft pick
OUR TAKE: The struggling Flyers, left at the altar by Forsberg, had to make a move and didn't give up too much for some additional scoring punch. With Simon Gagne gone for the year, Prospal should help cushion that blow.
DAN BOYLE signs a six-year deal with TAMPA BAY
OUR TAKE: It was a priority for the Lightning to re-sign Boyle, but the writing is now on the wall for Brad Richards.
TUESDAY, FEB. 26
SIGNING ALERT
MIKE COMRIE signs a one-year deal with the NY ISLANDERS
9:10 AM ADAM FOOTE rejects first contract offer from COLUMBUS, according to Sportsnet
9:15 AM Think these guys went to air too early in the battle for ratings? Sportsnet is projecting big names that could be on the move, the Score is taking calls from fans and TSN is posting Pierre McGuire's Top 10 Stanley Cup favourites. Not exactly dead air, but close.
9:26 AM Over on TSN, Cory Woron announces that the Leafs will work out on the beach in Florida today. Good thing, they'll be spending a lot of time there in abour six weeks.
9:36 AM Sportsnet reports that the Canadiens have cancelled their morning skate today but that the Canadiens are "hot and heavy" for MARIAN HOSSA. Oddly enough, the Thrashers play in Montreal tonight, so Hossa may just have to walk down the hall to the Habs' dressing room. Hossa will not take the skate for the Thrashers. By the way, love the Trade Ticker over at the Score. Not all that busy now, but the rolling ticker should be getting a workout later today.
9:40 AM The Score suggests KYLE WELLWOOD may have asked for a trade from Toronto.
9:55 AM John Ferguson, Jr. and Mike Milbury offering expert trade analysis on TSN. Oh, the irony.
9:58 AM Sportsnet, after talking to Tampa Bay GM Jay Feaster, says a deal for BRAD RICHARDS is not done, contrary to early reports.
The rumor was Richards to Dallas for Mark Fistric, Jeff Halpern and G Mike Smith.
9:58 AM Pierre LeBrun from Sportsnet has talked to Cliff Fletcher and KYLE WELLWOOD has not requested a trade from the Leafs. The madness continues.
10:22 AM Looking at the 12 talking heads on three separate TV screens, I'm betting ten of them are wishing they had stayed in bed for a few more hours.
TRADE ALERT 10:30 AM
TO NEW JERSEY: BRYCE SALVADOR
TO ST. LOUIS: CAM JANSSEN
10:36 AM It's not much, but at least there is a deal with the Salvador-Janssen swap. TV execs at TSN, Sportsnet and the Score exhale.
10:44 AM Wow. Cam Janssen actually getting interviewed by TSN. First time he isn't answering a question about a suspension, I suppose.
10:47 AM Word is the Montreal Canadiens have recalled MIKHAIL GRABOVSKI from Hamilton of the AHL. Is something up in Montreal?
10:52 AM TSN announces that the Atlanta Thrashers' PR team has confirmed that Marian Hossa will not be at the Bell Centre and has been told to stay at the team hotel. Watch the mini-bar tab, Waddell.
11:07 AM Over at TSN, James Duthie asks McGuire if the team trading for Brian Campbell will try to get him signed right away. Um, a head scratcher. Considering what a team will give up for Campbell, isn't that common sense?
TRADE ALERT 11:15 AM
TO FLORIDA: WADE BELAK
TO TORONTO: 5th ROUND PICK IN 2008
11:18 AM Ferguson on the Belak deal: "I guess it makes sense." Like you would know.
TRADE ALERT 11:25 AM
TO SAN JOSE: BRIAN CAMPBELL
TO BUFFALO: STEVE BERNIER, 1st ROUND PICK
OUR TAKE: Obviously, the Sabres were not going to get Campbell re-signed so great return for the Sabres, considering Bernier is coming back. Campbell will also be a vital cog for the Sharks.
TRADE ALERT 11:35 AM
TO DALLAS: BRAD RICHARDS, JOHAN HOLMQVIST
TO TAMPA BAY: MIKE SMITH, JUSSI JOKINEN, JEFF HALPERN
OUR TAKE: I am sure the Stars were hesitant to part with Smith but getting Richards may put them over the top. Tampa may have finally landed their goalie, would should save John Tortorella a few F-bombs. Two of the heavyweights out west have made a deal. Hello, Anaheim and Detroit? Anyone there?
TRADE ALERT 11:50 AM
TO WASHINGON: CRISTOBAL HUET
TO MONTREAL: 2nd ROUND PICK
12:00 PM Whew. Good thing there has been some action in the past hour or so. I thought Pierre McGuire's head was going to explode if he didn't get to say the word "Monster" by lunch. Huet deal doesn't make a lot of sense unless Montreal is dealing for a goalie this afternoon. It may be a little early for Price to deal with the playoff pressure on a full-time basis. The Habs have called up Jaroslav Halak from Hamilton of the AHL.
TRADE ALERT 12:10 PM
TO CHICAGO: ANDREW LADD
TO CAROLINA: TUOMO RUUTU
TRADE ALERT 12:15 PM
TO COLORADO: RUSIAN SALEI
TO FLORIDA: KARLIS SKRASTINS, 3rd ROUND PICK
TRADE ALERT 12:35 PM
TO OTTAWA: MARTIN LAPOINTE
TO CHICAGO: 6th ROUND PICK
OUR TAKE: Price is right for the Senators but unless Lapointe can play goal, it isn't going to matter if Ottawa doesn't address that issue within the next couple of hours.
12:55 PM TSN reports that Columbus and Colorado are talking trade for Adam Foote. The Avs go any further into their past they will be back in Quebec.
TRADE ALERT 12:57 PM
TO COLORADO: ADAM FOOTE
TO COLUMBUS: CONDITIONAL FIRST ROUND PICK
OUR TAKE: That didn't take long. Sportsnet beats TSN to the punch and trust me, that hasn't happened all that often today.
TRADE ALERT 1:12 PM
TO WASHINGTON: SERGEI FEDOROV
TO COLUMBUS: TED RUTH
OUR TAKE: By picking up Huet and now Fedorov, the Capitals are showing they are serious about making the playoffs. Ovechkin probably wouldn't mind Anna Kournikova as part of the deal.
1:19 PM A much-anticipated TSN interview with Brian Burke doesn't go off as planned when Burke's mic doesn't work. After throwing to a break, Duthie gets his man.
Do you feel the need to reply to the big moves made my San Jose and Dallas, Burke is asked. "No", is the answer. "I like this group." No chance on a big deal for the likes of Hossa, but the Ducks may make a depth move. Burke says probably not the best stretegy to "go on TSN" and discuss who they are going after. Why he is on a TV interview an hour and a half before the deadline is another story altogether. Phone lines down in California?
TRADE ALERT 1:35 PM
TO WASHINGTON: MATT COOKIE
TO VANCOUVER: MATT PETTINGER
1:38 PM Line of the day so far goes to Darren Dutchyshen: "Ray Emery not on the ice at practice for the Ottawa Senators. He's not getting traded, he's just late again."
1:55 PM Howard Berger is reporting that Pavel Kubina has decided to evercise his no-trade clause. Cliff Fletcher must be wondering why he took this job.
2:00 Couldn't help but notice Bruce Garrioch offering his take on Hossa live from Sportsnet's "Breaking News Desk." You're reaching, boys...
2:10 pm CNN is reporting massive power outages in Florida. Oh well, Cliff Fletcher has an excuse if he can't swing another deal.
TRADE ALERT 2:45 PM
TO PITTSBURGH: HAL GILL
TO TORONTO: 2nd and 5th ROUND PICKS
OUR TAKE: Pittsburgh gets a little depth and in Toronto, the rebuild is on. Sort of. Or, maybe not...
TRADE ALERT 2:50 PM
NY RANGERS: CHRISTIAN BACKMAN
ST. LOUIS: 4th ROUND PICK
TRADE ALERT 2:55
TO PITTSBUGH: MARIAN HOSSA, PASCAL DUPUIS
TO ATLANTA: ANGELO ESPOSITO, ERIK CHRITSTENSEN, COLBY ARMSTRONG AND 1ST ROUND PICK
OUR TAKE: Wow. Talk about selling for short term gain, but Pittsburgh just added another weapon to their offense. Good thing because they just gave up for the farm to get him.
TRADE ALERT 3:10 PM
TO MINNESOTA: CHRIS SIMON
TO NY ISLANDERS: 6th ROUND PICK
TRADE ALERT 3:15 PM
TO DETROIT: BRAD STUART
TO LOS ANGELES: 2nd and 4th ROUND PICKS
TRADE ALERT 3:20 PM
TO NY RANGERS: FREDRIK SJOSTROM, DAVID LENEVEU, JOSH GRATTON
TO PHOENIX: AL MONTOYA, MARCEL HOSSA
TRADE ALERT 3:20 PM
TO FLORIDA: CHAD KILGER
TO TORONTO: 3rd ROUND PICK
TRADE ALERT 3:22 PM
TO ANAHEIM: MARC ANDRE BERGERON
TO NY ISLANDERS: 3rd ROUND PICK
TRADE ALERT 3:30 PM
TO ANAHEIM: JS AUBIN
TO LOS ANGELES: 7th ROUND PICK
TRADE ALERT 3:38 PM
TO NASHVILLE: JAN HLAVAC
TO TAMPA BAY: 7th ROUND PICK