Hockey Trade Rumors

Montreal is facing some seriously challenging personnel issues for next season. Forget the playoffs this year, the long term viability of this team as a competitor is in serious doubt. Bob Gainey realized this, and stepped down so he could walk away from all the hot shit he’s created. He has handcuffed this team a la John Ferguson Junior did to the Leafs a few years back.

MTL is already pushed up pretty close to cap this season.. but what about next year? Several key, core guys are due for serious salary raises:

Despite not making the playoffs for the fifth year in a row, the Leafs ended off with a win, and a look at a bright future for this now young Leafs team. Coach Ron Wilson stated that he should of started with the young players at the beginning of the season, which they started 0-7-1, instead of putting them in at the end. The Leafs young players (Bozak, Stalberg, Gunnarsson, Hanson, Caputi,etc.) showed lots of confidence and potential putting up decent playing time, points, and work ethic, and showed they can make this Leafs team coming next season. Now the Leafs dont have to panic yet, they finished off the season with a good streak winning most of their games after the trade deadline when putting in their young players. Now this shows signs of hope, and a good future for Leafs land, but now lets take a look at the upcoming free agents for the Leafs and potential trades, and free agent signings:

MARK SPECTOR

Another big name player wants out of Edmonton, as Sheldon Souray on Sunday uttered those four words that have come to haunt the Oilers franchise:

“I want a trade.”

Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brian Burke will reprise his role from the Vancouver Olympics as team GM for the United States at this spring’s World Championships, a source connected to USA Hockey said.

The Leafs, though, will pull every lever to correct their inadvertent largesse, sprinkle some water over their draft-less desert. While Burke won’t confirm it, Toronto aims to parlay Tomas Kaberle into a first-round pick and top-six forward. As if. But that will be the price tag for the veteran defenceman, otherwise Kaberle goes nowhere.

The Ottawa Senators will have to make their playoff run without the services of Alex Kovalev.

The team announced on Saturday that Kovalev needs surgery on a torn ACL in his left knee and is expected to need three to four months of recovery time.

Fernando Pisani never envisioned it might end like this.

Not after the magical run to the Stanley Cup final in 2006 where seemingly everything he touched went in the net.

Eric Duhatschek

Every year, it seems, the NHL awards race gets closer and more interesting and 2009-10 will prove to be no exception, with no-sure-thing battles for all of the league’s major hardware in every category – from the Hart for MVP to the underappreciated Lady Byng for sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct.

Oilers captain talks frankly about his cloudy future with the organization

By ROBERT TYCHKOWSKI, QMI Agency

If Wednesday was his last game at Rexall Place, and you’ll get better odds that it was than it wasn’t, Ethan Moreau is glad it ended the way it did.