Hockey Trade Rumors

Columbus is shivering with Final Four fever, spring football practice is under way, and baseball season has officially commenced. Meanwhile, Rick Nash is playing what are, with little doubt, his last games in a Blue Jackets sweater — and it is barely causing a stir. What a sad and strange denouement for our city’s best professional athlete. Nash played in his 669th game and registered his 541st point as a Jacket last night. The team he has represented for all of his nine NHL seasons defeated the Detroit Red Wings 4-2 before a crowd of 12,432 in Nationwide Arena. Half the patrons wore red.

One of hockey’s most prestigious jobs is open after Montreal Canadiens president Geoff Molson fired Pierre Gauthier on Thursday and announced the process of replacing him has officially commenced.

Justin Schultz, the mobile, puck-moving defenseman taken by the Anaheim Ducks in the second round of 2008, is in an interesting position. With his college season over, he’s welcome to sign with the team that drafted him, and by all accounts they’d love to get him under contract, and have him play for them in the NHL for the rest of this season.

The good people of Quebec will pay approximately $400-million for an arena to be built by 2015, in the hope that the National Hockey League will see fit to repatriate the Nordiques after all these years. And the Phoenix Coyotes, a franchise that has bled away in limbo for nearly three years, is the best bet.

Habs Scott Gomez reportedly aiming to return to Devils after this season; tells friends he’ll be bought out after season, says P Brisebois

https://twitter.com/#!/L_A_theRiver/status/181961044808306689

In the plaine going to new york then Nashville. ))) http://pic.twitter.com/HCYHsRJs

Predators General Manager David Poile said that he was “cautiously optimistic” that wayward forward Alexander Radulov could return to the team soon.

But he also said there was “no new information” regarding Radulov, who bolted the NHL in 2008 for the Kontinental Hockey League in his native Russia.

The honeymoon is over for Maple Leafs president and GM Brian Burke.

While his decision to fire Ron Wilson as coach and replace him with Randy Carlyle was viewed as a good move in NHL circles, the most important summer of Burke’s career at the helm of the Leafs certainly lies ahead.

Understandably, Nashville has persistantly tried to lure Radulov back and the KHL often responds with more $ to keep him.

https://twitter.com/#!/DarrenDreger/statuses/177917883383431170

At first blush, it does not appear that the free agent market contains many potential goaltending saviours this summer, if any at all. Here is the list of the more prominent potential UFAs among goaltenders, including their 2011-12 cap hits:

I havent written my own story for a while and this is just for fun cuz i was bored.. but I decided to do my own mock draft for this junes upcoming draft… its including the latest standings so it wont be accurate in the end but what I think each teams needs.

Trades:

The season isn’t over yet but the Montreal Canadiens have come to accept that a playoffs spot is clearly out of reach. Now the Habs have to start planning for this summer entry draft and next season.

The top priority on the Habs list would be adding some offensive dept to their line-up as they are set in net and at the blue line, It sure looks like the habs have an under average d-core at the moment but they have an above average prospect d-core that should be moving up very soon, guys like Tinordi, Beaulieu, Ellis, Patteryn, Dietz and Nygren should all be in Hamilton next season, not to mention Benett and Didier who shouldn’t be far behind.

Paul Gaustad handled one question with care last week when he was asked by a Nashville television reporter if he planned to re-sign with Buffalo: “I’m not even thinking about that right now. This is my team now. I’m happy to be here.”