Monthly Archives: February 2013

Will the Jets make a trade to help them get back to a playoff position?

“So,” began the first diehard, addressing his compadres, “who do you guys like the most, Jones, MacKinnon or Drouin?”

Excellent question, given what is unfolding here.

And you wonder if the same thoughts aren’t now being tossed around by Jets management as they watch their squad struggle mightily before their eyes. After all, consider…

— The Jets have dropped three straight at home, are 2-7 since opening the season 3-1-1 and are now on the road for their longest trip of the year.

— They are 14th in the Eastern Conference and 28th overall, with only the Washington Capitals and Columbus Blue Jackets in their rear-view mirror.

Nonis still looking for a veteran goalie

Maple Leafs general manager Dave Nonis joined The TSN Drive with Dave Naylor on TSN Radio 1050 Toronto on Monday and discussed his club’s desire to acquire a veteran goaltender.

“Both our (current) goalies are aware of it, it’s not that we don’t think that we have NHL-calibre goaltenders, or goalies with the ability to become very good starting goaltenders,” Nonis explained. “But if we could add someone to help them along, a veteran that would help them grow, then we would do it.”

The Leafs, Bruins, Rangers and Penguins have all had talks about O’Reilly

The 22-year-old O’Reilly, the last restricted free agent who remains unsigned, is demanding more than $3.5 million than Matt Duchene is making with the Avs. It should be noted O’Reilly made $900,000 last year on an entry-level deal.

O’Reilly 18 goals and 37 assists for 55 points in 81 games last season. With centre Jason Spezza gone until at least the start of the playoffs after back surgery, the Sens could use that point production.

But if the Senators are going to make a deal for O’Reilly, Murray would be required to give up more than he’s prepared to give. The Avs are looking for a roster player who can help right now, a prospect and a draft pick.

Expect O’Reilly to land somewhere as the Avs try to clear up this sour relationship. The Leafs, Bruins, Rangers and Penguins have all held talks with Sherman, who would like to send him to an eastern conference team.

Rangers and Leafs want O’Reilly?

Laviolette not on hot seat, Flyers official says

As their reeling team tried to regroup from its latest clunker, Flyers coach Peter Laviolette and general manager Paul Holmgren were given a vote of confidence Sunday.

Asked if the Flyers’ dismal start had put the jobs of the head coach and the general manager in jeopardy, Peter Luukko didn’t hesitate.

More Ryan O’Reilly Talk

Will the New York Islanders trade Mark Streit or Lubomir Visnovsky?

Just two points out of the playoffs, and with a respectable minus-2 goal differential, the New York Islanders are nevertheless seen as one of the league’s most logical sellers on deadline day. They are a young team, a team with a tight budget, and a team with a bunch of pending unrestricted free agents, so that’s understandable. Two players in particular – defencemen Mark Streit and Lubomir Visnovsky – have been the subject of frequent trade rumours.

What are the Islanders plans for that duo? Newsday’s Arthur Staple provided some illumination on Saturday night.

Miller gets hot after team goes cold at finish

Ryan Miller’s postgame meeting with reporters lasted just 76 seconds Sunday. He was willing to say more but the media didn’t need to fire any more questions his way because it was plainly clear how the Sabres’ goaltender felt after the 4-3 loss to Pittsburgh.

Miller dropped three expletives during the chat and the frustration was pretty understandable as the Sabres maintained their dubious streak of not winning back-to-back home games this season.

Martin Brodeur doesn’t rule out 2014 Olympics appearance for Canada

If Team Canada comes calling, Martin Brodeur will listen. Despite the fact he’ll be 41 years-old-during the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia, Brodeur said today that he’s interested if he’s welcome there.

Initially, after playing in his fourth Olympics for Canada in 2010, Brodeur assumed it would be his last one. But with the Olympics only a year away and with him still playing, there is a renewed interest on his part.

Brodeur said that “a lot of people” have been talking to him about the topic lately.

Great pic

tough

Which team do you think will trade for Iginla?

[yop_poll id=”15″]

Despite Colorado Avalanche forward Ryan O’Reilly being available, there’s a good reason the Dallas Stars probably don’t have a chance to acquire him

O’Reilly is apparently available from the Avs, he’s a great young player — would the Stars be interested and what do you think it would take to do that deal?

I fear he falls into the Kyle Turris, Cody Hodgson category. The Stars had interest in Turris when he was a holdout in Phoenix and on Hodgson when he was available in Vancouver. However, both GMs were intent to send their players to the East so they would not be haunted so closely. The guess is unless a Western team overpays, then O’Reilly will end up in the East. But, again, I am not a doctor or a GM, and that is just a guess.

http://www.dallasnews.com

The Top Five Trade Targets

 

The NHL trade market is going to shake loose sooner or later depending on when teams fall out of the race. Slow starts are going to turn into reality and it won’t be long before general manager’s decide to send players packing. We saw a couple of small deals with Winnipeg sending Alexei Ponikarovsky to New Jersey and Eric Tangradi going to the Jets from the Penguins last week. We’re going to see some bigger ones before the April 3 deadline.

Here’s five top targets: