June 28, 2009 – NHL Rumor and News Roundup

Fletcher’s first deal: Wild lands Brodziak

Wild after Lecavialer?

Atlanta to deal a goalie?

OFFER FOR ZHERDEV; ANTROPOV LIKELY OUT


Fletcher’s first deal: Wild lands Brodziak

MICHAEL RUSSO, Star Tribune

Three years ago in Wilkes-Barre, the Edmonton Oilers shared the Pittsburgh Penguins’ minor league club.

Todd Richards, now the Wild’s coach but then the Baby Pens’ coach, was ambushed with almost too many bodies, so in training

camp, Richards barely noticed a kid named Kyle Brodziak.

But after starting the season as a healthy scratch, Brodziak slowly earned the trust of Richards to the point he was

ultimately voted Wilkes-Barre’s 2006-07 team MVP after a 56-point, 62-game season.

Saturday, in Chuck Fletcher’s first player trade as the Wild’s GM, Brodziak went from being a St. Paul, Alberta, native to a

St. Paul., Minn., resident. The 25-year-old versatile Edmonton Oilers forward was dealt along with a sixth-round pick to the

Wild for a fourth- and fifth-round pick.

“At the AHL level, I used him in every situation,” Richards said by phone. “I think the biggest compliment you can give to a

player is that he’s trustworthy. Any situation, I felt very, very comfortable putting him out on the ice.

Read the full article from

http://www.startribune.com/sports/wild/49347552.html?elr=KArksi8cyaiUBP7hUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aULPQL7PQLanchO7DiUr


Wild after Lecavialer?

Bob McKenzie of tsn.ca twitters that

New Wild GM Chuck Fletcher is being very aggressive in trying to land Lecavalier before his no-trade clause kicks-in on July

1st.

http://twitter.com/bobmckenzietsn

Atlanta to deal a goalie?

CHRIS VIVLAMORE – The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

However, Waddell still needs to improve the roster to convince star Ilya Kovalchuk to re-sign. Kovalchuk told the

Journal-Constitution at the end of the season that he needs to see that the Thrashers moving in the right direction before he

will re-sign.

The NHL free agency period begins July 1. However, Waddell said the Thrashers are more likely to improve via trade. The

Thrashers have depth at goaltender with Kari Lehtonen and Johan Hedberg on the roster and top prospect Ondrej Pavelec being

NHL ready. Waddell said it is likely that either Lehtonen or Pavelec will be traded. He fielded several phones call on each

at last year’s trade deadline.

http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/thrashers/stories/2009/06/27/thrashers_nhl_draft_trades.html

OFFER FOR ZHERDEV; ANTROPOV LIKELY OUT

LARRY BROOKS

The qualifier means the Rangers will retain his rights should Zherdev opt to play in Russia, but it also means Ottawa is less inclined to accept him in a deal for Dany Heatley. The Post has been told Ottawa general manager Bryan Murray has scoffed at Sather’s offer of Zherdev and Michal Rozsival.

Sather meanwhile categorized the contract demands from impending unrestricted free agent Nik Antropov, whom the Blueshirts acquired from Toronto at the deadline for a second-round pick, as “ridiculous.”

“Based on the first volley from [agent] Mark Gandler, there is a slim chance [of Antropov returning],” the general manager said following the fifth round of the Entry Draft. “There’s a snowball’s chance in hell that’s going to happen. It’s ridiculous. I hate to criticize an agent, but let’s have a little bit of reality here.”

Antropov, who scored seven goals in 18 regular-season games for the Blueshirts but was barely a factor in the first-round defeat by Washington, earned $2.05 million last year. He’s believed seeking a long-term deal for at least $5 million per. Good luck to him.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/06282009/sports/rangers/offer_for_zherdev__antropov_likely_out_176500.htm