Hockey Trade Rumors

Agent says ‘there’s a very good chance’ Panthers winger will be dealt

Nathan Horton’s agent said Wednesday he believes “there’s a very good chance” the Panthers right winger will be traded before or at the draft next weekend in Los Angeles.

“It would not surprise me at all if he’s dealt by the draft,” Horton’s agent Paul Krepelka said, adding that Horton’s aware of the possibility. “If it happens, it happens.”

NHL free agency opens exactly 15 days from today, and as you’ve no doubt heard already, Ilya Kovalchuk is, if not the prize, then certainly one of the top two along with Patrick Marleau .

Yesterday, ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun had a quote from Leafs GM Brian Burke basically squashing any speculation his team would be in the mix for Kovalchuk , saying simply: “We’re not going to be involved in that race.”

So there goes one top-six forward candidate.

Jason Pominville or Derek Roy for Tomas Kaberle ? That’s the latest rumour floating around here in Buffalo.

Carter, who has struggled in consecutive playoff seasons and is entering the final year of a contract that pays him $5 million.

Carter certainly deserves credit for returning early from two broken feet, and it would be unfair to judge him on his playoff performance. But with Briere and Giroux flourishing at center and Carter out of place on the wing, there is simply no room for him on the roster.

So the question may not be whether the Flyers should trade Carter, but for whom? Do they deal him for a young goalie, like Jonathan Bernier , Jonathan Quick , Carey Price or Jaroslav Halak ? Or, do they trade him for a much-needed, top-line right wing like Florida’s Nathan Horton ($4 million cap hit for three years) or Anaheim’s Bobby Ryan ($1.9 cap hit for one year)?

The rumor mill already is churning with Sharp’s name being mentioned in several places. The 28-year-old center has two years left on his contract with a cap hit of $3.9 million, which is an attractive price for one of the game’s premier two-way players.

The Toronto Maple Leafs and the Columbus Blue Jackets are believed to be very interested in Sharp should the Hawks decide to move him. Sharp could bring the most in return for the Hawks in terms of a high draft pick or top prospect.

Speculation over the future of star Ottawa Senators centre Jason Spezza is swirling ahead of the NHL draft, writes Ken Warren.

Would Senators general manager Bryan Murray accept a package of Edmonton Oilers Dustin Penner, Andrew Cogliano and Ladislav Smid — the same trio in the deal Dany Heatley vetoed last summer — in a trade for Jason Spezza ?

Could Spezza serve as the long-lost perfect centre for Columbus Blue Jackets left-winger Rick Nash?

The Blackhawks will surely enjoy a summer full of celebration, but there are also some well-known financial pressure points. The team has a multitude of stars, several of them coming off entry-level contracts, and is reported to have some $57 million committed to just 14 players for next season. There are contracts the team likely would love to unload — Brian Campbell and Cristobal Huet come immediately to mind — but it will be difficult.

Despite his rumoured contract squabbles, the Anaheim Ducks will not give Bobby Ryan away. We all know this. And in the case of the Toronto Maple Leafs, one has to wonder if they have the resources to pull off this move, especially after last September’s bold move to acquire Phil Kessel from the Boston Bruins.

The most obvious route, and perhaps the most affordable, would be to open discussions as it relates to Tomas Kaberle , a player many believe is as good as gone from the Toronto Maple Leafs organization.

With Scott Neidermayer uncertain of whether he will return for another season in the NHL, Tomas Kaberle could step up and fill the void quite nicely, giving the Ducks a power play quarterback, and a player who could utilize the Ducks speed by springing players like Getzlaf and Perry with stretch passes.

The Chicago Blackhawks have 14 players under contract for next season at an estimated $57.5 million. (See the capgeek breakdown here). The cap is supposed to be somewhere around $58.8 million. You can see they could have trouble getting under the salary cap and having 22 to 23 players on their roster.

There are some solutions being kicked around, which include sending goalie Cristobal Huet to the minors (where his $5.6 million salary has to be paid but will not count against the cap) and trading defenseman Brian Campbell along with either a top prospect or solid draft pick so that another team would pick up the six years and $7.1 million a season that is left on Campbell’s contract.

But the most relevant fact is this: Word around the NHL is the team’s fourth overall pick is available. Ownership, tired of hearing about the future, wants success – now. There is going to be a very good player – Connolly? Fowler ? Gudbranson? – available in that spot, and Columbus is going to try and leverage it into some immediate help.

Weak free-agent class fuels trade talks

Trade frenzy could replace the free-agent kind this NHL off-season.

With a weak free-agent class — especially at forward — expected to hit the market July 1 and the draft set for June 25 in Los Angeles, GMs have stepped up their efforts to make changes.

One Eastern Conference front office man noted that because of some of the contracts the Bruins are locked into (Savard , Ryder , Tim Thomas , Dennis Wideman , Andrew Ference ), moving Bergeron could be a wild-card option. Bergeron , who carries a $4.75 million annual cap hit, will be an unrestricted free agent after 2010-11. On July 1, a no-trade clause will go into effect for Bergeron. Given the strength of Bergeron’s two-way game, he could bring an offensive-minded winger in trade.

“He is what he is,’’ said the executive regarding Bergeron’s offensive potential, citing his age (he will turn 25 July 24).

Does Jason Spezza want to be traded?

That was the question posed to the Ottawa Senators forward on Thursday after reports had surfaced that he was unhappy with his current hockey team. Spezza , who was booed by Ottawa fans at the end of this season, has five more years remaining on a $7 million US annual contract.

But the 26-year-old said the decision is not up to him.

DARREN DREGER

Boston Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli says that over the past couple of days, teams have inquired about his interest in trading the second overall pick in this month’s NHL draft.

Chiarelli also says he talked to Oilers general manager Steve Tambellini on Wednesday about the potential of flipping picks. Chiarelli adds they will talk again soon.

Burke Listening Too

In the next three weeks Bryan Murray will have a very important conversation with Jason Spezza , to see if his star centre is still happy in Ottawa.

At their season-ending meeting in April, Spezza expressed some frustration to the Senators general manager with the way his season ended. He was booed by his home fans in Ottawa during the club’s first-round playoff loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

“He was a little unhappy at the end of the year. I took it as being somewhat emotional more than anything. I haven’t talked to him in the last few weeks. I hope before July 1st to have that conversation with him,” said Murray on Wednesday afternoon.

Murray did not confirm that Spezza asked for a trade during that meeting in late April. He simply said his star player felt like he was being unfairly targeted by the fans and media.

Speaking on HockeyCentral at noon today Leafs GM, Brian Burke stated that the Leafs have received two very serious offers for Kaberle . It is reported that the two offers are more than simple nibbles and are more in the category of “would you consider” an offer like this.

They both want to play, Jaroslav Halak and Carey Price are quick to admit. But they know they’re nothing more than pawns in this game, their moves and futures ultimately dictated in the weeks ahead by Canadiens management.

“We’re both young and both want to play as much as we can,” Halak said. “And I’m sure management will do their best to make sure we do play.

Tim Thomas got his first NHL opportunity in Boston. He played in Providence for the Bruins’ AHL club. He spent four years in Burlington, Vt., starring for the University of Vermont. He makes his year-round home north of Boston.

The native of Flint, Mich., considers himself a New Englander. But that status may be in doubt, considering the changing of the guard that took place this season.

Reports: Ray Whitney, Erik Cole, Tomas Kaberle Among Bruins’ Targets at Deadline

Canadiens netminders staying put

Flyers talking goalie

Sens GM plans to deal

Dealing for ‘D’ fuels speculation

For St. Louis Blues, no deal is imminent

The 10 players, teams shaking up NHL trade deadline day

Florida Panthers’ Tomas Vokoun copes with rumors before trade deadline

Flyers Notes: Deal isn’t essential, Laviolette says

GM Brian Lawton: Tampa Bay Lightning not seeking to rent players

Blues announce trade with Montreal — Palushaj to Mtl, D’Agostini to StL. Official from press release.

Bob McKenzie