Hockey Trade Rumors

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.”

The Toronto Maple Leafs are counting on a coaching change to get them out of a tailspin and back on course for the NHL playoffs.

Randy Carlyle, who replaces the fired Ron Wilson, will try to get them there.

“I sense the club is very tense,” Carlyle said at a news conference in the home of the arch-rival Montreal Canadiens, against whom he was to coach his first game for Toronto on Saturday night.

The trade deadline picked up steam as 3 p.m. ET closed in but some of the biggest names in the rumor mill stayed put. It makes for a slower deadline day but sets up an interesting summer.

Blue Jackets captain Rick Nash asked the team to consider trading him last month, general manager Scott Howson said this afternoon.
Nash, in his ninth season with Columbus, made the request in mid- to –late January, Howson said.

“He approached us and asked us to consider trading him,” Howson said. “We agreed to accomodate his request as long as we could get a deal that would provide us with cornerstone pieces to help us compete for a Stanley Cup championship in the coming years.”

Quiet morning in Toronto. Leafs have firm offers on a number of players. Ton of interest in 2nd line, but nothing imminent

https://twitter.com/#!/DarrenDreger/statuses/174121433495117824

Sure the Maple Leafs are getting some nibbles.

How about a deal involving Marcel Mueller of the Marlies? Does that get your blood flowing?

If not Mueller, who has attracted some interest in a minor-type deal, maybe Nicolas Deschamps after his big day on Sunday, and given that Deschamps was acquired by the Leaf organization this season in a deal with Anaheim for Luca Caputi, well, that’s sort of trade deadline day material.

A day after yet another loss, which ignited calls for the firing of head coach Ron Wilson, Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke says a change behind the bench was not in the cards.

“I’m not contemplating a coaching change,” Burke told ESPN.com.

The Leafs are winless in four games (0-3-1) and have won only once in nine games (1-7-1), outscored 35-17 during stretch, to slide out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.