Hockey Trade Rumors

TSN Insider Pierre LeBrun puts the odds at 50-50 that Canadiens winger Andrei Kostitsyn winds up joining his brother Sergei in Nashville by Monday’s deadline.

Waivers today: Van Der Gulik, Miettinen, Rosehill, Boyce

https://twitter.com/#!/DarrenDreger/statuses/173091392686530560

Add another practice scuffle to P.K. Subban’s resume.

The Montreal Canadiens’ talented young defenceman was involved in his fourth skirmish with a teammate this season at practice Thursday.

After altercations with Tomas Plekanec, Mathieu Darche and Louis Leblanc, the latest spat came against David Desharnais.

After telling reporters earlier this month he would be focused primarily on “depth” moves, Boston Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli has changed course and is trying to add an impact player before Monday’s NHL trade deadline, league sources not directly tied to the negotiations told ESPNBoston.com.

Dustin Brown’s avail also puts heat on CBJ to make decision on Nash…soon. NYR,Tor Philly, just to name a few are interested

https://twitter.com/#!/DarrenDreger/statuses/172862647467917312

The Los Angeles Kings needed a goal scorer. The Columbus Blue Jackets simply needed a redo.

Both teams met their needs Thursday night by pulling off a major trade that sent forward Jeff Carter from Columbus to the Los Angeles Kings for defenceman Jack Johnson and a first-round draft pick in either 2012 or 2013.

If the Kings miss the playoffs this year, the Blue Jackets will get their first-round draft pick in 2013. If Los Angeles makes the playoffs, Columbus can choose either 2012 or 2013 for the pick.

Jaromir Jagr was grabbing some dinner with Czech buddy Ales Hemsky on Wednesday night, possibly at a downtown Edmonton restaurant specializing in European cuisine.

“I hope he’s not traded before then … he says he’s going to pay,” said the Philadelphia Flyers winger, laughing, fully cognizant that his friend is in play as a trade rental as the Oilers entertain offers and try to sign the winger to a short-term contract.

“He’s got some quickness for his size,” Quenneville said. “He’s got a big body and uses that to his advantage. … Defensively, he’s aware of what we’re trying to do system-wise or team-wise. Jimmy is a big body that’s very useful for us and I think he can help us.”

Trading a top prospect may be something a team regrets in the long run, but pays off in the short term. The Stars traded Jarome Iginla to the Calgary Flames in 1995 and he’s had a Hall-of-Fame career. But the Stars also acquired a former Stanley Cup champion in Joe Nieuwendyk, who helped them win the Cup in 1999 and reach the finals in 2000.

Playoff-bound teams like the Nashville Predators, Detroit Red Wings and San Jose Sharks have all upgraded their rosters.

First, there was Jonas Gustavsson — The Monster — who came to us with the proviso that he was “the best goaltender outside the National Hockey League.”

Turns out, he was. In the same way that Fabian Brunnstrom was “the best player outside the NHL” when Toronto was courting him. Today Brunnstrom, who signed in Dallas, is on Detroit’s farm in Grand Rapids.

One of the names that has been in the air vis-a-vis the trade deadline for literally weeks is that of Edmonton Oilers winger Ales Hemsky. The Oilers have been out of the playoff race for a long time and, with a stable of young forwards trying to learn on the job in Edmonton, it has seemed clear for some time that Hemsky doesn’t fit into the team’s long-term plans there. At age 28, Hemsky will become an unrestricted free agent July 1. He is blessed with jaw-dropping talent and is one of the very few players on the market who is both a straight rental and could, in theory, pay immediate dividends on a team’s power play or playing with other skilled players.

None more so in the Stars’ dressing room than Steve Ott and Mike Ribeiro, both of whom have heard their names in the rumor mill. And indeed, sources confirmed to ESPN.com that the Stars have gotten calls on both and would consider moving them for the right deal.

“It obviously makes you a little nervous,” Ott told ESPN.com after the morning skate. “I’ve been with the Stars since I was drafted. When your name gets mentioned in the rumors, it gets to you a little and you think about it. But truthfully, I do take it as a huge compliment. Obviously if there’s playoff contending teams that think I’m a puzzle piece, I take that as a compliment. But I want to stay here. I want to be part of the solution. But I can only control what I can control.”

Blue Jackets general manager Scott Howson continues to talk and listen. With the NHL trade deadline looming next Monday, Howson hasn’t heard what he wants to hear.

“We’re waiting for the right deals,” Howson said. “We’re getting closer. But we’re not there yet.”

The Blue Jackets have two of the higher-profile forwards on the market. They’re listening to offers for captain Rick Nash and openly shopping Jeff Carter.

Stephen Weiss isn’t the type to bang his fist on the table and demand action.

The longest-serving – suffering? – Panther is way too polite for that.Especially when it comes to offering unsolicited advice to his bosses.

However, the Panthers’ top-line center and alternate captain doesn’t shy away when talk turns to the Feb. 27 NHL trade deadline.