| Harvey Specter | 02-14-2009 04:22 PM |
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Canucks’ comeback sparking rumors of trade interest
Will the Vancouver Canucks be buyers or sellers at the NHL trade deadline? Their recent improvement, largely credited to Mats Sundin finding a set of legs (we hope they’re his own, 10 years younger) likely means they’ll look to bulk up for the playoffs.
We can’t see GM Mike Gillis peddling his team’s top prospects—Cody Hodgson is a definite no-touch talent. It’ll take more than a cute card and a copy of Death by Chocolate to make Gillis swoon over any proposition involving this kid.
Writing for the Vancouver Province, Tony Gallagher says Sundin helped fill a crying need—scoring. Now, the Canucks have their eyes on an offensive defenseman and another top-six forward. Join the club.
If you’re thinking to yourself, “Which defensemen might be available?”, you need to see a shrink. But we forgive you, because we do it, too.
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And the answer might be … Filip Kuba or Tomas Kaberle. The Senators are making a comeback, but only George Romero could raise this bunch of zombies from the dead and into the playoffs.
Kuba is headed for free agency, so you bet the Sens would want forgiveness and a pick or two for him. Trouble is, Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun reports, Kuba can write his own ticket because he has a no-trade clause. Garrioch’s list of Sen-sitive trade partners doesn’t include the Canucks, but it’s pretty big—Bruins, Panthers, Sharks, Flame, Wild, Blue Jackets, Hurricanes and Flyers.
So if it’s OK with you, Bruce, we’ll keep Vancouver on the itinerary for a trip to Kuba.
Kaberle is on the mend, with reports saying the permanent cast is either off his hand or close to being cut off (the cast, not the hand). He’ll work with a soft case for a while and could return to the lineup next week, well ahead of schedule.
And if as reported Kaberle has given Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke the word he’ll waive his no-trade clause, scouts will be booking time on press boxes everywhere to see him play. And Burke might even crack a smile.
Kaberle is an All-Star, for cryin’ out loud—he’ll have more suitors than Cassandra.
Back to the Canucks: Don’t believe this until you see No. 68 in a blue sweater, but there’s also talk of Jaromir Jagr again trying to squeeze out of his Russian deal. Gallagher calls Jagr “that perfect run-at-it type of guy this year who would cost you nothing.”
Gallagher also puts the Sledge-o-Matic to talk of the Sedin twins leaving town. Not Mattias Ohlund, that’s another story—but any deal for Ohlund likely would require a sign-and-trade deal with defensemen (plural) heading to British Columbia in return.
Around the grinding wheel
Want more on the Penguins-Lightning rumor involving Martin St. Louis, Jordan Staal and Ryan Whitney? Check out Erik Erlendsson’s Bolts Report.
You’ll also find mention of the Sharks prowling for Lightning players, possibly center Jeff Halpern. “I know the Lightning had interest in Devin Setoguchi during discussions for Dan Boyle, but that was before Setoguchi became a 20-goal scorer,” Erlendsson writes.
And, Erlendsson says there’s mutual scouting going on between the Lightning and Blue Jackets. Vaclav Prospal appears to be the Bolts player Columbus is sailing to find. …
Add Jason Blake to the loose-leaf notebook of players the Leafs would like to lose. Something about that big, fat contract doesn’t sit well with them.
Got rumors? Post them on SN’s message board or in your own SN member blog. Hey, even SN’s Craig Custance is doing it.
Now we’re not sure what this is all about, but SN member blogger Sawo does mention the NHL. Are hockey trade rumors blossoming in Finland? Or is that you, Esa Tikkanen?
Ray Slover is an associate editor for Sporting News. E-mail him at rslover@sportingnews.com.
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