Guerin to the Capitals is a done deal in my books… expect an announcement tomorrow. 

Leafs News:

NHL News

Jamal Mayers has got some interest. The Red Wings are the most likely team to acquire him. San Jose, Calgary, and Pittsburgh are interested. 

According to CBC Hotstove, Ian White was involved in a trade idea, but Burke quickly declined. I will try to find out who and what was involved. 

Bill Guerin is on his way off the Island. He was pulled out of the lineup, prior to the game, and word is that he will be dealt to an Eastern Conference team. No Devils, Flyers, or Bruins, apparently. I have heard that Buffalo, Montreal, or Carolina could be involved.

Derek Morris is not going to play until he is dealt. He will be dealt shortly. Montreal leading that race, I am told, but Boston and New Jersey very interested. Boston’s situation may depend on a couple bigger fish (Kaberle and Pronger).

I’ll be back tomorrow with some more updates.

Thanks, 

Maurizio Zambito

I think that the Toronto Maple Leafs organization and Brian Burke think too highly of the Kazakhstan-born right winger and therefore will be expecting too much in return. Unless something spectacular occurs between now and the March 4 trade deadline or some team has faith in his skills and makes Burke an offer that he just can not refuse, every trade offer will not be what Burke expects and Nik Antropov will still be a Leaf. The numbers that Antropov has put up so far this year have been a lot better when compared to his statistics from last year but that is only because his teammates rely more heavily on him now with the departure of Mats Sundin and the fact that the Leafs do not have one player that can be considered their “sniper”.

When reporters asked Antropov about the trade rumors surrounding him, he replied with this statement: “The trade stuff probably is in the back of my mind,” Antropov admitted. “But it is not in my control. That is up to Brian Burke.” All that Nik Antropov can think about is the task at hand, that being helping the team put up a few more wins on the board as the Leafs try to make a push for the playoffs, which is highly unlikely this season considering the way the team has been playing. I think that if Antropov strives to do his best for the rest of the season, he will make a name for himself and have a better chance of being signed this off season when he becomes an unrestricted free agent.

On the other hand, Ron Wilson has a different point of view of the right winger:

“When you look at his numbers, they’re not unlike his other years in the NHL,” Wilson said. “He doesn’t have someone of Mats Sundin’s magnitude to play with, so I actually think he’s having a pretty good year. He had a slump that he seems to go through every season — a period in December and January when he struggled to score. A lot of players have things like that. But, where we’re going in the future is an entirely different story. We’ve got to get younger; we’ve got to get quicker; we’ve got to get meaner. In many cases, we’ve got to get more skilled. So, there’s going to be a lot of changes, and we’ve talked about that all year. I don’t think this [Antropov discussion] should be a revelation to anyone,” Wilson went on to say.

 All we can do is wait until the deadline approaches to see whether Nik Antropov will have a change of scenery or will lace up his skates as a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs – the waiting begins!

Devils GM Lou Lamoriello is rumored to be shopping Brian Gionta to shed some salary to add a veteran top four defenseman. Gionta, who is making $4 Million, is set to become an unrestricted free agent at season end and could be the most valued trade commodity for the Devils.

The veteran forwards productivity has continued to decline since his 48 goal season in 2005-2006. This season, while playing on a line with Patrick Elias and Dainius Zubrus he has netted 11 goals and 30 assists but only has 2 goals in the last 14 games. 

The addition of Brendan Shanahan has given the Devils some scoring depth upfront and the freedom to move a forward via a trade. The Devils have also been shopping forwards Jay Pandolfo and John Madden, both who earn just under $3 million this season, though Pandolfo has been a healthy scratch the past five games and Madden’s lack of offensive ability make them much less valuable than Gionta.

With several top line defenseman available like Scott Neidermeyer, Chris Pronger, Jay Bouwmeester, Tomas Kaberle, just to name a few, the Devils will need to shed some salary. Currently just sitting under the cap, the Devils will be forced to package a forward, defenseman and draft picks if they are to land one of the high priced veteran defenseman.

The signing of the veteran forward has sparked speculation of which forward may be watching from the stands once Shanahan is ready to be inserted into the line-up. Shanahan’s presence will put pressure on several Devils forwards to step-up their games, but the most effected may be John Madden.

Madden, who is set to become a restricted free-agent after the season, has been mediocre at best this season. After posting a 20 goal season in 2007-2008, he has 4 goals and 8 assists in 37 games this season.

The 10 veteran, all as a New Jersey Devil, has seen his ice time and role diminish under Brent Sutter. The time when you would see John Madden checking the other teams top line has become a distant memory. This season has seen the long time duo of Madden and Pandolfo separated, Madden go through a 24 game goal scoring drought and at times even seen him relegated to the fourth line. Not something that you would expect for the center who will be playing between two scoring wingers in Rolston and Shanahan.

Lamoriello and Sutter both understand that to be a top contender for the Stanley Cup, you need three lines that can score and play defense. The addition of Shanahan gives the Devils the potential of three productive scoring lines, depending on how John Madden plays at center between the veteran duo of Shanahan and Rolston.

There has been speculation all season that Madden, who’s career high was 23 assists, may be moved by the trading deadline and replaced with a playmakingcenter. Now with signing of Shanahan the rumors may become reality. So after 10 years with the Devils, John Madden’s future with the organization will all depend on how much offense he can produce over the next few weeks.

However, Sundin says that a decision could come later this month.

“I haven’t decided yet,” Sundin said. “I think sometime in August I hope to come to a conclusion on what I’m going to do … if I’m going to play or not this year.”

Word came from Sundin’s agent, J.P Barry, back in late July that Mats would announce his plans by August 1st. Sundin says that was never the case.

“I never had a deadline,” Sundin said. “I know there was talk about the first of August, but …. I said sometime in August hopefully I’ll be able to make a decision. I won’t make that until I really feel comfortable with making a good decision.”

Reports are that there are as many as six teams interested in signing Sundin, but the former Maple Leafs captain says his priority is deciding whether he wants to continue his hockey career and not which team to suit up for next season.

“I haven’t even worried about any teams,” Sundin told Sportsnet. ” I’m just trying to bring my mind to a point where I can make a good decision whether or not I’m going to play hockey right now. That’s my first decision and we’ll go from there after that.”

Still, a return to Toronto has not been ruled out by the Swedish forward.

TSN reports are that the Maple Leafs will send McCabe to Florida along with another player, with at least one player coming back from the Panthers. Not Panthers defenseman Jay Bouwmeester, though. Sportsnet’ Nick Kypreos suggests that the player heading to Toronto is defenseman Mike Van Ryn.

However, McCabe’s agent, Ian Pulver, says that his client hasn’t made a decision on his future yet and the two sides continue to talk about a compromise.

“We continue to talk to the Leafs about whether he is going to remain a Leaf or move to another team. Technically he won’t waive the no-trade until there is a trade and there hasn’t been a trade.”

Pulver notes that McCabe may in fact stay in Toronto.

“Having said that, he may remain a Leaf. There’s a lot of things to discuss.”

Maple Leafs GM Cliff Fletcher appears to support Pulver’s stance, saying that a deal is not imminent.

“(McCabe) hasn’t even said he would accept being traded yet. We’re working on it.”

It’s expected that if the Maple Leafs were to move McCabe, they would do it after September 1st, the day he is to receive a $2 million signing bonus.

McCabe is set to earn $6.15 million (including the $2 million dollar signing bonus) this season, and $4.15 million for the next two seasons remaining on his contract. His salary cap hit will remain at $5.75 million.

This topic has of course been beaten to death, but with the decision supposedly fast-approaching, let’s take another look at the four options that Mats Sundin is presented with and go over the pros and cons of each:

Retirement: Many believe Mats will not retire, but who knows what the big Swede is thinking. It could be that he’s worn out and instead of taking another grueling year of punishment and pain, all he has to do is say “I’m done” and he can go home and relax, and not have to worry about leading a team, causing havoc in front of the other team’s net but getting harassed by defenseman and incoming pucks, not have to worry about dealing with the media, be it in any of the three potential landing spots. On the other hand, if he still has the itch, if he still has the drive and wants to play another year to compete for a Cup, and we are pretty sure he still does, don’t be surprised to see Sundin back next year-he isn’t done.

Vancouver: Vancouver seems very confident that they will win the Sundin sweepstakes, and why shouldn’t they be? They may not be considered a Cup contender just yet, but if Sundin signs and if Mike Gillis swings a deal for Antoine Vermette, all of a sudden Vancouver goes from having a mediocre, sub-par offense to a force to be reckoned with-add those two names to a group consisting of Henrik and Daniel Sedin, Steve Bernier, and Pavol Demitra…that’s a pretty good top-six, with just a winger missing. Another thing that Vancouver has going for them is the fact that they offered Sundin a whopping two year, 20 million dollar deal that make Sundin the highest paid player in the league-he’d be making more than Crosby, Ovechkin, and Lecavalier!

The only thing that Vancouver has against it is that even if they sign Sundin, are they truly capable of making a serious Cup run? By all means it is possible, especially when you have Roberto Luongo between the pipes. His success hasn’t translated into the team’s success, so there are still a lot of questions heading into this season for the Canucks.

Montreal: A large amount of die-hard Leafs fans won’t be to pleased if Sundin ends up in Habland. Signing with the enemy after 13 years of service to Toronto? Preposterous! How could he?! Well Leafs fans, if you really love Sundin as much as you say, you thank him for what he has done, and move on. After 13 years in Toronto, several which weren’t as satisfying as others, he more than deserves the chance to choose where he wants to play-and if he chooses Montreal, so be it. Being a Habs fan, I’m not sure what Leafs fans are feeling during all this, and I have put myself in their shoes-how would I feel if Saku Koivu left next summer when he is slated to be a UFA? I don’t want to think about that now, but hockey is a business, and sometimes you have to move on.

Now back to Sundin. Montreal showed serious interest when they went out and acquired his rights at the draft, but Sundin didn’t know what he wanted yet so he hit the market…and still wasn’t sure. Which brings us to now. Why play for Montreal? Several reasons.

1. If he wants a shot at the Cup, he has a better chance of doing it in Montreal than in Vancouver or Toronto. Last year the Habs proved all their critics wrong by winning the Eastern Conference, and despite a disappointing exit at the hands of the Philadelphia Flyers, the Habs youngsters showed their potential and with a year under their belts guys like Carey Price, Andrei and Sergei Kostitsyn, Ryan O’Byrne, Tomas Plekanec, Chris Higgins, Guillaume Latendresse, Josh Gorges, etc., will be better this season. Add in a solid mix of veterans-a rejuvenated Kovalev, Koivu, Markov, Komisarek, and newly acquired Alex Tanguay and Georges Laraque, the Habs are that much better. The Habs were not a fluke, they were for real. If Sundin joined the attack that lead the league in goals last year…!

2. It being the centennial season, what better time to win #25! With all the celebrations going on in the city, the buzz is greater than ever before. The fans and players alike know the importance of this season, and with the help of Sundin, it could amount to something so great, something we haven’t seen since 1993…

Of course, being a member of the Bleu-Blanc-Rouge has its downsides. There are of course, the taxes, but I’m sure Mats has plenty stored in the bank to take a hit to his wallet for a chance at Lord Stanley’s trophy…and who can forget the media, the ones who sing your praises when you score the game winner, the ones who are shipping you out if you hit the post. The pressure of playing in Montreal is immense-Montreal is the undisputed hockey mecca of the world, so of course, there will be pressure. There will be expectations. The fans are passionate and know the game extremely well. They will tell you when your disappointing them. They will tell you when your playing well. And they will rejoice with you when you win. Who wouldn’t want to win a Cup here, especially this year, the Centennial season?

Toronto: Last but not least, the team who is holding their heads high but are truly crushed. The Leafs are acting like they can move on without Sundin, but deep down the pain is there, saddening Leaf fans, players, and management alike. When the face of your franchise is considering leaving, and is pretty much ready to leave, of course your not going to be happy. What’s worse, Sundin would have brought in such a great return the Leafs rebuilding process would have been in full swing come the Draft. Instead, Sundin did not waive his no-trade, and the Leafs were left empty-handed. They also didn’t get anything for him when they traded his rights to the Habs, since he decided to wait until July 1. The final blow would be Sundin inking a contract with another team, especially Montreal, the arch-enemy, and the Leafs watching on in dismay as their captain, their leader, their most prized possession, walks away-and the Leafs have nothing to show for it. Like I said before, it is a business, but to see it end like this for the Leafs…the bad luck just won’t go away.

Their is still hope however. It had been Sundin’s home for 13 years now, and as a player, familiarity is nice. Being in one place for 13 years, Sundin is no doubt considering returning for the 14th year, but he knows full well that if he does, there will be no shot at the Cup-Toronto is in a rebuilding phase. Sundin returning might even be a disadvantage for the Leafs-if they want a shot at John Tavares, they can’t be adding a bonafide superstar to their roster-especially one that wants to win at all costs. Sundin would make them better, resulting in most probably another year as a bubble team, falling out of contention at the end, and not having a high draft pick to take another player to go along with Luke Schenn to build the franchise around. When you look at it this way, the Leafs can turn it around fast-they have the building blocks in goal with Toskala and eventually Pogge, they have Schenn on the blue line, and with some luck (and a last place finish) they could be looking at adding “The Next Next One”, John Tavares (The first Next belongs to Sidney Crosby of course!).

All in all, it doesn’t matter what GM’s, coaches, players, analysts, journalists, or bloggers think. The ball is in Sundin’s court, the puck is on his stick, now it’s up to him to decide?

Vancouver, where a fortune awaits?

Toronto, home sweet home?

Montreal, potential glory?

Retirement, and the title “Leaf Legend”?

August 1st is right around the corner my friends. The anticipation is growing once more (and hopefully for the final time). It’s almost time to find out what jersey Mats Sundin puts on come October.

Almost time.

Will he accept it? Will he retire? Will he sign with other team? Only time will tell. Sundin is yet to make up his mind on his playing future. However, he has stated on numerous occasions that he would prefer to sign a one-year deal.

Sundin recorded 32 goals and 42 assists for 78 points in 74 regular season games with the Maple Leafs.

Cliff Fletcher–GM of the Leafs–had this to comment,

“We have given the Montreal Canadiens permission to speak with Mats Sundin. We have no further comments at this time”.

The week started off with the signing of RFA forward Maxim Lapierre for a two-years contract awarding him 575 000$ in 2008-2009 and 800 000$ in 2009-2010. Was it a right move? Definitly, since Lapierre has been able to establish himself as a hard worker and a devoted player for the Montreal Canadiens and he just keeps getting better at what he does, and let’s not forget to mention how well he plays defensively when the Habs are on the penalty kill. Lapierre ended the 2007-2008 season playing 53 games and scoring 7 goals and 18 point.

That is a good news for the Habs, but what about Andrei Kostitsyn? How are things going with him and did Bob Gainey even start negotiations yet? Gainey told the press two week ago that they have contacted Andrei to talk about his future with the organization, but it appears that a team from Kazan in Russia has made an offer for next season that values 1.5 million. However, Don Meehan, Kostitsyn’s agent, commented the rumor stating that his client intends on sticking to his career in the NHL, but that he would prefer to get him more of a short-term contract, unlike the ones that have been given to other young players such as Mike Richards from the Philadelphia Flyers. He went on adding that he expects the negotiations with the Canadiens to be all but easy. If the rumor happens to be true, than I believe giving 1.5 million for 2 years should do the thing for him to stay in Montreal.

What about other players waiting to know what to do next season? Well it appears that Corey Locke, one of the Habs’ prospect playing in Hamilton, is currently being chased by the Kloten Flyers from Switzerland’s national League. The Flyers’ sports director commented the rumor simply by confirming it and saying his team did indeed make an offer for Locke to consider.

While some are probably going to look at every options, one has made it clear that he is leaving the organisation. Yann Danis, another Habs’ prospect and goaltender for the Hamilton Bulldogs, prefers to leave the Canadiens for good and test his UFA status starting July 1st. Danis was portrayed as one of Montreal’s future goaltender a couple of years ago, but simply lost his place with the team when Jaroslav Halak and Carey Price showed up and took over. I wish Yann all the best and hopefully he will end up with a good team that will use his undeniable talent to the fullest, maybe a team like the Ottawa Senators would do the thing.

Now there are some good UFAs on the market the the Habs are definitely going to pursue come July 1st. Let’s start with Mats Sundin. Sundin is beeing pursued by probably every team in the NHL seeing how good of a player he is and the price to get him probably isn’t going to be that high. Although any team would take Sundin, he wouldn’t take any team. Since he wants to stay in Canada, Montreal is certainly a strong option to consider. The Sundin case is surely and interesting one.

Then you have Teemu Selanne, one of Saku Koivu’s best friend. It appears Koivu has finally been able to convince Selanne to play his last NHL season with the Canadiens while spending time with him at the World Championships. This rumor has been going on for years, but Selanne has never accepted the offer to join the Habs. This time, things are looking a bit different because even the Anaheim Ducks’ GM Brian Burke believes this time might be the right time and that Selanne might finally accept Montreal’s offer. Two days ago, Anaheim’s defenseman Francois Beauchemin commented the rumor saying it was clearly impossible since Selanne has been living in Anaheim for over 10 years and has a house, a family and kids that attend school in Anaheim. He believes that if Selanne plans on playing for another season in the NHL, he’s going to play it in Anaheim and nowhere else and if he can’t come down to an agreement with the team, he is probably going to announce his retirement. One thing is for sure, we are going to have all the answers to our questions come July 1st, since that is the last day Selanne could give an answer to Burke.

Now on to the main event: Marian Hossa. Rumors have been all over the place with that guy and it’s not about to stop, at least not until he inks his name on a contract. Hossa is definitely going to be a target for Montreal this summer and I’m sure Gainey already has an offer planned specially for him. Is Hossa going to consider it? Maybe yes, maybe not. Earlier this week, Hossa said on a radio station in Pittsburgh that he enjoyed his stay with the Penguins and would definitely consider signing a contract for less money to be able to stay with a good and competitive team like the Penguins. But the thing is Montreal isn’t the team it was a year ago. Montreal has become a good and competitive team in the NHL and, if the right moves are pulled by Gainey, they are probably going to become a Stanley Cup contender for next season. Well now it appears that Pittsburgh really intends on keeping Hossa with them since rumors have been circulating as of yesterday that they have pitched a 7-years/50 millions$ contract at him. Is it going to be enough to persuade him to stay with the team? It could to the thing, but how big is Evgeni Malkin’s contract going to be? If they sign Hossa, they are probably going to have to give up on forward Ryan Malone and defenseman Brooks Orpik. If the Penguins do manage to keep Hossa, Malkin, Crosby and Stall all together, Ray Shero definitely deserves to have his name on the hall of fame.

Now enough with the stress and let’s talk about something else.

The NHL awards took place this week and Guy Carbonneau was nominated for best coach of the year. Unfortunately, the award finally went to the Washington Capitals’ Bruce Boudreau. Although I really wanted Carbonneau to win that award, I must say Boudreau deserved recognition for his work just as much as Carbo. He took the worst team in the NHL in November and led them to win their division’s championship and and believe me, nobody expected that to happen.

If Carbo didn’t get recognition for his hard work, Carey Price and Alex Kovalev did. Price was named on the All-Star rookie team and Kovalev had his place on the 2nd All-Star team of the NHL. Now that puts a smile on my face!

Just want to remind everyone that the NHL draft is coming up and the Habs are drafting 25th overall and I wouldn’t be surprised if some trades are made so that recruiting director Trevor Timmins could draft at a higher position. That is going to be very interesting to watch and who knows what Montreal is going to pull out from their sleeves. I would personally be pleased if they manage to draft Jared Stall, the youngest one of them that is expected to get drafted in the 30’s overall. I have learned one thing in the NHL, and it is that you can not go wrong with a Stall! They are like the hockey factory or something!

Enough for now. I will definitely come back soon for more.

Rumours are that the Tampa Bay Lightning are a little worried. First they are worried that Vinny might not sign a long term deal when he becomes an un-restricted free agent after the 2008-09 season. Secondly they are worried about Vinny making a full recovery after his shoulder operation.

There are also rumours that Montreal Canadiens General Manager Bob Gainey is up to something. What it is however remains a mystery. However, with the Habs only signing Maxim Lapierre so far and having only started discussions with Andrei Kostitsyn and no one else at this point so close to the draft, well, one could presume that something is happening.

These rumours about Vinny, are hopeful speculation at best. Even though Lecavalier stated to a newspaper earlier this month that he likes they way the Habs play, Lecavalier has also said that he would “possibly” like to stay with Tampa.

Some are saying that if a deal was to happen between the Habs and the Lightning, it would include Chris Higgins and possibly Jaroslav Halak, to go along with a pick.

But these rumours are un-confirmed at this point.

If Tampa doesn’t think that they can sign him, then why not trade him to a team which would give them so much in return? These rumours are un-confirmed, but not ridiculous at this point.

In the article by RDS, it is also stated that Anaheim Duck’s General Manager Brian Burke also believes that Selanne could accept this time.

This is the confirmation to an article I wrote about this rumour. Selanne is the right player for Koivu to play with. They played together in Finland. Koivu tried to convince Selanne to come here a couple of years ago. Selanne decided to play for the Ducks, which won the cup, last year he gave the team another chance.

This year however, is Koivu’s last contract year. Why wouldn’t Selanne play one year with his best friend before retiring?

Considering what happened to Michael Ryder’s production this past year it would be a vast improvement. Selanne still has what it takes. And the chemistry between Koivu and Selanne would give the Canadiens a second scoring line which they need.

If the Habs manage to sign Selanne, at a modest salary, then I’m all for it. He would help the Habs.

If the Habs manage to sign Selanne, then it leaves a veteran goalie to get, and a centre, or winger.

First the update. Habs Inside Out is stating that the new contract that Maxim Lapierre inked with the Habs will pay him $575,000 for 2008-09 and $800,000 for the 2009-10 season for an average of $687,500 a season. Not far from the $700,000 I suggested in a previous article.

Next we have RDS who is reporting that the Kloten Flyers of Switzerland are interested in Corey Locke. Well I guess that this gives an out to Habs General Manager Bob Gainey. If he Locke decides to play for the Flyers of Kloten then that would give the Habs a little more to work with and combine it to what they have all ready. Locke is a good minor league player however at 5′9 and 169 pounds he is a little on the smallish side for the NHL at the centre position.

Next we have un-confirmed reports that the Habs asked about acquiring Brian Campbell when the Marian Hossa deal fell through, and that there is a possibility that they are wondering if he will be available come July 1.

I don’t know why the Habs would pay Campbell 7-$8 million when there are other possibilities available to them if they are looking for a defense-man.

The Miami Herald wrote that soon to be restricted free agent Jay Bouwmeester is noncommittal about his future for the Florida Panthers. Jacques Martin had this to say about the situation,

“There is no progress in contract talks. He wants to win. That’s the issue. He wants to be in the play-offs. We all do.”

Why not try and grab Bouwmeester instead of Campbell. He would be just as good and a little bigger but would not cost as much in salary as Campbell. Unfortunately to get Bouwmeester would mean a trade.

How about RFA Shea Webber of the Nashville Predators? At 6′3″ and 213 pounds with a mean streak, why wouldn’t the Habs offer a little package for him?

Of course this is all speculation as Canadiens GM Bob Gainey stated in an end of season press conference that he will be looking to bolster the forward position. Was that statement a smoke screen? Are the Habs trying to land a D-Man and a forward?

Well one thing is for sure, the Habs are in on a lot of high profile names at the forward position.

- Darryl Sutter has hinted in several interviews that he has all but completed a deal with Daymond Langkow. The Flame’s #1 centerman has scored 30+ goals and 60+ points the last two seasons. Estimates suggest the contract (which has yet to be officially confirmed) is in the $5M/year, 3 year range.

- Sutter has also mentioned that he pursued European scorer Fabian Brunnstrom prior to his signing with Dallas and the organization has it’s eyes on some other potential diamonds in the rough from overseas.

Apparently, Swedish Elite league scorer Martin Thornberg is also garnering Sutter’s attention. The 25 year-old left winger 20 goals and 37 points in 51 games last season and added 17 points in 17 games in the post-season. From first-hand accounts, Thornberg was a part of one of the best forward units in the league with linemates Johann Davidsson and Juka Voutilainen. No word on whether the Flames have actually offered Thornberg a contract or simply a try-out.

While it’s difficult to assess his potential impact at the NHL level, the Flames as an organization are woefully shallow at left wing behind Alex Tanguay (Eric Nystrom, Marcus Nilson, Brandon Prust), so Thornberg’s addition would likely be a welcome one, at either the NHL or AHL level.

- Another name that has cropped up recently is former Phoenix Coyotes/Toronto Maple Leaf/Minnesota Wild Erik Westrum. Westrum is a bit older at 29 and has already spent some time in the NHL and AHL. He’s been a scorer at almost every level he’s played, including college hockey (168 points in 161 games), the American Hockey League (295 points in 420 games, including a 98 point season with the Houston Aeros) and, most recently, the Swiss-A League (33 goals and 70 points in 55 games). Despite decent stats at the lower levels, Westrum has never been able to stick in the big leagues, even though he’s had a cup of coffee with all of the teams listed above.

Like Thornberg, nothing official has been announced, although rumors claim that the Flames have offered Westrum a one-way offer. Considering Darryl Sutter’s reticence to grant one-way deals to relatively unproven plaayers (Mark Giordano comes to mind), I personally find that hard to believe. However, with the team’s impending budget crunch, Sutter may be forced beyond his “comfort zones” in order to fill out a roster poised to lose a lot of players to unrestricted free agency (Kristian Huselius, Owen Nolan, Stephane Yelle, Craig Conroy) and lacking enough young prospects to fill the gaps.

First off, RDS is reporting that the Montreal Canadiens are under negotiation with Andrei Kostitsyn. Kostitsyn who is slated to become a restricted free agent come July 1, is said to be general manager Bob Gainey’s top priority.

Bob Gainey said this about the RFA,

“We think in Andrei’s case considering the season he just had, that he is the most important RFA that we have to resign.”

When asked about Mark Streit Gainey had this to say,

“Mark brought the team a particular contribution this year. He had many points on the power-play. The question is if we will have enough room in our team salary structure.”

With the Streit statement, one could surmise that the Habs want to keep him but not at any price. Could there be something else going on for the Habs to possibly use their money?
RDS is also reporting that Habs affiliate team the Cincinnati Cyclones have won the Kelly trophy in the ECHL. A team which Bob Gainey has helped to build.

Now for the good stuff.

The Hockey News is reporting that soon to be unrestricted free agent Mats Sundin might not resign with the Toronto Maple Leafs. And that the Detroit Red Wings could be gunning for him. But Sundin is also rumoured to be asking for 2 years at $8 million per year. Montreal and Ottawa are also rumoured to be getting ready to make a pitch to Sundin.

Next we have un-confirmed reports that Saku Koivu could be trying to convince Teemu Selanne to play with the Habs, this being Koivu’s last contract year. Koivu would like his best friend to play at least one year with him before Selanne retires for good.

Another un-confirmed report states that the Canadiens could be interested in soon to be RFA Wade Redden of the Ottawa Senators. Although I do believe that Redden still has juice in the tank, is he the answer the Habs need at the blue-line? Redden is a puck mover, and is not physical, considering that when the Sens went to the final last season that the Anaheim Ducks pounded him like there was no tomorrow, I’m not sure that he is the answer. He is still good, depending on the price, and depending on who the Habs will have surrounding him to be the physical presence.

Next there is the fact that Pavol Demitra could be interested in the Vancouver Canucks and the Canadiens. Although this winger might still have a good season or two left in him under optimum conditions, he is not the answer for the Habs. He is good but why take a roster spot away from a youngster, I would rather see Selanne.

Lastly, something I mentioned in another article is that Olaf Kolzig could be in Montreal next season. With the New York Rangers so far being the only other team manifesting interest in him, the Habs could luck out. Kolzig is also part owner of the Tri-City Americans, a team which new number one Habs goalie Carey Price has played for.

Also there is mounting evidence that the Tampa Bay Lightning may be a little worried about Vincent Lecalvalier’s shoulder, and might be willing to trade him. Montreal is rumoured among other names to have thrown in Chris Higgins as part of a possible trade. Wouldn’t that be nice.

Gainey started negotiations with RFA Andrei Kostitsyn. Rumors have been circulating claiming that Kostitsyn received a huge offer from a Russian team, meaning he might not come back with the Habs next season. Both Gainey and Kostitsyn said they heard the rumors and that they are only rumors. Kostitsyn does want to stay in Montreal and expects negotiations to be easy and so does Gainey.

Gainey says Kostitsyn is one of their most important task for the off season since he has had an incredible 07-08 season. He is part of the Habs’ future and losing him to another team is not something Gainey believes is going to happen. Gainey’s discussions with other GM’s for possible trades are underway too.

If Kostitsyn does stay in Montreal, the team is going to arrange for his wife and daughter to be able to move from Bielorussia and come live with him in Montreal as early as next winter. I’m sure that makes the offer even more attractive for Kostitsyn, and let’s not forget that becoming a fan favorite in Montreal and playing with his brother are other important factors too.

Bob also said he intends on starting the negotiations with UFA offensive-defensemen Mark Streit in a couple of weeks. Streit already expressed his feelings on the situation by saying he loves playing in Montreal and is very thankful to the organization for giving him a chance to prove himself in the NHL. This means a lot for Streit and it is one big reason why he would accept a smaller, but still average, contract to stay in Montreal instead of going to another team for next season. The other reason is probably his Montrealer girlfriend, and I’m sure he’d like to stay here with her. Some rumors have already claimed that The Buffalo Sabres expressed some interest in acquiring Mark Streit’s services. Bob wants to keep him, but both him and Streit know money is going to be a big factor in the discussions. We’ll soon know how much Mark really wants to stay in Montreal…

Surprisingly, Gainey even mentioned the possibility of speaking to Michael Ryder about a new contract in Montreal next season. Ryder was perhaps the Habs’ biggest disappointment last season and the price to keep him is definitely going to be lower than the 2 millions contract he had. Gainey also said that defensemen Patrice Brisebois and center Brian Smolinski might still be part of the plans for next season.

Gainey has a lot of work on the table for next season, and one of his most important task is to decide what to do with forwards Alex Kovalev and Saku Koivu, both of them going into the last year of their contract. Who will he keep? Who will he let go? Who will get traded? A lot of hard decisions coming up for Mr.Gainey.

Among the other rumors circulating are the ones claiming that Gainey might also be on the verge of signing forward Chris Higgins and defenseman Mike Komisarek to long-term contracts. I say okay for Komisarek, but I’m not too sure about Higgins.

Yes finally, the media circus which has been Brunnstrom is over. Thank God! For the past several weeks, Brunnstrom has been everywhere, just recently in Montreal. Fabian was going to some teams arenas to see which team was better suited to his playing style.

Excuse me Mr. Brunnstrom, but where did you come from? How come you aren’t showcasing your talent at the worlds for your country?

Seemingly not many people have seen Brunnstrom play, even the best scouts are not that aware of his true talent, which is why he wasn’t drafted in the first place.

Brunnstrom could be a good player in the NHL, he has decent size, from what scouts have said, he has NHL speed, and skill, question is, why isn’t he playing for his country, and showing everyone what he can do on an NHL size rink?

Many players have played for the NHL who weren’t drafted, or drafted in the 200 range and fared well, but not many people can boast that they know this Brunnstrom kid. Why did he only achieve the possibility of playing for the Swedish Elite league so late in his career.

Hopefully for the Stars, Brunnstrom will be a good player, he seems to have a head on his shoulders, I just want to see what he will do with the physicality of the NHL. Perhaps he will prosper, and become even better than some scouts say he is.

Good luck Brunnstrom, let’s hope that you haven’t bit off more than you can chew, time will tell. For every one who endured the Brunnstrom saga over the last few weeks, it’s over, now let’s see if Fabian lives up to the hype!

Perhaps that’s why Flyers GM Paul Holmgren has initiate contract talks with Carter’s agent, Rick Curran, as Chuck Gormley of the Courier Post Online reports. However, a deal isn’t close to being completed.

Carter was almost traded along with a first round draft pick to the Toronto Maple Leafs before the trade deadline in exchange for defenseman Tomas Kaberle. The deal was called off when Kaberle refused to waive his no-trade clause.

Erik Erlendsson of The Tampa Tribune suggests that with the addition of “couple of top-six forwards” (whether acquired via free agency or the entry draft), “at least one more veteran defenseman,” and “a solid backup goaltender” the Tampa bay Lightning would be a much better team.

The Lightning have $33 million already committed to 14 players for next season, leaving them perhaps as much as $23 million to spend under the salary cap. Of course, the club may have a different budget to work with depending on what ownership may impose.

Atlanta Thrashers forward Slava Kozlov tells Craig Custance of The Atlanta Journal Constitution that his team could really use a top defenseman.

“This team needs a foundation, defensively – like a [Zdeno] Chara or [Nicklas] Lidstrom. Good teams, they have one or two very good defensemen who can play 30-35 [minutes per game]. Like [Chris] Pronger on Anaheim – one of those guys. They’re hard to find, but that’s what we need. With our goalie, he can win a game by himself, but we have to help them. We can’t let the other team shoot 40-45 times.”

According to Damien Cox of the Toronto Star, the future of pending UFA forward Mats Sundin with the Toronto Maple Leafs is up in the air.

The team may decide to offer him an $8 million deal over two years, or not even bother to bring him back.

Eric Francis of the Calgary Sun suggests that any team thinking of spending the $3 or $4 million Calgary Flames pending UFA forward Kristian Huselius may ask for this summer, would be better off spending their money elsewhere.

The 31-year-old has seen his ice time reduced from fourth-line minutes to zero, as he has been made a healthy scratch in three of the teams last past eight games.

“Uh, I mean … aahhh, hmmm … I don’t know what to say,” he said before answering most questions. “I feel bad because I don’t have answers.”

“I just don’t know what to do or say. It’s playoff time. It’s crunch time. I don’t want to be a distraction,” Parrish said. “The only thing I care about is the team winning and these guys in the locker room. The last thing I want is to be viewed as a distraction or negative thing. I want to cheer these guys on.”

Might the Minnesota-native demand a trade in the off-season? His fall from favor with the coaching staff and management could surely provide an incentive for him to do just that.

And the Wild may just comply. Of course, if there are no takers, other avenues could be explored by the club to rid themselves of Parrish’s $2.65 million salary cap hit.

Should his play not improve during the remainder of the regular season and into the playoffs, perhaps GM Doug Risebrough may decide to buy out Parrish, who is in the second year of a five-year, $13.25 million deal. Placing Parrish on waivers and sending him to the minors is a possibility, but would the Wild ownership accept paying all that money for an AHLer? Not likely.

For now, Parrish says that he’s not thinking of what may happen down the road but what he can do to get in the line-up and help his team right now.

“I want to play, but I can’t control that. All I can control is my efforts, my actions, my attitude.”

While Penguins GM Ray Shero has reportedly offered Malone a contract, he is not willing to pay him much more than the $1.45 million Malone is making this season.

Rossi believes that the 28-year-old could get upwards of $3.5 million per season on a three-year deal in the off-season, pricing himself right out of Pittsburgh. The Penguins simply cannot afford to retain Malone at such a salary, even if the cap is supposed to increase by as much as $4 million.

The Penguins are already committed to a number of high-priced players on their roster, including forward Sidney Crosby ($8.7 million salary cap hit), defenseman Sergei Gonchar ($5 million), and defenseman Ryan Whitney ($4 million).

The club also has a number of key restricted free agent forwards they would like to re-sign long-term, namely forwards Evgeni Malkin and Jordan Staal, and goalie Marc-Andre Fleury. Malkin and Staal could command a combined salary cap hit of $11 million (beginning in 2009-10), while Fleury might cost an average of $3 million.

Secondary players such as defensemen Brooks Orpik and Mark Eaton, and forwards Pascal Dupuis, Jarkko Ruutu, Georges Laraque, and Gary Roberts will also need to be re-signed, or replaced.

The could be a total cap hit of $38.7 million for 13 players.

Of course, the Penguins may also want to bring back pending UFA forward Marian Hossa, which could cost them around $7 million per season. That’s $45.7 million for 14 players.

Adding Malone and his potential $3.5 million cap hit would bring the total figure to $49.2 million for 15 players. Shero isn’t expected to burden his club with those kind of salary cap troubles.

So, unless Malone decided to give the Penguins a hometown discount, it’s more than likely he’ll sign elsewhere in the summer.