Hey all, my name is Tony Ferrante. Those of you who peruse the various Penguins blogs probably know me from MVN’s The Confluence of the Three Rivers. Thanks to Alin for asking me to guest blog several times throughout the year.

Lots of turnover results in lots of speculation in Penguins-land this season.

Penguins’ GM Ray Shero was one busy man this offseason, replacing several key members of the Eastern Conference champs, such as Marian Hossa, Ryan Malone, Gary Roberts, Ty Conklin and Jarkko Ruutu. Shero did an admirable job during free agency to fill the holes, not only in signing free agents Miro Satan, Ruslan Fedotenko, Matt Cooke and Eric Godard, but also in resigning veterans Brooks Orpik and Pascal Dupuis.

The key, as it has been for about three seasons now, is finding the right winger(s) to be on Sidney Crosby’s wing. They surely had it after the trade deadline last year when Shero traded for Hossa, but when Hossa bolted for Detroit, Shero had to go back to square one. For at least the first part of the season, as all Penguins fans know all too well how quick of a trigger finger head coach Michel Therrien has in terms of line changes, it’s going to be Fedotenko and Satan on Crosby’s wings. Satan is this year’s “Petr Sykora signing” for Shero. He’s been a natural sniper all his career. He’s not going to get a better opportunity to improve from a very disappointing season last year with the Islanders, especially in a contract year. Fedotenko will be the one who can dig the puck from the boards and get it to his linemates, as well as get a big body in front of the net. If that doesn’t work, all bets are off. Therrien has several options available to throw on the top line if need be, including Jordan Staal, Sykora, or even sparkplugs such as Max Talbot or Tyler Kennedy.

The Penguins’ second line is arguably the most potent in the NHL with Staal and Sykora on the wings for center Evgeni Malkin. Staal has been bumped up from the third line center, partly in an attempt to boost his goal scoring back up to the 29 goals he had in his rookie year two seasons ago. Sykora and Malkin had some great chemistry between them last year, which actually goes back to the lockout year playing in Russia. Unless Therrien breaks them up, this second line could result in a deadly 1-2 line punch.

The Penguins are surely looking for more secondary scoring from their third and fourth lines this season. Shero’s moves have allowed Therrien to bump Dupuis down to the third line (where he really belongs) along with Talbot and Cooke, making for a serious fast checking line. The fourth line will be a mix of rookie mucker Paul Bissonnette, Godard, Pittsburgh native Bill Thomas, and newly acquired Mike Zigomanis.

The defensive corps, which before the season was thought to have had a glutton of NHL-ready D-men, is now without their two best offensive defensemen. Quarterback Sergei Gonchar suffered a dislocated shoulder in the Pens’ first preseason game, after which he underwent surgery and will miss between four and six months. Ryan Whitney also underwent surgery for a malformed foot injury which he initially suffered in the 2007 playoff series versus Ottawa. He is scheduled to out until approximately December. That makes the performance of young offensive defensemen Kris Letang and Alex Goligoski that much more important. Letang played in Pittsburgh for the majority of the year last season, while Goligoski only played a few games. In addition, Shero resigned underrated defenseman Mark Eaton, as well as Orpik. Include steady defensive D-men Rob Scuderi and Daryl Sydor, who was thought to be on the trading block before the injuries to Gonchar and Whitney, and that allowed Shero to not have to go outside of the organization to fill the voids created by the loss of those two.

Marc-Andre Fleury, after suffering the high ankle sprain in December, came back in the springtime and put up numbers that ranked among the best in the NHL. He continued the superb play through the playoffs, while coming back down to Earth a little in the Finals against Detroit. If Fleury continues with that high caliber play, he will rise among the NHL’s elite goaltenders. It seems that Fleury’s been around for about 10 years, but the fact remains that he’s still only 23 years old. The Penguins are hoping that the loss of Ty Conklin, therefore making Dany Sabourin the backup goaltender, doesn’t come back to haunt them. Although Sabourin had 10 wins for the Penguins last season, the feeling is that most fans don’t believe that Sabouring can match the steller goaltending play that Conklin had to do when Fleury went down with his injury in December. Hopefully, Fleury will remain healthy throughout the year, and Sabourin will only have to play about 10-15 games.

It’s going to be a very interesting Atlantic Division. Philly and the Rangers look to be strong again this year, and the Devils can never be overlooked with Marty Brodeur. If the Penguins can keep their head above water while their top defensemen recover from their injuries, they’ll be right up there when they return and make another run towards the Stanley Cup.

We’ve got new owners, new coaches, and new team. At the last pre-season game I went to, the only familiar face I saw was the one of the man who runs the merchandise table on the plaza level. This upcoming season is eerie but exhilarating all at the same time. As a fan, I don’t know what to expect of October 4^th’s game. But, I can tell you that the team that we’ve seen this pre-season has been strong and vivacious. Much to my chagrin, I have to give credit where credit is due. It seems as though Melrose has breathed new life into a team that was hanging on by a thread.

No longer is the team motto of “Safe is death”, originated by John Tortorella and Craig Ramsey, ringing through the walls of the locker room. A new motto has been brought to the forefront, and that is “Safe is life”. With that being said, you can’t help but look at the lines they’ve been putting to ice during the exhibition games. Now with Lecavalier back in his skates from his off-season surgery to the shoulder, the MVP line is obvious choice for the first line. Marty, Vinny and Prospal have amazing chemistry and it’s a no brainer to put them together. Before Prospal got traded to the Flyers last season, he and Vinny were on fire. Although Lecavalier is a little shaky on the ice as of now, I can’t imagine him not making a full recovery. He might just get the puck into the goal a little slower. But as of now, it seems as though he just needs to skate more with the team and get his confidence back. It must be hard when everyone has been playing during games, and he’s been on the sidelines. Berlin showed that he was one step behind in rhythm. I’m sure we can expect a lot from the MVP line, it just might take a few games for them to get it together. Side note: Matt Cooke was fined 2,500 dollars by the NHL for the hit that dislocated Vinny’s shoulder. Malone, Stamkos and Artyukhin are paired together, which I think is perfect. Stamkos is fresh meat, and I have a feeling other teams are going to attack him more than the average player, just because of all of the hype that was surrounding his draft. Malone isn’t going to stand for that, as we saw in Berlin during the third period. In a matter of weeks, Ryan Malone is quickly going to become a favorite in Tampa Bay. Hate to say it, but he might even fill my Andre Roy void. I always root for the player who’s ready to throw a punch. Recchi, Jokinen, and Vrbara consist of line three, while Roberts, Gratton, and Hall are the fourth liners. Truthfully, I feel as though Gratton has overstayed his welcome in Tampa. He most certainly doesn’t produce like he used to, and I think his spot could be taken by someone younger and faster. But that could be said about Roberts too. Although he is on the older side, I think with his aggression and ability to help the puck along, he’ll add a lot to the team.

Extra forwards consist of Ward, Koci, Craig, and Ouellet. In regards to defense, Mihalik is paired with Meszaros, Niskala is with Carle, and O’Brien is being paired with Lundin. Ranger is still not 100% with his injury, so he’s marked as extra if need be. Why do all of my favorite players always end up being injured? This happened to me last season when Ryan Craig was out!

Now let’s talk goaltenders. Smith, Ramo, Kolzig, Smith, Ramo, Kolzig. Prospal said it best in the Tampa Tribune on September 29^th; “Our goalies keep playing well.” He might not be a man of many words, but what he says is truth! When it comes to Mike Smith, it seems as though the franchise is convinced that he’ll become the best goalie in the NHL, which is why he’s got a 4.4 million dollar contract. But that always seemed a little too much for a goaltender who had never been a regular starter until the Lightning acquired him from Dallas. Barry Melrose says you have to believe in him, but as a fan – we were also told to believe in Marc Denis and look how that turned out. You can’t blame a fan for being a little hesitant to put all of my eggs in Smith’s basket. Last season, he played 13 sloppy games. He had a 3-10 record, a shutout and 2.79 goals-against average. Not exactly the figures you want from your starting goal tender. But we have to now take into consideration that Smith is now playing with a completely different team. He could end up being the best goaltender in the league just as long as the rest of the team keeps the shots from going to the goal. I think we’ve learned from last season that you can’t just relay on the goaltender, you need a good defense as well. Thankfully we have been seeing that his preseason. Maybe just maybe, Smith will be able to develop into the goaltender that will make us a contender to the cup. If not, we’ve always got Kolzig and Ramo waiting in the wings. Personally, I feel they should start Kolzig more often just because he’s got more experience, but I suppose you can’t build a goaltender if you don’t let him play.

Lightning hockey is back, and it’s going to be with a vengeance this season. I don’t think the cowboys running the team will let them fall. (Notice my use of the term “cowboy”. That’s for you, Torts!) Either way – sit back on the couch, grab yourself a cold beer or your drink of choice, and enjoy the games because I have a feeling it’s going to be like nothing you’ve come to see before.

Shapiro will be signings autographs and chatting up fans in Toronto October 3rd at the Indigospirit location at the Royal Bank Plaza 200 Bay Street from 12:30 – 2:00 PM and October 4th at the Chapters-Runnymede at 2225 Bloor Street West from 11:30 – 1:30PM.

In the meantime, here is the first part of our three-part interview, where Shapiro shares his take on the Penguins’ off-season moves and the club’s upcoming campaign.

Alin Mateescu: You are a Pittsburgh native; obviously you are a Penguins fan, right? How did you become one?

Howard Shapiro: I’ve been a Pens fan since I was around 6 years old. The company my Dad worked for had season tickets to the Pens games and no one ever wanted the tickets (unlike today) and so my Dad would be given the tickets and he’d take me to the games. My favorite moment was when the Pens would score a goal and the red light would go on and the crowd would rise as one.

AM: Must be pretty happy with the Penguins’ current roster, especially with the likes of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Jordan Staal, Ryan Whitney, and Marc-Andre Fleury. But with a salary cap in place, how long do you think management will be able to keep them all together?

HS: Good question and one that comes up a lot around here, especially on sports talk radio. I think for the next five or so years that Ray Shero will be able to keep the core together. The team may lose a player or two from that core group but the five players you mention in the question, I think they’ll be here for the next five to seven years at least. Malkin actually took less to stay here so and obviously Sid could make more elsewhere but those guys have said that like what is going on here with the team, they like the city and they want to be here. So, from a fans perspective, that is great and you know that you’ll be seeing the same players year in and year out.

AM: How do you see the Penguins fairing this upcoming season: Stanley Cup finalists hangover, or Stanley Cup winners? What do you think is the key for them to become the latter?

HS: Well, as a fan I hope they’ll win it at all but it’s such a long grind and injuries can happen (Crosby going out last year w/a high ankle sprain is a good example). As the roster stands now, I’d have to say that I don’t think they’ll win the Cup, I think they’ll win the Eastern Conference again but not the Cup. Detroit not only got stronger, but the one need the Pens have is a sniper to play on Sid’s line and when they lost Hossa, they basically went back to square one as far as wingers to play with Sid. They picked up M. Satan but I don’t think he’ll be the answer and comes March 3rd next year at the deadline they’ll have to pull off another blockbuster deal to pick up a Top 6 goal scoring winger and I don’t think Ray Shero will be able to strike gold two years in a row. We’ll see…

AM: What is your perspective on the Penguins’ off-seasons moves? Can the additions of forwards Miroslav Satan, Ruslan Fedotenko, and Matt Cooke offset the loss of Marian Hossa, Ryan Malone and Gary Roberts?

HS: If I was to rate their off season I’d give it a 6. You had to know that some team would overspend to pick Ryan Malone and he would have had to take a huge hometown discount to stay here but they lost more then they picked up. I thought losing Jaarko Ruutu will hurt in the long run and to some extent Georges Laraque. Those guys all got replaced, I just don’t think the replacements will do as good a job as the guys they are replacing.

AM: Some reports indicate that Whitney could be out of the lineup until mid-January due to a left foot injury. Should the Penguins go shopping for a defenseman to fill the void until his return?

HS: No, I don’t think so. Hopefully, during camp someone will step up and you’ hate to make a big trade when you have to figure Whitney will be ready by the end of or beginning of the year.

AM: Aside for Whitney’s spot on the blueline, do the Penguins need to make any moves to bolster their roster at any specific position? I think they need to find a sniper like a Cheechoo to play alongside Sid.

HS: They’ll probably plug in Pascal Dupuis on one wing but they need a finisher, a 40 – 50 goal a year guy to go back to the Finals and they simply do not have that right now unless they move Malkin to Sid’s line and then that weakens the second line.

Check back for part two and three as Shapiro talks about the business side of the NHL as well as his latest effort, “Hockey Player For Life.”

Are they crazy? Nonis brought them all-star goalie Roberto Luongo, and a franchise record of 105 points last season, I guess the phrase ” what have you done for me lately” applies here. I think that the Nucks were a little harsh with Nonis, here are some interesting facts that perhaps Canucks owners did not factor into that equation.

The Canucks never had their top 6 defenseman on the ice at the same time all year, how does one expect a team to prosper like that, but they still only missed the post season by a couple of points. Also, Brendan Morrison was absent most of the season do to the fact that early in the season he had to have wrist surgery, and when he came back, he went out again with another injury. The 6 million dollar man Markus Naslund hasn’t helped either lately, not playing at all for his 6 million dollars.

What about the emergence of Alex Burrows, and Ryan Kesler this year? These two players played really well for the Canucks this year, well enough for Nonis to trade pending unrestricted free agent Matt Cooke to the Washington Capitals. But I guess that the Nucks failed to see those things, or maybe the fact that Luc Burdon should be ready next season doesn’t inspire the owners either!

Dave Nonis tried to get someone for the play-off push during the trade deadline, but the asking price was too high. With players like Naslund, and Morrison being UFA’s next season, the Canucks will have even more money to work with, as the cap is also expected to rise. If Naslund, and Morrison want to stay in Vancouver, it will be at a dramatic decrease in salary, so Nonis could have worked something there to make the team better, and I’m sure the injury riddled defensive core will not be as injury prone next season either.

I guess the owners said thanks for Luongo, and a franchise record of 105 points last year, and it doesn’t matter why you didn’t make the play-offs, you didn’t and that’s that so good-bye. The next gm of the Nucks is inheriting Luongo, not a bad start for a gm, as anyone knows, the way to build a team is from the goalie out, which is what Nonis was doing, perhaps the owners just ran out of patience. They said that this year the fans didn’t get the team that they deserve, ya right, it’s more the fact that the owners couldn’t line their pockets with play-off money!

Good luck Dave, I hope someone else gives you a shot, you started something which the next gm will be happy with. Even Brian Burke didn’t get a Luongo, some say with the team Burke built in Vancouver, all they were missing was a Luongo to go far, not anymore, now they’re missing a smart gm, they had one, but I guess the owners aren’t as smart as the gm was, or perhaps they don’t care who’s on the team, as long as they make the play-offs!

One must wonder why the Panthers really just have such a hard time winning against such a depleted team. The fact is, even when they are depleted, they still seem tough as ever. That’s with losing Cory Stillman and Mike Commodore to trade, Rod Brind’amour to injury and Justin Williams, others as well. Yet they keep moving along like nothing has ever happened. Quite amazing to me. A team so injury plagued, they still put up a fight each night and victorious on most. Even new comers to the team like Patrick Eaves and Joe Corvo look like they could have been there all season. Is it Peter Laviolette? Or is it just the amount of skill and experience the team itself has. I’d think its both, they don’t get rattled by much. The worst can happen and they will still play their system the best they can and keep doing what they do best. Sometimes thats all they need to win games they shouldn’t be in, too.

After being denied a history making eight game winning streak, the Panthers decided to start another winning streak by beating Tampa Bay. If they want to make the playoffs they need to get about 10 more points and rely heavily on teams out of the playoffs to put up a fight with the seventh and eighth spot holders.

Unlike other teams, the Panthers have a schedule that is heavily in their favor. Tampa Bay Lightning twice, Washington Capitals twice and the Hurricanes twice. Tampa Bay, I don’t see being a problem but the Capitals and the Hurricanes just might be a thorn in the side. The Capitals aren’t that same team that you just look at and expect them to fold to teams that are making a playoff push. They are right in it as well and needless to say a much better team on top of it all, than they used to be. Olaf Kolzig? Good goaltender but Huet I believe is more consistent, Sergei Fedorov definitely helps them and I believe Matt Cooke has a bit of an edge over Matt Pettinger. With Bruce Boudreau coming in as well and doing a wonderful job, I just don’t think winning against Washington will be all that easy.

I already talked about how we can’t seem to have any luck against Carolina, to begin with. Winning against the Capitals will be the MOST important objective to get into the playoffs, winning both games eliminates them from the playoff race because ideally Florida and Washington are chasing the same spot. Both games are must win scenarios for the Panthers. The Panthers also need to at least win one game against Carolina to stay in the chase. Although the schedule looks easy, to me, it really isn’t. The Panthers need to come out and play some of the best hockey they could ever imagine playing to make it that far. There is no other way around it. This roster on paper, wouldn’t make the playoffs. They are playing with their hearts and souls into the game. Thats the way they need to play to win. Thats the only way. Florida just does not have the Michael Frolik’s and the Shawn Matthias’ ready for the club yet.

I personally could not fathom the feeling of seeing the Panthers in the playoffs, in my opinion they have every right for being there as much as the next team. It would just be so nice to overcome the “laughing stock” that the Panthers are, in the NHL. Its never easy or nice to hear, “They haven’t made it into the playoffs in over six years.” Over and over again. I blame that on the endless ring of coaches and general managers that Mr. Alan Cohen felt was needed to make this team into a winner.

Olli Jokinen has certainly stepped up his game. After the Zednik incident he went into a prolonged slump. Something not good for this club that already has horrible troubles trying to score. Not only that but its like dressing a player that is injured. He was close to useless for that time. It took him to score against Henrik Lundqvist in a Panthers win to snap out of it, and ever since he has been back to the captain clutch, that he is. That the Panthers need. That the team relies on. If there is no Jokinen leading the way and helping the team. There is no playoffs. There is no leadership. There is no hope. Most of all, everybody in that locker room loves that guy. If there isn’t Jokinen doing what he does best, there isn’t a Panthers team that has desire to do much.

The New Jersey Devils were one of the teams trying to acquire Smith, but weren’t willing to meet the Flyers’ demands.

Expectations are the Smith will become a free agent and sign with the Devils in the summer.

Despite injuries to two of their blueliner, Chuck Gormley of the Courier Post Online reports that the Flyers will not call-up defenseman Denis Gauthier from their AHL affiliate team.

Gauthier would have to pass through waivers in order to be promoted to the big club, meaning teams could claim him at half the cost of his $2.1 million salary. Since the Flyers would be on the hook for the other half, it’s unlikely they will go through with it.

If Pittsburgh Penguins pending restricted free agent forward Evgeni Malkin demand a contract worth an average of between $9-10 million per season, John Buccigross of ESPN.com suggests the club should consider trading him.

The Washington Post’s Tarik El-Bashir reports that it remains unclear which of the Washington Capitals’ three deadline acquisitions, namely goalie Cristobal Huet, and forwards center Sergei Fedorov and Matt Cooke, will be back with the club next season.

All three are pending UFAs.

According to The Boston Globe’s Fluto Shinzawa, Tampa Bay Lightning GM Jay Feaster’s next move will be to get Vincent Lecavalier’s name on a multi-year contract extension.

Lecavalier, who can become a UFA after next season, will undoubtedly look for as big a raise as he can get. And if that is too much for the Lightning to accept, Lecavalier could end up being “the most highly pursued UFA-to-be” before next year’s trade deadline.

Shinzawa also reports that the Ottawa Senators are negotiating a contract extension with pending RFA forwards Chris Kelly and Antoine Vermette, as well as Andrej Meszaros, all of which due for substantial raises.

Forward Chris Neil, who becomes a UFA after next season, could also be in line for a raise on his $1.1 million average salary.

A UFA this summer, defenseman Wade Redden will also need to be re-signed. However, he may be too expensive for the Senators.

One way that Senators GM Bryan Murray can clear some payroll by trading enigmatic goalie Ray Emery, if he can find a team to take him.

Lastly from Shinzawa, he reports that a number of teams have called the Boston Bruins to inquire about the availability of forward Milan Lucic.

The deadline is a revealing moment in the NHL season. It prescribes an honest self-examination by all 30 clubs. General Managers, scouts, and team personnel maneuver through a cascade of e-mails, faxes, phone calls, and conversations about who is available and how much they will cost. The worst teams must answer a very direct question: is it time to part ways with a top player — who will probably walk come July 1st — for prospects whose earning potential won’t bust their salary cap? Look at recently successful squads like Buffalo, Pittsburgh, and, to an admittedly lesser degree, Washington, and there’s a clear trend to assemble a roster internally.

Teams on the postseason bubble, conversely, operate amid more dire circumstances — choices routinely cost coaches and GMs their jobs. In the case of Atlanta, would Thrashers GM/coach Don Waddell dump winger Marian Hossa for a potentially comparable player, or retain him in slim hopes of making the playoffs? If Hossa remained, and Atlanta failed to advance, the Thrashers would have lost a remarkable player and received nothing. Obviously, the nuances of altering a dynamic are more severely pronounced when the fate of the team in question is unknown.

Last year’s deadline was borderline lackluster, the loudest move made when the Nashville Predators swapped forward Scottie Upshall, defenseman Ryan Parent, and a first and third round pick for Peter Forsberg from the Philadelphia Flyers. But yesterday was filled with big-name movement, all in preparation for the final playoff stretch. Here we (subjectively) review some of the wisest deadline transactions.

(For those interested in the technicalities of trades, NHL.com kindly provides this short tutorial.)

Dallas Stars

Dallas ended Tuesday with a substantially deeper lineup than it started with by adding center Brad Richards and goalie Johan Holmqvist. In return, the 29th-ranked Tampa Bay Lightning received forwards Jussi Jokinen, Jeff Halpern, and goalie Mike Smith. Richards is an adaptable player who performs at even strength and on special teams, averaging over 24 minutes of ice time per game. Dallas got a Stanley Cup and Conn Smythe winning forward whose durability is surpassed only by his skills. Richards allows coach Dave Tippett to spread Mike Modano, Mike Ribeiro, Brendan Morrow, and Jere Lehtinen across multiple lines. They’re now an immediate threat to Detroit whose defensive corps has (to put it lightly) taken a beating.

Meanwhile, Tampa has a chance to develop Smith as a number one goaltender. Holmqvist struggled since October, and GM Jay Feaster stressed that signing a goalie was his primary concern. But Holmqvist’s experience will be vital should Dallas starter Marty Turco go down or need a break. Holmqvist may have tanked thus far, but he also wasn’t playing in Dallas.

Colorado Avalanche

Is it 2008 or 2001? Not only did Colorado Avalanche GM Francois Giguere do the presumably unthinkable by signing Peter Forsberg days after announcing he would not return to the NHL this year, but he relinquished a mere draft pick to the Columbus Blue Jackets for veteran defensemen Adam Foote. A grinder with a proclivity for cheap shots, Foote was a staple of Colorado’s last Cup winning team. Not the fleetest afoot, he brings a physical element to the blue line that will keep traffic away from Jose Theodore’s face.

Giguere smoothly avoided jeopardizing Colorado’s young talent. Foote’s and Forsberg’s experience will ground the Avalanche lineup. Combine the return of Joe Sakic and sniper Paul Stastny with the grittiness of Ryan Smythe and consistency of Milan Hejduk, and suddenly the Aves seem poised to scrap for a playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Philadelphia Flyers

What a year for the Fly guys. After an abysmal 2006-2007 season in which they finished dead last, they currently own the eighth playoff position in the Eastern Conference. But the past month has been unkind to the turn-around-team of the year. The Flyers dropped 10 in a row until a shootout victory over Buffalo on Monday (any Sabres fans still fuming at Briere’s game winner?); they’ve been weakened by injuries (notably Simon Gagne, Mike Richards, and Joffrey Lupol), defensive lapses, and shoddy goaltending.

In response, GM Paul Holmgren traded Alex Picard — a 22-year-old defensemen who’s played only 72 NHL games — and a conditional draft pick to Tampa for Vaclav “Vinnie” Prospal. (Philly drafted Prospal 71st overall in 1993.) Despite posting respectable numbers throughout his career, he’s struggled to be consistent — a hindrance that may expose itself without Vincent Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis. Nonetheless, Prospal has a ring and more than a decade of experience. Although he doesn’t embody offensive stability, Prospal can still play. And considering the injury ridden Flyers roster, a forward like Prospal that can play both center and wing will only strengthen his team’s limp into the playoffs.

Washington Capitals

Did anyone see this coming? The Caps acquired Cristobal Huet, the Montreal Canadians’ starting net minder for most of this season, for a paltry second round draft choice. Then they snagged Sergei Fedorov from Columbus for 2007 draftee Theo Ruth, a defenseman so unknown, not even Yahoo! Sports recognizes him.

(Here is where other writers would likely excoriate Montreal for getting so little in return for a number one goalie. Such lunacy speaks for itself. More importantly: Alexander Ovechkin, Alexander Semin, Viktor Kozlov, and now Fedorov. Is Washington the new Detroit?)

The Caps also traded Matt Pettinger to Vancouver for Matt Cooke. Cooke, a low-line winger with practically no points for the Canucks, will give Washington toughness and speed up front. As a result, the Caps lose an insignificant forward. Washington completed other minor deals, all helpful enhancements as the Caps challenge for the top spot in the Southeast Division.

San Jose Sharks

The Sharks are barely holding fifth in the West with 74 points. Eighth seeded Nashville is only two points behind; the West is that close. So, GM Doug Wilson scored the most coveted defensemen on the block: Brian Campbell. The Sharks gave Buffalo a first-round pick and mediocre forward Steve Bernier. Bernier has rotated among the bottom two lines for most of this season, not offering much productivity (13g, 10a).

Campbell, on the other hand, plays roughly 25 minutes per game, has a microscopic 12 penalty minutes, and went to his second All-Star Game last month. A fast, yet physical blue-liner, Campbell’s ability to skate and quickly move the puck increased his value. The Sharks recognized their need for a reliable defenseman that could make swift breakout passes and anchor the point on the power play. Campbell’s 43 points is second among Sharks scorers. And with 38 assists, he noticeably reduces Joe Thornton’s playmaking burden.

Pittsburgh Penguins

The Penguins are second in the East with Sidney Crosby on the shelf. Evgeni Malkin, averaging almost two points per game in Sid’s absence, is all but unstoppable. Ty Conklin has been solid in net, while Marc Andre Fluery was recalled from injury. Now they have Marian Hossa — the pervasive desire for whom was league-wide — and speedster Pascal Dupuis from Atlanta, plus Hal Gill from Toronto. In an immensely beneficial trade for the Pens, Atlanta received promising, albeit average forwards Colby Armstrong and Erik Christensen (replaceable role players). Christenson has been superb in the shootouts — success he’s failed to employ during regulation. Armstrong, who was Crosby’s roommate on the road and close friend, is a muckraker who will just as easily give a beating as take one. Sadly, their collective point totals hardly match Hossa’s.

Hossa was highly discussed and his final whereabouts speculated for weeks. That the news came with under five minutes remaining until the deadline is curious, especially since Don Waddell publicized weeks ago that Hossa was going to be dealt. Pittsburgh is a growing complication for the East; and they just scared the shit out of the entire Atlantic Division.

See You Next Year

February was busy, indeed — 25 trades involving 45 players on the final day alone, big names and small, draft picks, and the hope of future success. Many teams modified their rosters for various reasons: to dump salaries, for draft picks, to make playoff runs. The Anaheim Ducks and New York Islanders each made a couple subtle changes. Those mentioned above were by no means the only ones, nor the most important. They were simply the transactions deemed the best for their organizations.

As fun as it is to tout theories and predictions of who will go where, the truth is that the push begins now. Both conferences have a tight race for its final postseason openings. Barely 20 games remain on each schedule. The trades that were hailed could quickly be scorned; those questioned eventually praised. There was enough inaction by teams that needed improvement to warrant a separate column. Regardless, the hype is over; all that’s left to do is watch. And that’s the best part about the trade deadline.

Going the other way is forward Matt Pettinger.

More details to follow.

“They were probably looking at the weak team,” one veteran scout said.

Since the Thrashers are 3-8 and still struggling, it’s fair to assume that they were the team being looked at.

John Vogl of The Buffalo News reports that the agent for unrestricted free agent defenseman Nolan Pratt is still in negotiations with the Buffalo Sabres about a contract for his client.

“We’ve been in communication with [General Manager] Darcy [Regier], and we’re hoping there’s a fit,” agent Ben Hankinson said by phone.

Hankinson hopes to have Pratt signed to an NHL deal “in the next few days.”

Despite his club struggling to win on home ice, Toronto Maple Leafs GM John Ferguson Jr. tells Lance Hornby of the Toronto Sun that he isn’t about to make any panic moves.

Tony Gallagher of The Vancouver Province suggests that trading the likes of Markus Naslund, Brendan Morrison, Matt Cooke, and Aaron Miller is “virtually impossible” for the Vancouver Canucks due to the players’ massive contracts. And if they were to be moved, the return would be minimal.

Meanwhile, TSN’s Darren Dreger reports that Canucks GM Dave Nonis is actively shopping for a top-six forward.

Dreger also reports that the Carolina Hurricanes, Columbus Blue Jackets, Edmonton Oilers, Philadelphia Flyers, and Pittsburgh Penguins are in the market for a defenseman. The Dallas Stars are said to be willing to part with a blueliner in a trade for offensive help at the forward position.

Ted Kulfan of the Detroit News is doubtful that the Detroit Red Wings will land UFA forward Peter Forsberg.

For one thing, Kulfan doesn’t believe that Forsberg is very high on the Red Wings. Secondly, if a team like the Colorado Avalanche offer Forsberg a multi-year deal at an average salary of $5 million per season, the Red Wings would not be able to offer anything close.