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.

Not because they want to be stingy with their only NHL-ready puck-moving blueliner, but because they want to determine if the 25-year-old’s breakthrough season was a fluke or not. The Bruins would like to see Wideman sustain his level of play for at least one more season before deciding to lock him up long-term.

Wideman, who is expected to get a raise either way, has a few options at his disposal: “accept a one-year qualifying offer and hope he has another solid season in 2008-09; sign a multiyear extension; or go to arbitration.”

His current comparables include Brent Seabrook of the Chicago Blackhawks, Brent Burns of the Minnesota Wild, and Niklas Kronwall of the Detroit Red Wings. They all earn at least $3 million per season.

Of course, Wideman’s representatives will also keep tabs on the likes of Mike Green of the Washington Capitals, Andrej Meszaros of the Ottawa Senators, and Ryan Suter of the Nashville Predators and their negotiations. Whatever each player in that trio manage to sign for could also impact Wideman.

With Kubina’s strong play as of late, he could become “attractive on the trade market this summer.”

Nashville Predators GM David Poile tells John Glennon of The Tennessean that he is unlikely to sign any of the club’s pending free agents until season’s end.

The Predators have a group of free agent that includes defensemen Shea Weber (RFA), Ryan Suter (RFA) and Kevin Klein (RFA), forward Martin Erat (RFA), goalie Dan Ellis (UFA) and forward Darcy Hordichuk (UFA).

San Jose Sharks pending unrestricted free agent forward Jeremy Roenick tells USA Today’s Kevin Allen that he doesn’t plant to retire at season’s end. Roenick has revitalized his career in San Jose, and hopes to continue playing for a little while longer.

“I’m definitely thinking about (continuing to play),” Roenick said. “With the way my body feels, and the way it has gone and the quality of this organization, I definitely would like to play another year. But I’m not going to make this an in-season thing and cause any distractions.”

Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald reports that a number of teams called to inquire about the availability of Florida Panthers forward Olli Jokinen before the trade deadline.

First off, the Oilers could use a “sniper” to bolster their attack, some in the mold of San Jose Sharks forward Jonathan Cheechoo.

Secondly, the Oilers will look to add some toughness. While it’s unlikely that former Oilers tough guy Georges Laraque will return to Edmonton, there are other options. Those include UFAs Wade Belak of the Florida Panthers, Jody Shelley of the Sharks, Darcy Hordichuk of the Nashville Predators, and Todd Fedoruk of the Minnesota Wild.

Jean LeFebvre of The Calgary Herald suggests that Calgary Flames pending UFA forward Kristian Huselius may have a hard time getting the contract he wants this summer.

While his play in the months of October, December, January, and so far in March, has been superb, November and February saw the skilled forward play the worst hockey of the season.

Ottawa Senators pending UFA forward Cory Stillman tells James Gordon of The Ottawa Citizen that he’d love to re-sign with the club.

“I’d like to stay. It’s close to home, to my home town,” the Peterborough, Ont., native said. “You know, I was happy in Carolina, but (Ottawa) is one of the places I had said that if I ever had the chance to play, I would jump on it.

“So I’m here now and hopefully I can continue on for a couple years.”

Stillman says he hasn’t had any talks about a contract extension with Senators’ management, yet.

“My thing right now is to come play, win hockey games and continue to play into June,” the 34-year-old said.

According to Tarik El-Bashir of the Washington Post, Washington Capitals pending restricted free agent forward Brooks Laich could receive a significant raise this summer. A three-year, $3 million deal isn’t out of the question.

- The biggest rumbling and evidence about the NHL Winter Classic this week came out of New York involving the Rangers. The Daily News of NY went as far to say that the Rangers have all but locked up to be the host, but with only the task of finding the right opponent. The game would be at Yankee Stadium, and it would be the last event in its history. And here is more evidence of this:

That photo was taken by a man who was touring the stadium and happen to stumble upon this evidence. Its an interesting placement for the rink. The picture is courtesy of the website NHL Tournament of Logo’s, and you can read the whole story here. I am all for NYR getting an outdoor game as I have said before, but I have a few problems with this idea and situation.

Baseball stadiums are unique venues. As you can see from the photo, the first rows near the dugouts will be closer than a football stadium but will they be high enough to see all of the action? I like how it will be a closer feeling to the rink, but I would rather have the NHL stick to keeping the Winer Classic in football stadiums. Another thing with this photo is that they would almost certainly build makeshift stands in the outfield, bringing the fans even closer. Wikipedia says that the stadium holds just under 58,000 for a baseball game. So an accurate guess with the layout above would be around 60-65,000 due to the fact that most of the outfield seats wouldn’t be used because of the makeshift stands that would have to be created in the outfield. I do not think that is enough people, which is why the Winter classic should stay in Football stadiums, where more people can get through the gate ($$$) and where putting the rink up wouldn’t be a logistical problem. If the Rangers have truly locked up the ‘09 classic, they should attempt to play it in Giants Stadium, which fits 80,000 no problem. I see a couple of advantages and disadvantages.

For one, filling Giants stadium wouldn’t be a problem. 40,000 tickets sold out in Buffalo in 37 minutes, which is a testament to the loyalty to the fans and what a fantastic event this is. Another advantage and disadvantage at the same time is that Giants Stadium is located in New Jersey. Its an advantage because the event wouldn’t be in the Bronx, but its a disadvantage because it might turn away the average fan FROM the Bronx who doesn’t want to travel. Regardless, I’m glad to see that the Rangers are heavily in the talks for the ‘09 classic. Rumored teams to play the Rangers are the Islanders, Bruins, and Red Wings. I believe the best choice would be the Bruins. The media would play off the Boston-NY rivalry heavily. If you chose the Islanders the Buzz might not grow as big because of the game being so local. If you chose the Red Wings it might become to bland. The Bruins play hard and have given NYR great games this season, and all I want is to see a hockey fight outdoors in the Bronx on National TV.

- Moving on to Franchise relocation. Being an old-tyme (get it, with a y!) Hockey-ist, I’ve never liked the rapid expansion into the Southern part of the US by the NHL. And to begin, if the NHL decides to expand past 30 teams they will surely regret it. The NHL has planted the seeds of the “New” NHL, now they need to water it from time to time and let it grow. I feel like the NHL is trying to “grow” hockey upon markets instead of trying to find Hockey markets and place teams there. There are many rumbles of possible cities for relocation above the Mason-Dixon line involving Kansas City, Seattle, Portland, Las Vegas, Salt Lake City, Milwaukee, and moving into Canada with Hamilton, Quebec City, Winnipeg and Saskatchewan. Teams that are involved in moving rumors are Florida, Tampa Bay, Columbus, Nashville, Atlanta, and Phoenix. First I will Rank each team in my opinion on who should move ASAP from 1 through 6.

1. Nashville. As much as Business is reportedly coming back, the franchise is in trouble. Bettman did now allow Basile to buy the franchise because of his intentions to move it to Hamilton in Ontario. I have a feeling this franchise will be on the move in the next five years though. The following isn’t enough to support a franchise with greater market opportunities out there.
2. Florida. Florida for this season so far is ranked last in % filled in total attendance. (ESPN) Although you don’t hear about many problems from Florida, you don’t hear much of anything either. When your home city is named Sunrise, your just not a hockey town. Its bad enough Florida has two teams, and at least one has to go. Sorry Panthers, but you don’t have a cup unlike your in-state foes on the west coast.
3. Next up would be Columbus, who edges out Florida in total attendance by 1.2%. The same goes here. As much as there aren’t many problems, there also aren’t many positives coming out of Ohio.
4. Phoenix. A move back to Winnipeg could be in the cards for the former-Jets. Winnipeg is pressing hard for a franchise and Phoenix hasn’t enjoyed much success in the desert since its move. There are two problems though. First, Jobing.com arena is almsot brand new and in sparkling condition. Second, Winnipeg needs a new arena. Don’t look for this to happen anytime soon.
5. Atlanta. The All-Star game might not have been a big hit on TV, but fans packed Phillips Arena all weekend. Phillips arena is another obstacle as it too like Jobing.com is in fantastic shape. Atlanta will still be around past 2015 but if its still below the 90% mark after that, they could be moving.
6. Last is Tampa Bay. Again, hockey and Florida don’t really mix, but the league will be reluctant to move Tampa as it in its short history the already have a ring on their fingers. Plus as I watched the Islanders visit them, there was a good show in the stands, especially in the 100 seats.

So basically I want to obliterate the South-eastern division, but its just a clear fact that Hockey isn’t America’s sport, so why should the NHL try to force it in area’s where Ice doesn’t even form once a year? Hopefully in the next ten years we see a northern migration. My top US cities would be Salt Lake and Las Vegas. My top Canadian cities would be Winnipeg and Quebec/Hamilton. I just worry about the affect of putting a team in Quebec city due to the strong Montreal following.

There’s a little rant for you. I’ll be doing more of this over the summer. Rangers at Panthers, Friday night at 7:30, let’s go Rangers. - Rob

Evgeni Malkin and Jordan Staal of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Anze Kopitar of the Los Angeles Kings, Paul Stastny of the Colorado Avalanche, Phil Kessel of the Boston Bruins, Alexander Radulov of the Nashville Predators, Drew Stafford of the Buffalo Sabres, Jiri Hudler of the Detroit Red Wings, David Booth of the Florida Panthers, Brandon Dubinsky of the New York Rangers, and Travis Zajac of the New Jersey Devils.

While not all are expected to receive long-term deals such as the one signed by Philadelphia Flyers forward Mike Richards last December (12 years totaling $69 million), it’s possible that some of the top tier players may.

Looks like we were on to something: the NHL’s CBA prohibits teams from buying out injured players at two-thirds of their salaries, as Luke DeCock of The News & Observer suggested the Carolina Hurricanes may do with defenseman David Tanabe this summer.

DeCock reports today that for the Hurricanes to be allowed to buy out his contract for 2/3, Tanabe would have be declared fit to play by July 1.

Otherwise, the Hurricanes would be on the hook for Tanabe’s entire $900,000 salary. The good news is that it wouldn’t count against the salary cap.

Look for the St. Louis Blues to bolster their inconsistent offense during the off-season.

St. Louis Post Dispatch President John Davidson tells Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post Dispatch that while he’s well aware of his club’s shortcomings, the organization still needs to pinpoint where their troubles stem from.

“For whatever reason, we haven’t scored and we have to figure out why,” Davidson said Sunday, one day after the Blues’ 4-2 loss to Vancouver.

“… there’s a lot of variables that we’ll have to sift through.”

When the Anaheim Ducks placed goalie Ilya Bryzgalov on waivers last November, Lombardi admits he wasn’t as aggressive in trying to land the Russian netminder. The Phoenix Coyotes picked up Bryzgalov, where he has won 23 of the last 34 games he played for them.

“Uh, yeah. That’s a good one,” Lombardi said. “I think the jury is still out. There were some issues, things you heard out of Anaheim in terms of him being a teammate… In retrospect, we should have been more aggressive. This is how a mistake can lead to another, a logjam of contracts there cut off our flexibility.”

Last summer, Lombardi passed up the opportunity of trading for then Nashville Predators goaltender Tomas Vokoun because he did not want to part with a first round draft pick and a second round draft pick as well as goalie prospect Jonathan Bernier. Vokoun ended up being dealt to the Florida Panthers.

Two summers ago Lombardi tried to acquire Chris Pronger of the Edmonton Oilers but did not want to include rising Star forward Anze Kopitar as part of a multi-player package. Pronger was later traded to the Ducks, where he helped lead them to their first Stanley Cup.

“Thank God we didn’t do that.”

Now, more and more NHL teams are employing the hockey version of cheerleaders.

The Anaheim Ducks, Atlanta Thrashers, Boston Bruins, Carolina Hurricanes, Chicago Blackhawks, Columbus Blue Jackets, Dallas Stars, Florida Panthers, Los Angeles Kings, Nashville Predators, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, Philadelphia Flyers, Phoenix Coyotes, Pittsburgh Penguins, and the Tampa Bay Lightning all have them. That’s 16 teams.

Three Canadian teams have them, too, including the Calgary Flames, Ottawa Senators, and the Vancouver Canucks.

So, what exactly do Ice Girls do?

Well, according to PuckThatHit.com, this is what the job entails:

Ice Girls often (but not always) step onto the ice, clean away excess snow, wipe down the glass, and of course give away t-shirts. Any excuse to have them parade their increased chest sizes and minuscule waists is good enough for management and fans.

For those interested, there’s a poll over at PuckThatHit.com where you can vote for which team has the best ice girls. There’s pictures, too… pretty pictures… go check ‘em out. I threw in my vote for the Chicago Blackhawks’ Ice Crew.

Anyway, I’m wondering how soon will it be before ALL NHL teams has a crew of Ice Girls dancing in a seat near you? And which team will it be the next in line? Will it be the Buffalo Sabres, Colorado Avalanche, Detroit Red Wings, Edmonton Oilers, Minnesota Wild, Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, San Jose Sharks, St. Louis Blues, Toronto Maple Leafs, or the Washington Capitals?

This is an unscientific poll, by the way.

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.

It is not known as of yet what the Thrashers gave up, or if any other players were involved in the deal.

More to follow.

However, it’s unlikely that Sundin would waive his no-trade clause to allow a move to Minnesota.

Garrioch also reports that the Anaheim Ducks are willing to part with the Edmonton Oilers’ first round pick and prospect Bobby Ryan to make significant additions to their roster before the deadline.

Word is that the Ducks are waiting on Sundin to make up his mind on whether he’ll waive his no-trade clause. The Ducks are also said to be interested in Tampa Bay Lightning forward Vaclav Prospal.

Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News reports that 10 teams sent scouts for Saturday’s game between the Buffalo Sabres and the New York Rangers.

Among those scouting the game was Dave Taylor, the director of player personnel of the Dallas Stars. Taylor has been keeping a close eye on the Sabres all week long.

Mark Purdy of the Mercury News suggests the San Jose Sharks could use a puck-moving defenseman such as pending UFAs Brian Campbell of the Sabres and Dan Boyle of the Lightning.

Purdy also believes that, despite all the rumors, forward Patrick Marleau will be a Shark after the 26th.

Marleau tells David Pollak of the Mercury News that he doesn’t worry about what may or may not happen before the deadline.

“You can’t think about it,” he said. “It’s no use worrying about stuff you don’t have control over.”

The Nashville Predators may be in the market for a forward after a rash of injuries, reports Jessica Hopp of The Tennessean.

Here are the teams said to be looking to bolster their rosters:

1. Anaheim Ducks: With the likelihood that Scott Niedermayer and Teemu Selanne returning to retirement next summer and one Stanley Cup ring already won, general manager Brian Burke has every reason to be aggressive. He has the assets and desire to go after the top available players. Clearly, he will make a play for Sundin, and he will look at most of the premium players. He owns Edmonton’s first-round pick, plus prospects Bobby Ryan, Logan MacMillan and Mark Mitera that he could move, although Burke has said publicly he doesn’t want to move his pick because it could land in the top seven. His objective is to land another premium scorer.

2. San Jose Sharks: More trade rumors have circulated about the Sharks over the past eight months than any other NHL team. The Sharks seem poised to shake up their look heading into the postseason. They could use another scorer and a puck-moving defenseman. They have a strong collection of young players that would be highly desirable, including prospects Logan Couture and Nick Petrecki, plus young NHLers such as Matt Carle. What’s unknown is whether the Sharks, with a history of playoff disappointment, will shake up their mojo by trading away a major veteran, such as Patrick Marleau.

3. Calgary Flames: General manager Darryl Sutter has been digging around the marketplace for a premium scorer for a couple of months. They have enough young prospects to make a strong offer, but don’t ask about Swedish standout Mikael Backlund. He’s not going anywhere.

4. Dallas Stars: Knowing Brett Hull the way I do, it’s a certainty that he would like to land some offensive help. No one is talking much about the Stars, but no one would be shocked if they make a splash. They have played well enough of late to entertain the idea of a long post-season run.

5. Detroit Red Wings: General manager Ken Holland is looking at every possibility of landing a big scorer because Holland always looks at every possibility. He’s made overtures for most of the premium players, but Holland is saying he also doesn’t want to give up his future for a rental player. He believes he has enough depth to be a quality team for a few years if he doesn’t trade it away. The Red Wings will look at defensive depth, but that’s a lower priority than a scorer.

6. Vancouver Canucks: With Roberto Luongo in net, the Canucks have to believe they have a chance to win any playoff series. But they need scoring help. Earlier, the Canucks could have traded defensive depth for scoring, but injuries on the blue line have eliminated that option. Goaltending prospect Cory Schneider is someone a trading partner would like to have.

7. Nashville Predators: No big splash coming this season for general manager David Poile, but he’s looking at his options to acquire scoring depth.

And here are the supposed sellers:

1. Columbus Blue Jackets: Officially the Blue Jackets are undecided about selling because they are still in the playoff race. But it seems likely that they will be the belle of the ball on trade deadline day. If they don’t re-sign Adam Foote, it would seem logical to move him. Sergei Fedorov, Mike Peca, Ron Hainsey, David Vyborny and Jan Heyda are all potential rental players.

2. Los Angeles Kings: Rob Blake has said he doesn’t want to waive his no-trade clause, but my hunch is not all of the cards have been played in his scenario. Essentially, Blake can dictate where he wants to go, and he might still do that. Considering his affinity for the West Coast, the Ducks and Sharks seem like a good possibility. Although the Kings have shown a desire to re-sign Brad Stuart, there is no deal done yet. Stuart also would draw considerable interest, particularly with the lack of available defensemen.

3. St. Louis Blues: If a team is looking for defense, St. Louis is the place to shop. Barret Jackman and Bryce Salvador are both going to be unrestricted free agents this summer, and negotiations between Jackman and the Blues haven’t yielded success thus far. Jay McKee might also be a defenseman of interest, although his $4 million salary in each of the next two seasons puts him on the long-shot list.

The teams represented were the Montreal Canadiens, Vancouver Canucks, Anaheim Ducks, Phoenix Coyotes, Nashville Predators, Columbus Blue Jackets, Toronto Maple Leafs, Pittsburgh Penguins and New Jersey Devils.

While Gormley suggests that the scouts were there to observe the Lightning players, more than the Flyers, Philadelphia may end up becoming trading partner with Tampa.

The Flyers appear to have pegged pending Lightning unrestricted free agent defenseman Dan Boyle as their prime target.

But if the bidding war for the blueliner gets too intense, expect the Flyers to bow out of the running.

Flyers GM Paul Holmgren tells Gormley he would be “very” reluctant to trade either of his top two forward prospects in Claude Giroux and James van Riemsdyk for a rental.

Meanwhile, another Lightning player that could be on the move is forward Vaclav Prospal. He is indeed on the trading block and teams appear to have some interest in acquiring his services.

“You hear all the rumors and stuff, but you try not to take it to heart,” Klein said. “If it happens, it happens. Right now, I’m just trying to keep my head in Nashville.”

“People are coming up to me all the time lately and asking about rumors. I’ve just got to stay here and keep working hard.”

Last Thursday, for example, Klein received a text message from teammate Greg Zanon asking him: “Is it true?”

“I called him back and said, ‘Is what true?’ ” Klein said. “He said, ‘Are you going to San Jose?’ I said, ‘Not that I know of.’”

But despite all the rumors, Klein says that if it were up to him he’d like to remain with the Predators.

“I don’t want to move if I don’t have to,” Klein said. “But if they think it will better the team and I would go to a place where I’d get playing time, I’d have to deal with it when the time comes.”

“But right now I like it here. This is where I was drafted, so I’d like to make the NHL team here.”

And it appears that he has at least one fan: head coach Barry Trotz.

“I can tell you I think Kevin Klein has a long future with us,” Trotz said. “You never say never, but I expect him to be on our blueline for a number of years.”

“One thing you look at is when you put a lot of time and effort into developing a player, you know the player and his capabilities. You’ve already gone through the first three or four years of that process and he’s way ahead of the curve.”

According to Dupont, two NHL GMS claim that Sundin will accept a trade to the “right” team, likely meaning the Detroit Red Wings.

Dupont speculates that the Anaheim Ducks might also become players in the Sundin sweepstakes, but the Swede would choose the Red Wings since Detroit is so much closer to Toronto.

However, Sundin may not get dealt until UFA forward Peter Forsberg makes up his mind if, and where, he will play this season.

Forsberg, who is still in his native Sweden trying to test his surgically repaired ankle, is said to be interested in playing for the Philadelphia Flyers and Colorado Avalanche. The Ottawa Senators, Vancouver Canucks, and the Ducks are also thought to be on Forsberg’s list of possible destinations.

That’s a lot of contenders that will lose out on Forsberg. And that’s not including the teams that have already expressed interest in acquiring Forsberg’s services and were told not to bother.

Earlier in the week, Forsberg made it known that he has no desire in suiting up for the Nashville Predators, Dallas Stars, Red Wings, San Jose Sharks, Pittsburgh Penguins, and the Calgary Flames.

That’s a lot of teams looking to bolster their offense.

Perhaps they may have to settle for Sundin…

Front-runners in the Forsberg sweepstakes now appear to be Anaheim, Vancouver, Philly, and Colorado.

Here’s some purely speculative reasons for why Forsberg chose to pass on the six teams:

Nashville: Forsberg’s agent, Don Baizley, advises his client against returning to the city of foot-stomping bluegrass to avoid re-injuring the infamous feet.

Detroit: Decides after watching the Patriots lose on Sunday that he had better avoid the favourite if he wants to win another Championship.

Dallas: Southern Hospitality just doesn’t have the same appeal in Scandinavia.

Calgary: Afraid Cujo might’ve already used up the “You thought I was already collecting my NHLPA pension” jokes.

San Jose: Forsberg, like Shark management and fans, doubts San Jose’s chances of winning it all with Patrick Marleau as captain.

Pittsburgh: Foppa self-conscious of greying goatee in front of the peach fuzz Pens.

Forward Martin Erat and defenseman Ryan Suter and Shea Weber are among the pending restricted free agents Poile hopes to sign to contract extensions. Though deals aren’t imminent with any of them, Poile has already been in contact with the players’ agents.

While Poile hopes to get a deal done with all three before they become free agents, the possibility exists that an agreement can’t be reach. In fact, Suter’s agent told Poile that his client would much prefer if negotiations were put on hold until the season is over.

Regardless, the Predators GM says he will match any offer sheet made to the trio by another team now that the Predators have reached financial stability with the take-over of the David Freeman-led group back in December.

Poile tells Glennon that the new ownership group has provided him with the ability to retain the club’s free agents.

“We were certainly in a negative situation previous to the new owners coming in,” Poile said. “We weren’t signing players and in fact we were losing them.”

“Not only has the bleeding stopped, but I think from a fan’s standpoint and a player’s standpoint, they clearly see the franchise moving forward.”

“My goal is to go back to the NHL,” Forsberg told Swedish tabloid Aftonbladet.

Is Forsberg wants to play in the NHL this season he will have to sign with a team before the February 26 trade deadline, reports the Philadelphia Inquirer.

“I will have to decide pretty soon if there will be any hockey at all this season.”

So, where might the 34-year-old forward end up?

Philadelphia Flyers GM Paul Holmgren told the Inquirer that he would not be opposed to the idea of re-signing the club’s former captain.

“If you’re going to the OK Corral and you have a chance to bring another gun, why wouldn’t you?” Holmgren said last week.