It’s hard to imagine this phenomenon of a player has any competition for the number 1 spot in this year’s draft, but alas, he does. Swedish defenseman Victor Hedman is making headway to the top of the 09 draft. Often mentioned in the same breath as fellow country man and six-time Norris trophy winner Niklas Lidstrom, Hedman has quickly drawn favorable comparisons to the Anaheim Ducks’ Chris Pronger. Certainly, there will be doubters, especially with the recent trend of over hyped prospects emerging out of Europe. Including but not limited to: classic late-bloomer Fabian Brunnstrom, who has yet to step foot on NHL ice, but is already drawing comparisons to Henrik Zetterberg and Daniel Alfredsson, which mind you is very possible, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves just yet. Lest we forget glorified Toronto Maple Leaf defenseman Anton Stralman, who by many accounts from over-zealous Maple Leaf followers is considered to be the next Bobby Orr. However, while these players receive warranted attention, this particular 6’6, 220lbs defenseman is considered the complete player. He skates like the wind and plays a risky, bordering on dirty game, and completes that with sublime offensive skills. Last year at the age of 17, he was playing full-time for MoDo in Sweden’s Elite League (SEL). A paucity in a league deemed to be not that far removed from the caliber of the NHL. This upcoming season, he will be expected to be a staple on the parent squad. He has franchise defenseman written all over him and has proved time and time again, whether it be in the SEL or a circuit in the World Juniors, that he can play with the best of them.

Of course, there are a select few others that may take the ranks of the #1 spot this fall. 2006 1^st overall selection of the Spokane Chiefs; Jared Cowen is turning heads in the WHL, and is widely considered to be a lock in the top 5. Another standout comes from the WHL, his name is Brayden Schenn. Sibling to Toronto Maple Leaf’s first round selection Luke Schenn. Unlike his brother, he plays forward. In his inaugural season, he amassed 28 goals and 43 assists, for 71 points in 66 games. By all accounts, he is expected to improve on those numbers with aplomb. Rounding out the top 5 is Swedish prospect; Magnus Svensson-Pääjärvi. A name I still have trouble trying to pronounce, this slick Swede is being mentioned in the same breath as Ilya Kovalchuck. While these players have an amazing amount of skill, scouts across the globe believe that the number 1 pick belongs to one of John Tavares or Victor Hedman. This upcoming season will be the mitigating factor in which we see these potential franchise players end up.

Personally, I believe that these two players have an inordinate amount of talent. They are both masters at their craft and equally skilled in their own regard. That is why I imagine that when D-day arrives, it will be a choice of position rather than skill. For years, the philosophy amongst NHL GM’s is that they will always take the best player available. While that statement still rings true, I believe that these two franchise players are equal in talent and will ultimately be up to the specific teams needs. For the purpose of simplicity, let’s analyze only the projected bottom five teams of this years’ NHL season. The Atlanta Thrashers, New York Islanders, Toronto Maple Leafs, Los Angeles Kings & St. Louis Blues all have a legitimate shot and receiving the 1^st overall pick this June. With Ilya Kovalchuk’s contract coming to a completion at the conclusion of the 09-10 season, the Atlanta Thrashers will be desperate for offence. Furthermore, with the inclusion of recently drafted Zach Bogosian, they already have a potential franchise defenseman. Could the addition of John Tavares entice Kovalchuck to stay? Next is the New York Islanders. Seemingly devoid of any top-line talent at forward or defense, they could go either way. A duo of John Tavares and Kyle Okposo could be very intriguing. However, they are severely lacking in defensive prospects as well. The Toronto Maple Leafs recent drafting of Luke Schenn pretty much eliminates them from choosing Hedman, as they are desperate for a scoring forward. What better way to replace long-time captain Mats Sundin with home-grown native John Tavares, something that will certainly please Leaf nation. The Los Angeles Kings and St. Louis Blues are two teams that are stock-piled with defensive prospects. While the former has Drew Doughty, Thomas Hickey and Jack Johnson, the latter has Eric Johnson, Alex Pietrangelo and Steve Wagner. These two teams would almost certainly jump at the opportunity to bolster their lineup with some much needed offence. At first glance, it almost seems that the glaring need for these five bottom-feeding teams is offence, in which John Tavares certainly fits the bill. But, in what may become one of the biggest debates throughout the NHL’s 08-09 season, it really comes down to choice. Who would you pick?

VERSUS will kick-off the Conference Finals with a special 30-minute “Hockey Central” on May 8 at 7 p.m. ET, prior to Game 1 of the Western Conference Final between Dallas and Detroit. VERSUS’ Stanley Cup Playoffs coverage will culminate with exclusive coverage of the first two games of the Stanley Cup Final. All VERSUS-produced games are produced in hi-definition.

The network’s studio show, “Hockey Central,” is hosted by Bill Patrick with Brian Engblom and Keith Jones and provides extensive insight and commentary of the games and what’s happening around the Stanley Cup Playoffs each night. VERSUS will, on occasion, bring players and coaches into the studio to serve as celebrity guest analysts. In the Quarterfinal round, Manny Legace, goaltender for the St. Louis Blues and Rick DiPietro, goaltender for the New York Islanders joined the VERSUS studio crew. Additions in the Conference Final round will be announced as information becomes available.

Among the regular segments of the studio show are the following:

• Keith Jones’ Odd Man Rush, Keith’s unique look at the plays and players who have put themselves in the spotlight, whether for good or bad
• Brian Engblom’s Reality Check, Brian’s personal opinion on NHL issues
• Highlights from games not airing on VERSUS, as well as Plays of the Week
• Parting Shots; where Engblom and Jones debate bullet point debate topics in rapid fire fashion
• Live-Look-Ins wherever possible, bringing viewers live action from games being played concurrently during VERSUS’ telecast
• Features on NHL players away from the ice
• Historical recaps which spotlight the defining and greatest moments in NHL Stanley Cup history

Total viewership for “Hockey Central” during the first two rounds of this postseason has increased 65 percent compared to the first two playoff rounds last year.

Stamford, CONN. (April 8, 2008)—VERSUS, the exclusive cable television home of the NHL, will televise wall-to-wall Stanley Cup Playoffs action starting April 9 with the Conference Quarterfinals as the Ottawa Senators begin their series against the Pittsburgh Penguins at 7 p.m. ET followed by Game 1 of the series between the Calgary Flames and the San Jose Sharks at 10 p.m. ET. VERSUS will kick-off the night with “Hockey Central” at 6:30 p.m. ET. The network will air all of the rounds leading up to and including the first two games of the Stanley Cup Final. Each night during the playoffs, VERSUS will televise one or two playoff games as well as the studio wrap-up show, “Hockey Central.”

Now in its third year televising the NHL, VERSUS has seen a substantial increase in total viewership and ratings for the 2007/08 regular season compared to the 2006/07 campaign. At the conclusion of this year’s regular season, national household ratings were up 50 percent (.3 vs. .2), total viewership showed an increase of 28 percent (272,417 vs. 212,366), household impressions were up 20 percent (192,675 vs. 160,134) and viewership for Men 25-54 was up 45 percent (99,753 vs. 69,018).

In the Conference Quarterfinals, which begin on April 9, VERSUS’ coverage is non-exclusive and subject to local blackouts. In the Conference Semifinals, which are scheduled to begin April 23, VERSUS has two exclusive games per series. During the Conference Finals, which are scheduled to begin on May 8, the network will have exclusive coverage of both series. The total number of playoff games will vary depending upon the length of each individual series. VERSUS’ Stanley Cup Playoffs coverage will culminate with the first two games of the Stanley Cup Final, currently scheduled for May 27 and 29. All VERSUS-produced games in each series will be produced in hi-definition. VERSUS will, when feasible, simulcast games from Canadian networks to give viewers the unique perspective of other networks’ coverage.

“As the exclusive cable television home of the NHL, it is our goal to super-serve hockey fans during both the regular season and Stanley Cup Playoffs,” said Gavin Harvey, President of VERSUS. “Our best-in-class production and hours of in-depth coverage, coupled with our tremendous presence online, on demand and on mobile, makes VERSUS the ultimate destination for both the casual and hardcore hockey fan.”

Check out VERSUS’ entire quarterfinal coverage for dates and times.

HOCKEY CENTRAL:

The network’s studio show, “Hockey Central,” is hosted by Bill Patrick with Brian Engblom and Keith Jones and will provide extensive insight and commentary of the games and what’s happening around the Stanley Cup Playoffs each night. VERSUS will also, on occasion, bring players and coaches into the studio to serve as celebrity guest analysts. From April 10 through April 14, Manny Legace, goaltender for the St. Louis Blues, will be the first guest to join the VERSUS studio crew.

Among the regular segments of the studio show are the following:

• Keith Jones’ Odd Man Rush, Keith’s unique look at the plays and players who have put themselves in the spotlight, whether for good or bad
• Brian Engblom’s Reality Check, Brian’s personal opinion on NHL issues
• Highlights from games not airing on VERSUS, as well as Plays of the Week
• Parting Shots; where Engblom and Jones debate bullet point debate topics in rapid fire fashion
• Live-Look-Ins wherever possible, bringing viewers live action from games being played concurrently during VERSUS’ telecast
• Features on NHL players away from the ice
• Historical recaps which spotlight the defining and greatest moments in NHL Stanley Cup history

VERSUS-on-Demand:

Each night VERSUS features a playoff match-up, the network will deliver a condensed highlight version of the game that will be distributed via the network’s VOD platform. These will be available the morning after game play, so that hockey fans who may not have seen the previous night’s game won’t miss out on any of the playoff action.

WEB AND MOBILE:

Throughout the 2008 Stanley Cup Playoffs, VERSUS.com will continue to provide extensive information about the NHL, including editorial coverage from some of the most knowledgeable hockey sources. The network also launched the playoffs specific microsite (www.versus.com/stanleycup), which features a video library of the defining moments from last year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs as well as the best moments in Stanley Cup Playoffs history. The network’s website will ramp up daily coverage to include game Podcasts and highlights from all of VERSUS’ games as well as daily insider video featuring VERSUS’ NHL talent on the network’s broadband channel “The Player.” Each night after the studio show, VERSUS’ talent will film web-exclusive content that will give the inside scoop on what has happened to-date in the playoffs, as well as their predictions for the future games in the series. The website will also feature a fan zone area where viewers can submit their ultimate NHL moment and photos of a game they attended for a chance to win great playoff prizes.

The network will run media rich banner advertisements on national sports and endemic hockey websites which will, when clicked on, feature expanding video of the previous night’s game highlights. In addition to the media rich banners, VERSUS will also place flash banners on these national sports and endemic hockey sites which will allow viewers to enter their mobile telephone number to receive real-time game alerts throughout the playoffs including when games are about to go in to sudden-death overtime.

VERSUS celebrates real competition in all its forms across all platforms (VERSUS.com, VERSUS on Demand and VERSUS HD). Now in more than 74 million homes, the network is the national cable home of the National Hockey League (NHL) and the Stanley Cup Playoffs as well as best-in-class events such as The Tour de France, Davis Cup Tennis, the Professional Bull Riders (PBR), World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) and Professional Boxing. The network also offers collegiate sports featuring nationally-ranked teams from top conferences such as the Pac-10, Big 12 and Mountain West. VERSUS features the best field sports programming on television and is a destination for sports fans, athletes and sportsmen to find exclusive, competitive events that audiences can’t find elsewhere. VERSUS, a wholly owned company of Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCSA, CMCSK), is distributed via cable systems and satellite operators throughout the United States.

This year’s Rookie Draft features only one “Can’t Miss” prospect….Steve Stamkos, a scoring dynamo whose potential appears to be just slightly below that of current Hockey Gods Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin. Unless the Universe completely implodes before June 20, it seems to be as certain as Death and Taxes that Stamkos will end up with the Tampa Bay Lightning, who hold the #1 pick.

Trying to ascertain where the rest of the field of prospects might be drafted has produced a great deal of heated debate, especially among Islander fans. There is a huge contingent who declares that obtaining a player with offensive skills should be the highest priority. There is an equally large group who is of the opinion that the Islanders should take the best player available, regardless of the position he plays.

Where Ms. Luck was exceptionally cruel was in how she chose to let the season play out. Up until the last day of the season, the Isles had an opportunity to move up another spot to the #4 position, which would have narrowed the speculation and increased their chances to pick the player that they want, whomever he may be. However, even though their 79 points tied St. Louis for the season, it was the Blues who won the tiebreaker. A few losses here and there coupled with a little bit more success on the part of St. Louis and the Draft landscape might be looking remarkably different.

Alas, it was not to be. GM Garth Snow is now charged with the Herculean task to determine which of the remaining available skaters might alter his team’s fortunes for the better. Though there are excellent players beyond just Stamkos, they all come with question marks regarding their individual games. Should Snow select poorly, his decision could have ramifications for years to come.

Lady Luck….Baby….I promise to do the dishes, clean the bathroom and cuddle with more frequency. Fine…we won’t have Arby’s more than once a week. I’ll do anything you want.

Just don’t reject my advances again.

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.”

“I don’t know… I haven’t thought about it yet,” Rucinsky said. “This year has been a tough year for me, all the way around. I’ll see what happens. I’m not going to make any decisions now. It wouldn’t make sense. I’ll take some time off, see what happens and I’m going to look at my options and see if I want to play… if I don’t want to play.”

The Blues tried to move Rucinsky before this month’s trade deadline, but teams weren’t lining up to take on his $4.75 million contract salary. The Czech forward says that while he didn’t think about the possibility of being moved before the deadline, he would have kept an open mind.

“I wasn’t really thinking about it to be honest with you,” said Rucinsky, who has a no-trade clause. “If something would come along then I would have looked at it. If not, then fine. I wanted to stay here… I’ve been here for two years. I like my teammates and I want to finish it here.”

However, it would have been hard for Rucinsky to leave his teammates and the organization while they are going through tough times.

“I decided to sign here two years ago, and I pretty much stuck to it the whole two years,” Rucinsky said. “I’m not the kind of person that’s going to run away from problems. I knew coming here could go either way. The team when I came here signed some new guys to try and make the team better. Obviously I know [Blues President John Davidson] from New York. I decided to come here and I’m not going to look at it as a bad two years.”

In fact, Rucinsky says that he loves playing in St. Louis and would consider a return.

“I love it here, I like this city… when I was here the first time, it was a good year. We made the playoffs. I always like St. Louis and will have good memories. Obviously it would be way better if we make the playoffs both years, but that’s the way it is sometimes. It’s not an easy thing to do these days, make the playoffs. It didn’t happen. Everything bad is happening for some good reason. I believe in that. As long as you survive, then it’s good.”

And if things don’t work out with the Blues, don’t expect Rucinsky to retire. The veteran feels he’s still got something to offer.

“I can play this game,” Rucinsky said. “When I’m healthy, I feel pretty good… I feel strong. Conditioning-wise, it’s not a problem at all. Obviously I’m not 22 years old any more, but I feel like I can skate. I think that I can contribute somehow somewhere, but we’ll see what happens.”

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.

“You know, my home state would be a nice opportunity but honestly, Buffalo’s been great to me,” Miller said. “I have a lot of fun here. We have a young core of guys. As far as I know, you guys got Hasek and (Chris) Osgood. I’m settled here and happy here.”

“I’d like to stay. I’d like the opportunity to keep building here. Who knows how hockey careers go?”

While the Philadelphia Flyers went hard after defensemen Dan Boyle of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Brian Campbell of the Buffalo Sabres to fill their need for a puck-moving blueliner, team president Peter Luukko tells Ed Moran of the Philadelphia Daily News that it may be a good thing.

“Sometimes,” Luukko said, “the best deal you make is the one you don’t make.”

The Flyers appear to be content with not having dealt their young talent at the trade deadline, like forward Jeff Carter.

Meanwhile, Moran reports that the Flyers may not offer a contract to pending UFA defenseman Jason Smith.

Pittsburgh Post Gazette’s Dave Molinari reports that Pittsburgh Penguins pending unrestricted free agent forward Marian Hossa will “be entitled to have a no-trade clause in his next contract.”

According to Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post Dispatch, the St. Louis Blues are in dire need of a front-line center.

The Blues will receive a fourth round draft pick in return.

More details to follow.

The Blues are now confirming the deal to Sportsnet.

TSN now has this on their website with a few comments from the Blues.

“We feel that Cam’s style of play will bring energy and grit to our lineup and being from St. Louis, feel that he will be an instant fan favorite here,” said team president John Davidson in a statement.

“Our depth at defense enabled us to make this move. We admire and respect Bryce as a player for what he did on and off the ice in St. Louis and thank Bryce and his wife April for their contributions as members of our family.”

Stay tuned as more information comes in.

“Barret has been a staple on the blueline for the Blues since his rookie season,” said Blues General Manager John Davidson in a statement. “He logs plenty of minutes per game and will continue to be a key part of our team as we move forward.”

Jackman said in a statement that his main priority was to remain in St. Louis.

“I have said all along that I wanted to remain in St. Louis,” stated Jackman. “The Blues drafted me, I met my wife here and I want to raise a family here. I’m excited about the direction of this franchise and love playing in front of Blues fans.

The deal is believed to be worth a total of $14.4 million.

Jackman has accumulated two goals and six assists in 58 games for the Blues this season.

The list includes defensemen Barret Jackman, Bryce Salvador and Matt Walker along with forward Ryan Johnson, but it remains uncertain who stays and who goes.

That will depend on how contract negotiations progress with each UFA-to-be, says Blues President John Davidson.

“We still haven’t gotten to final negotiations with people, and we need to know every avenue before we make a decision,” Davidson said. “That is, ‘Do you want the player? Does he want to stay? How many years does he want on a contract and how much (money)?’ And then, ‘What is the world of trade offering you as an organization for someone’s services?’”

“You’ve got to weigh everything, and until you get to the final chapter of the book, you can’t make a rational decision.”

Word is that Jackman took a pass on a Blues offer of three years extension, averaging just under $3 million per season. It’s thought Jackman is looking for an average of between $4-$5 million, but now says he is willing to take “market value.”

“I want to stay with the Blues, but we’ll see how everything works out from their end,” Jackman said Saturday.

In any case, Davidson is adamant about not overpaying for his UFA blueliners because of the organization’s depth on the blueline.

“You have to project,” Davidson said. “Erik Johnson will get more minutes next year. You’ve got people that are pushing from the Peoria club. We’ve got evolution happening here. They’re close. They’re really close and you never know until you find out. That’s what their here for.”

Meanwhile, there are rumors that the New York Rangers have expressed some interest in forward Martin Rucinsky. Davidson says that if the right deal came along for Rucinsky, he’d definitely ask the forward to waive his no-trade clause.

“I haven’t talked to Marty,” Davidson said. “If something good came up, and we feel it was the right thing to do, I’d certainly talk to him.”

Of course, deadline day could bring some unforeseen opportunities, and Davidson says the Blues will be prepared to deal with anything that comes their way.

“It’s a very intriguing process that will really heat up in the next couple of days. When you have 30 teams involved in this — buyers, sellers, people thinking long-term, people thinking short term — you’ve got to make sure you have everything in place before you make a decision. And that’s what we’re trying to do. We’re right in the middle of that right now.”

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.

As for playing in the NHL next season, Sundin says he’s yet to make a decision.

“I have not even thought about it,” Sundin said. “I know I told you guys but I will say it again. Last summer I made a decision that I am really going to play it by year, for my sake and for my team’s sake. I don’t want to lock myself up or lock a team up. I think it’s a fair deal when you are at my age just to listen to your body and your mental state — make decisions once the season is over.”

John Dellapina of the New York Daily News reports that the New York Rangers have inked number one goalie Henrik Lundqvist to a multi-year contract.

The deal is said to be worth an average of $6.5 million per season for six years.

A formal announcement could come as early as Wednesday.

After making a four player trade earlier in the week, Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun reports that Ottawa Senators GM Bryan Murray is not finished adding depth to his roster.

It’s believed that Murray would like to acquire “one more winger and possibly a puck-moving defenceman.”

Speculation is that the Senators have already contacted the Tampa Bay Lightning to inquire about the availability of pending UFA defenseman Dan Boyle. The Senators may also have some interest in St. Louis Blues soon-to-be UFA blueliner Bryce Salvador.

Meanwhile, Murray is still interested in UFA forward Peter Forsberg, though the consensus among hockey people is that the Swede will sign with the Philadelphia Flyers if and when he decides to return to the NHL.

The Los Angeles Times reports that Los Angeles Kings GM Dean Lombardi will meet with pending UFA defenseman Rob Blake to discuss the player’s future with the club.

“There are a lot of things involved in making this decision, and a lot he has to process,” Lombardi said from St. Louis before [Tuesday's] game against the Blues.

Lombardi is said to have given Blake a “list of 10 teams that had expressed interest in acquiring” his services with the hopes the veteran blueliner will waive his no-trade clause and accept a move out of town.

Columbus Blue Jackets pending UFA David Vyborny tells Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch that neither he nor his representatives have had any contract negotiations with GM Scott Howson.

“We haven’t talked,” Vyborny said.

Tom Reed of The Columbus Dispatch reports that Howson will once again meet with pending UFA defenseman Adam Foote to discuss the player’s interest in signing a contract extension.

David Pollak of the Mercury News reports that scouts from the Senators, Lightning, Florida Panthers, Washington Capitals, Dallas Stars, Montreal Canadiens and the New York Rangers were all present for Tuesday’s game between the San Jose Sharks and Calgary Flames in San Jose.

All six teams are currently out of the playoff race, and if things remain the same, could decide to move some of their pending unrestricted and restricted free agents, as well as some of their more expensive players.

In Toronto, forward Mats Sundin (UFA) would have to waive his no-trade clause to be moved; contenders would be all over the talented Swede. Other forwards thought to be available are Vaclav Prospal (UFA) of the Lightning, Mike Comrie (UFA) of the Islanders, and Martin Lapointe (UFA) and Martin Havlat of the Blackhawks.

As for defensemen, the Lightning’s Dan Boyle will be much sought after. The New York Rangers are thought to be interested in Barrett Jackman of the Blues and Rob Blake or Brad Stuart of the Kings. Bryce Salvador of the Blues could add some inexpensive depth for playoff-bound teams.

Maple Leafs blueliner Pavel Kubina is also believed to be on the market, but with two years left on his contract at $5 million per season, he could be hard to deal.

Meanwhile, Zipay speculates that if the Atlanta Thrashers, Columbus Blue Jackets, Buffalo Sabres, and Colorado Avalanche fall out of playoff contentions they may also be inclined to ditch some payroll and move some of their soon-to-be UFAs.

That list could include forwards Marian Hossa of the Thrashers and Sergei Fedorov of the Blue Jackets, as well as defensemen Brian Campbell of the Sabres and John-Michael Liles of the Avalanche.

Word is that the asking price for top players is a roster player, a prospect, and first round draft pick.

“Definitely,” said Salvador, who could become an unrestricted free agent this summer. “I’ve been fortunate to be here my whole career. I’ve been in the organization for 10-plus years now; it’s been a good time.”

In fact, Salvador’s agent, Carlos Sosa, is to meet with Blues management for “the first real talks we’re going to have.”

But if an agreement can’t be reached and the Blues assess their playoff aspirations as over, Salvador could be dealt.

His future here “depends where (the Blues) come from,” Sosa said. “If there’s a deal to be done, that’s good, and if there’s not, then we’ll all wait.”

The veteran blueliner is well aware that he could end up with another team.

“… sometimes what you want isn’t always what you get. So we’ll just see how it plays out.”

Aside from Salvador, defenseman Barret Jackman and forward Ryan Johnson are also UFAs and might be offered around the league.

If the Lightning let Lecavalier finish out his contract and let him become an unrestricted free agent on July 1 of 2009, speculation is that the Montreal Canadiens may offer him between $72-$75 million over seven years.

While Larry Brooks of the New York Post reports that Atlanta Thrashers GM Don Waddell is still trying to re-sign pending UFA forward Marian Hossa, Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun reports that Hossa has let it be know that he won’t return to the club.

Meanwhile, Aaron Portzline of The Columbus Dispatch suggests that some sort of conclusion to the situation could come after the next eight to 10 games.

If Hossa is shopped, Garrioch lists the Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers and Detroit Red Wings as the front-runners to acquire Hossa’s services. Teams like the Ottawa Senators, Dallas Stars, San Jose Sharks and Boston Bruins are also said to have expressed interest in Hossa.

According to Garrioch, the Florida Panthers are shopping forward Olli Jokinen due to the players’ falling out with head coach and GM Jacques Martin.

Among teams hoping to get a shot at acquiring Jokinen are the Calgary Flames and the Stars.

Garrioch also reports that the struggling Tampa Bay Lightning are looking to move a number of players, including forwards Chris Gratton,