Trade Activity to the Minute

Here's a link to the trade transaction summary as it happens:

http://www.sportscity.com/NHL-Trade-Deadline-Tracker

Just refresh the page every so often.

So everyone's up to date. Enjoy.

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Season Over.

After losing to Chicago on Sunday and then losing again tonight to Columbus, the Kings season is over. Done. Fini. When I can't get excited about watching any more games, I just know it's over.

The Kings have 21 games remaining this season but I don't think it's possible for them to win enough games to secure the eighth playoff spot in the West. Especially considering the way they've been playing as of late and how well some of the teams they're chasing have been playing. When the Kings play solid defense, they can't score. Yet when they find the back of the net they don't play well on defense. They won't finish last in the league or 29th, but I am worried that if they don't shape up soon they may find themselves sitting in last place in the Western Conference.

And to make matters worse, Jason LaBarbera is "Mr. March" in the Kings calendar; I'm going to have to replace him with someone else...probably Frolov.

The trade deadline is tomorrow. I didn't expect the Kings to be very active before tonight's game occurred and now that they lost the game, I definitely don't expect anything big. The team is in a selling position but the players most teams would want will not be traded unless it's an unbelievable deal that would have several highly touted prospects and/or high draft picks coming to LA. I could definitely see Kyle Calder being traded because he's a very gritty, in-your-face player that isn't afraid to go in the corners and do the dirty work. He hasn't taken as many dumb penalties lately and has proven that he can play well and even notch some points.

The only player I could see being dealt that would probably shock fans is Patrick O'Sullivan. He had an incredibly long contract dispute with the team over the off-season and he hasn't thrived offensively this year compared to last season (sounds a little too much like the Cammalleri situation). He's been shuffled around the lineup playing anywhere from the top line with Kopi and Brown to the fourth line. He's currently on the checking line with Handzus and Simmonds. He's a solid player but hasn't regained the scoring touch he had last year. However, the Kings have him for one more year on the cheaps, which is a pretty big reason to keep him.

Overall, I don't expect much to happen in LA tomorrow, probably just one minor trade. But, of course, I'll be glued to the interwebs all day, checking to see which teams go all in hoping to make the one crucial trade that will help them win the Cup.

(x-posted to Purple Crushed Velvet)

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Pacific Division Lead

Here's the thing. The Pacific Division is, traditionally, a nailbiter. By that, I mean that no one knows who holds the division lead until the last game of the season.

Now, if you look at just the points, the Stars have a fairly solid lead, with 87 points, while the Ducks trail at 81, and the Sharks just one point behind them. However, the Stars have had a rough, rough schedule this season thus far. They've had tons of long, hard road trips that included some tough back-to-backs. All in all, they've played a hard 69 games (which, by the way, is more than any other team in the league at this moment). The Ducks have played 67 games, and the Sharks 65. This may make it seem like it will be easy for those teams to catch up. While it is true that it's entirely possible that they could win all of their games (although the Sharks would be all of one point ahead, if they won all of their games in hand and the Stars lost all of their games until they got caught up), I feel some serious confidence on behalf of my Stars.

Why?

Well, I'm glad you asked. You may know that the Stars inherited one Bradley Richards, from the Tampa Bay Lightning, on trade deadline day (we also got some dude named Clay Aiken...I mean, Johan Holmqvist). When the trade was first announced, I screamed, cried, and threw a fit, calling for Brett Hull's head on a stick and planning to picket in front of the Stars' practice facility. I gave myself a few hours before I actually acted on any of those impulses, and I'm glad I did, because even thinking about it, it appeared more and more like a good idea. And then he played in his first game. Five assists. Five. Assists. He won't play like that every night, obviously (he certainly didn't on Saturday night), but if he can produce even half that in the playoffs? He's worth that $7.8 million price tag.

That's not saying I won't miss Jussi Jokinen, Jeff Halpern, and Mike Smith (my favorite goalie who looked like a love child of Derian Hatcher and a Chia Pet), because I will. Y'all, I'm being forced to watch Tampa Bay Lightning games for them. That Lecavalier guy is pretty rad, I hear.

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Where has the season gone?!

Trade deadline already has come and gone? Wow. I'm a slacker.

SO. Everyone was speculating about a move of Sharks Captain, Pat Marleau. Didn't happen. I didn't think it would. I just had a feeling (Shut up.... the force is strong with me) he'd stay with the team despite his obvious clashing with the coach.

HOWEVER, they did make a trade. The Sharks acquired D-Brian Campbell and a 2008 7th round pick for F-Steve Bernier and a 2008 1st round pick.

I think this was a good move for the Sharks. The team has ample strength in the forward department and the defense and power play both have left a little to be desired. Campbell provides great skating speed and has the ability to help the sharks put up some numbers.

Campbell was really emotional about the trade at first, even tearing up a little as he talked to the press. After all, he did spend 10 seasons there. But he said he's excited to join the Sharks and is getting over the initial shock and sadness. He's played with both Mike Grier and Curtis Brown and told NHL.com that he played summer hockey with Joe Thornton when they were youngsters, growing up not too far from one another.

UPDATE:
WHAT THE TRUCK?! How did I miss THIS?! Apparently Brian Boucher is now a member of the Sharks. I watched him when he played for Tri-City of the WHL and have followed him loosely the past few years. Another great addition, in my opinion, especially with Bouche playing in the AHL this season - I'm sure he's ready to show everyone he still belongs in the show.

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Big Bang, I'm back

And who would have guessed it? So are the Habs!

The NHL trade deadline is coming up on Tuesday and to everyone's surprise, the Montreal Canadiens are only one point back of the East leading Senators, who are currently LOSING to The Crosby Show(okay so he's not even on the ice, but you get my drift) 3-2, heading into the third period of play.

What does this mean you ask? It means, darlings, that the Habs are going to be playas come deadline day. Names being mentioned you ask?

1. Mats Sundin - ICK ooh. ICK. So he was hot once, back when he had the Campbell's Soup Commercial, and so what he scores points. He's a LAFF. Ain't no way he can wear the Red, White & Blue. I'd rather die then cheer for Sundin.
2. Brad Richards - YUMMY. On many levels. both PPG (point per game) and HMH (Hottie Mc Hottie)-wise. Of course, his salary is somewhat ridiculous, which may strap the Habs for cash, so I'm not completely sure that my Habs should go in this direction. That said, he adds depth down the middle, and since the Habs are currently TWO points back of 1st in the East, they could use some of that y'all.
3. Marian Hossa - I totally love the Hossa's so I am completely biased. When the Habs traded away baby Hossa for Garth Murray I was bitter. Don't get me wrong, I love Garth. He's a dirty Regina boy, so I gotta give him mad luv, but baby Hossa has done good things for the Rangers, while Garth was placed on waivers this year. So I think another Hossa would be a great pick up for the Habs.

Those are the top three names being banded about, and really I think only #2 and #3 are possibilities. The Habs can easily give up Ryder, who is clearly sucking a nut this season, while being able to toss in a name like Josh Georges (who I hate for all kinds of non-hockey related reasons) and a draft pick, because clearly our drafting is like, erratic at best. I mean, we didn't even pick up Espo #2, and we had the chance.

The Habs will be buyers come deadline day. The only questions left to answer are who are they going to buy? And what will they give up to get them?

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Trades! Trades! Trades!

If you've elected to take the smart route and try not to let Trade Deadline '07 consume your life Mirtle's Globe Blog and 2 Man Advantage both have very excellent Trade round-ups for you.

All I have to say about the Senators inaction is said at my blog. Other than that I don't know whether or not to feel sorry for my dear Marty Biron. Finally able to paint his mask and be a starter somewhere, but banished to Philly.

As for the Trade Deadline Network Battle? I'm going to say it's a Toss-Up between the Score and TSN. I think Sportsnet just gave up.

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