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 Marian Hossa made his debut for the Pittsburgh Penguins and 13 shifts later was sidelined with an injury.
In unfornutate incident, Hossa and Boston Bruins forward Glen Murray had an accidental knee on knee hit. Hossa left the game with a slight MCL sprain. He is expected only to miss a week.
The Boston Bruins won their fifth straight easily defeating the Penguins 5-1. Goaltender Tim Thoms made 27 saves just missing his second consecutive shutout. They have now 7 wins in the last 8 games, and are now within striking distance of the top spot in the Eastern Conference.
Quick Shave:
The Eastern Conference is really anybody's to grab. There is no clear cut favorite to walk away with the Conference Championship, and only 9 points separate East leading New Jersey Devils from the 8th place Philadelphia Flyers. The Ottawa Senators who had a healthy lead a few months ago are crashing and burning right now. Bryan Murray was on the bench last night after firing coach John Paddock but his presence did little to inspire the club as they fell for the third straight game, this time to the Philadelphia Flyers 3-1. It's going to be another tight race that goes down to the final games of the season again, but this time the focus will be on seeding rather than who makes the playoffs.
Brad Richards debut with the Dallas Stars would have to be called a huge success. Richards scored a career high 5 points, setting up 5 goals, including linemate Nik Hagman's first ever NHL Hat Trick. The Stars defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 7-4 last night.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 While many clubs were riding a high following the trade deadline, the Ottawa Senators look as though they are still stuck in neutral with a hint of hitting reverse.
The Senators were shutout for the second consecutive game as they fell to the Boston Bruins last night 4-0. Bruins goaltender Tim Thomas made 22 saves for his second shutout of the season, and blanked Ottawa again, a night after they fell to the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-0. Boston Bruins defenceman and former Sen, Zdeno Chara scored two goals in the game.
The Senators have fallen from the top spot in the Eastern Conference, behind the New Jersey Devils have won only two games in their last eight. Ottawa was relatively quiet today acquiring forward Martin Lapointe from the Chicago Blackhawks for a sixth round pick.... in all honesty I didn't even realize this guy was playing anymore. The Senators should have traded for Eric Daze while they were at it.
Quick Shave:
So let's talk about the trades yesterday. Even though it was heavily criticized (mostly by Pierre Mcguire, who thought they gave up way too much), I like the Pittsburgh Penguins aggressiveness in picking up Marian Hossa. As much as the Pens liked Colby Armstrong, there's no denying the offensive boost Hossa will bring to this club, and the overall balance it will bring to their attack when Crosby returns to the lineup. Taking penalties against this team will be suicide. I think the Penguins will have a good chance to re-sign Hossa too, especially if he gels with the team. The Washington Capitals made a couple of interesting moves. First, basically stealing the Montreal Canadiens goaltender Cristobal Huet for a second round pick 20 years from now, and acquiring Sergei Federov from the Columbus Blue Jackets. Olaf Kolzig has done little to inspire confidence in net, so Huet will certainly be an upgrade. Federov is a wild card, but may find another gear playing between his countrymen Ovechkin, and Semin. I think these deals will push them into a playoff spot. Finally, if Brad Richards can live up to his billing, then the Dallas Stars probably made the best deal of the day yesterday. Richards will finally recieve top line minutes as well as top calibre linemates.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
The Pittsburgh Penguins made a huge splash at the zero hour, just minutes before the 3:00 trade deadline to acquire Marian Hossa from the Atlanta Thrashers.
Hossa was widely considered this year's trade deadline prize especially after Toronto Maple Leafs captain Mats Sundin withdrew his name from rumors by waiving his no-trade clause. The Penguins acquired Marian Hossa, and forward Pascal Dupuis from the Thrashers in exhange for forwards Colby Armstrong, Erik Christensen, prospect Angelo Esposito and a first round draft pick.
The Thrashers were unable to sign Hossa to a long-term contract prior to the deadline and much like the Sabres who dealt defenceman Brian Campbell earlier today, chose to trade their asset, rather than lose the player to free agency this summer.
Hossa has 26 goals and 56 points this season, and will most likely be united with Penguins superstar Sidney Crosby upon his return from injury.
The Penguins also acquired defenceman Hal Gill from the Toronto Maple Leafs for a pair of draft picks.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 Looks as though the future is now in Montreal as the Canadiens have dealt their former number one goaltender Cristobal Huet to the Washington Capitals in exchange for a second round pick.
This trade really shook up the gang at the trade center and may really send shockwaves throughout Montreal. For Washington, the Capitals get a solid presence in net, and gave up very little to get Huet.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 The first big trade of the day is done.
The Buffalo Sabres sent defenceman Brian Campbell to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for forward Steve Bernier and a first round draft pick. The Sabres were unable to come to an agreement with Campbell on a contract extension and opted to trade the star d-man rather than risk losing him as an unrestricted free agent this summer. Campbell has 5 goals and 43 points in 63 games this season.
The Dallas Stars and Tampa Bay Lightning have agreed on a trade for forward Brad Richards. Both teams now were waiting to see if Richards would waive his no-trade clause and confirm the deal. The Tampa Bay Lightning send forward Brad Richards and goaltender Johan Holmqvist to the Dallas Stars in exchange for goaltender Mike Smith, center Jeff Halpern and winger Jussin Jokinen. Looks like Modano gets his winger.
The New Jersey Devils acquired defenceman Bryce Salvadore from the St. Louis Blues for forward Cam Janssen earlier today and the Toronto Maple Leafs sent tough guy Wade Belak to the Florida Panthers for 5th round pick.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 Who do you think is most dissapointed that Mats Sundin chose not to waive his no-trade clause? Leafs fans, or Senators fans?
The Toronto Maple Leafs, the NHL's media darlings exploded for 5 goals, 4 in the second period alone, and dismantled the Eastern Conference's second best team in the Ottawa Senators 5-0. The Sens sit in the number two spot behind the New Jersey Devils, but played like number two last night against the... dare I say... surging Maple Leafs?
Leafs forward Darcy Tucker scored twice and assisted on another, and Mats Sundin who refused to play for any club other than Toronto rewarded his club with the game winner and opening goal of the night. Leafs goaltender Vesa Toskala made 31 saves for the shutout win, his third of the regular season.
Ottawa Senators goaltender Ray Emery allowed 5 goals on 21 shots before being lifted for Martin Gerber. Will this loss stir the pot leading up to this afternoon's trade deadline? I would think so.
On the flip side, how interesting would it be if Sundin's refusal to waive his no-trade clause actually spurns the Leafs right into the playoffs? Stranger things have happened, and if you look at the current standings, the Leafs are only 6 points out of the playoffs. Unlikely... perhaps, but possible.
 Quick Shave:
The Philadelphia Flyers have had a rough go of it lately. Dropping 10 in a row, and being spurned by UFA Peter Forsberg earlier in the day, who preferred to sign with his original club the Colorado Avalanche, feelings of joy were probably few and far between within this lineup. However the Flyers battled back from a 3 goal defecit to tie the Buffalo Sabres, and force OT and the shootout. Former Sabre, and highly criticized forward Daniel Briere potted the game winner in the shootout to give his new club the 4-3 win. Tampa Bay Lightning defenceman Dan Boyle signed a long-term contract extension worth $40 million over the next 6 years, and effectively removed any chance of him being traded later today. The Lightning also shipped forward Vaclav Prospal to the Philadelphia Flyers for d-man Alexandre Picard and a pick.
The clock is ticking folks, and the landscape of the NHL could look dramatically different by 3:00 PM this afternoon. I'll keep you posted! Beard it up folks!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 He will return. He won't return. He will return.
The Colorado Avalanche have signed free agent forward Peter Forsberg. Forsberg has been volleying the notion of returning to the NHL all year long and after several setbacks has finally made his comeback a reality.
Agreeing to a one year deal worth $5 million with his former club the Colorado Avalanche (the deal being pro-rated, Forsberg will earn roughly $1 million for the remainder of the season). The Avs could use the boost a healthy Forsberg would bring to their lineup. They currently sit in the 10th spot overall in the Western Conference just 4 points out of the 8th and final playoff spot. The question is, did the Avs get a healthy Forsberg? Time will tell.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 So much for that idea.
Toronto Maple Leafs captain Mats Sundin officially waved buh-bye to the notion of waiving his no-trade clause last night. Sundin informed interim GM Cliff Fletcher that he wishes to remain a Maple Leaf and not become a rental player, a concept he himself has never 'believed in'.
So the rumor machine will likely switch gears today from Sundin, to the Atlanta Thrashers Marian Hossa, who unless GM Don Waddell can get under a contract before Tuesday will most definitely be shopped. Hossa will become a UFA this summer and the Thrashers who are rapidly falling out of playoff contention will look to trade Hossa rather than risk losing him for nothing on the free agent market.
The Tampa Bay Lightning have also approached their star forward Brad Richards about waiving his no-trade clause as there is interest around the league in acquiring him. The Dallas Stars, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Vancouver Canucks have all expressed interest and a few have tendered offers to the Lightning for the winger.
Quick Shave:
The Calgary Flames are grinding out win after win, and after last night's 2-1 win over the Minnesota Wild have pushed themselves into the top spot in the Northwest, as well as third place overall in the Western Conference. Flames goaltender Miikka 'I'd like to buy a vowel' Kiprusoff stopped 38 shots for the second consecutive game helped Calgary secure the win over the Wild. The New York Rangers rolled over the Florida Panthers last night 5-0. Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist made 23 saves to record the shutout win, his 8th of the season.
A note to Rangers fans.... stop booing Marek Malik every time he touches the puck. You jackasses are only hindering him further. Malik was a big part of this franchise's turn around after nearly a decade of missing the playoffs. How quickly you all forget. Perhaps you'd like to see Kevin Hatcher and Stephane Quintal manning the blueline again?
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
Did Mats Sundin play his final game at the Air Canada Centre as a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs last night?
With the NHL trade deadline looming roughly 48 hours away, the rumors are swirling around Sundin and the Leafs. Leafs GM Cliff Fletcher had a meeting two days ago with the Toronto captain to determine which NHL clubs he would accept a trade to, and also requested that Sundin waive his no-trade clause officially. It is believed Sundin asked for 24 hours to decide what to do, which means that some time today, we will find out. Many analysts believe that Sundin will now be dealt by Tuesday, as he has been unfairly pushed into this position and has little choice. Stay with the city he loves and be jeered by the fans for denying their franchise a chance to rebuild with some blue chip picks and prospects, or leave and perhaps win a championship with another club.
Unfortunately for Fletcher, his greatest assets all carry no-trade clauses, that means moving the likes of Darcy Tucker (who refuses to move), Bryan McCabe, or Tomas Kaberle cannot be done so without their consent. Kaberle was rumored to be moving to the Philadelphia Flyers last week, but he nixxed any deal that may have been on the table between the two organizations.
I would expect the Leafs to have a new look by Tuesday afternoon, and those that refused to accept trades, may find their remaining time with the club to be less than pleasurable. I wonder if Tucker would enjoy playing for the Marlies for the rest of the season?
 Quick Shave:
I really want to call out the Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Pascal Leclaire who is very quietly putting together a Vezina calibre season for his club. Last night Leclaire made 31 saves to record the 3-0 shutout win over the Montreal Canadiens for the Blue Jackets. The NHL leading ninth shutout of the season. Leclaire is currently third in Goals Against Average with 2.12 and second only to Pittsburgh's Ty Conklin in Save Percentage with .924. Leclaire played for the first time ever in his hometown of Montreal and it was certaily worth the wait.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 Did I jinx Alexander Ovechkin by calling him the League MVP? Or did I light a fire under the butt of Evgeni Malkin?
It looks like Sidney Crosby's injury has become a blessing in disguise. Evgeni Malkin has blossomed into a true superstar over the past month, since taking over the role as team leader in Crosby's absence. Rather than fall apart, the Pittsburgh Penguins have climbed to the top of the Eastern Conference standings. After last night's 5-4 win over the Montreal Canadiens, they share the Atlantic Division lead with the New Jersey Devils and sit in a three way tie for second in the East with the Habs, now just one point behind Eastern Conference leading Ottawa.
Malkin scored a goal and added two assists, which brought his NHL scoring lead total to 82 points. He now has 21 points in his last 9 games. Food for thought. How scary is this team going to be when Sidney Crosby does return?
Quick Shave:
The New York Islanders won their sixth straight last night as Rick Dipietro made 32 saves to complete the 1-0 shutout victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Islanders recent streak has now brought them within a point of the final playoff spot in the East. Isles forward Chris Simon returned to action after serving a 30 game suspension for tap dancing on Pittsburgh Penguins forward Jaarko Ruutu's leg. The Buffalo Sabres have clearly turned their season around and continue to pile on the points after an easy 5-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs (who have clearly given up). The Sabres are in seventh place in the East with 68 points. The Philadelphia Flyers are in freefall right now. They dropped their ninth straight last night to the San Jose Sharks 3-1, and dropped out of the playoff race into the 10th spot in the Eastern Conference. Flyers forward Simone Gagne is out for the rest of the season with concussion problems, and there will be no help coming from Peter Forsberg whose comeback is highly unlikely. Recent acquisitions Martin Biron in net, and Daniel Briere have not met expectations, and I perhaps cursed them by saying they would make the playoffs this year. Rumor has the Flyers desperate to make a deadline deal to help salvage their season and playoff hopes. Keep an eye on them.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
Stick a fork in the rumor mill folks. Peter Forsberg will not be returning to the NHL this season.
Apparently Forsberg decided that he did not have the confidence in his surgically repaired foot and ankle to comeback to the NHL. His agent Don Baizley has begun to tell the NHL clubs that were seeking to add him to their roster that he would not be able to return to action.
This is a big letdown.... obviously for Forsberg, many playoff bound clubs seeking to add some offensive depth, and of course to us the fans, who wanted one last opportunity to witness some of the superstars former magic. Perhaps he will be able to sign over the summer, if he get's enough rest and make a return next season. I'm sure there will be plenty of speculation following the end of the season.
Quick Shave:
I've been hard at work, and have added a few Playoff Beard themed items to the store.... which is completely new. Check it out when you have the chance! Thanks!
make custom gifts at Zazzle
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 Just a few days removed from trading away a pair of character veterans, in Cory Stillman and Mike Commodore, the Carolina Hurricanes lost their team captain and a huge veteran presence Rod Brind'Amour for the rest of the season.
Brind'Amour sustained a knee injury during last night's game against the Pittsburgh Penguins. After being hit by Penguins Nathan Smith and Georges Laraque, Brind'Amour suffered a torn ACL. The Hurricanes captain will be out of action for 4 to 6 months following reconstructive knee surgery.
Brind'Amour leads the Hurricanes with 51 points (19 goals, 32 assists). The Carolina Hurricanes hung on to defeat the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-2.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 The New York Rangers and their goaltender Henrik Lundqvist have agreed to a long-term contract extension.
The new deal is rumored to be worth $39.5 million over the next 6 years. The Lundqvist signed a one-year contract worth $4.5 million last summer as a bridge till a longer term deal could be reached.
Last year Henrik Lundqvist was a Vezina Trophy finalist, and helped the New York Rangers to the second round of the playoffs where they fell to the Buffalo Sabres. This season he is tied for 6th among goaltender with 24 wins, and is second in the league for shutouts with 8.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 Just a few weeks removed from losing their leading scorer, Shawn Horcoff for the remainder of the year, the Edmonton Oilers learned that they would also be without their prize free agent acquisition, defenceman Sheldon Souray for the rest of the season.
Souray had arthoscopic surgery performed on his shoulder last week. Hampered by the injury all year, Souray attempted to play through it, but ended up making the injury worse. Sheldon Souray played a meager 26 games for Edmonton this year, scoring 3 goals and 7 assists.
To the Oilers credit, they shouldered (no pun intended) through the news of a loss of another star player on their roster by defeating the Minnesota Wild 4-2 last night.
Quick Shave:
The Buffalo Sabres smacked the new-look Ottawa Senators (the first game for newcomers Cory Stillman and Mike Commodore) in the mouth last night with an impressive 5-1 win. Sabres forward Thomas Vanek joined the NHL Hat Trick club for the first time of his career and goaltender Ryan Miller made 25 saves to secure the win. After a very poor beginning to the year, the Buffalo Sabres now find themselves sitting in a playoff spot. On the other side of this week's big trade, the Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Boston Bruins 3-2. Recently traded defenceman Joe Corvo picked up an assist by helping to set up the game winner by Sergei Samsonov.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 It's been a pretty good year for the Dallas Star's Mike Modano. Earlier this season he eclipsed Phil Housley's record for most points in the NHL by a U.S. born player.
Last night Modano potted the game winner on a 5-3 powerplay advantage late in the match to give the Stars the 2-1 win over the Phoenix Coyotes. The win was the seventh in a row for the Stars, a feat that they haven't accomplished in nearly a decade. The Stars have a commanding 6 point lead in the Pacific Division over the trailing San Jose Sharks and Anaheim Ducks, and are second only in the league to the NHL leading Detroit Red Wings.
Quick Shave:
Rumor has it that Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mats Sundin quietly agreed to waive his no-trade clause pending a trade to a short list of clubs (supposedly the Canucks, Ducks, and Red Wings were among the desired destinations) of his choosing. With Ottawa and Carolina making the first move yesterday with their four player swap, it's very likely that the floodgates will be open, and the trades will be flowing. Expect the rumor machine to kick into high gear.
Game of the Night:
Buffalo at Ottawa 7:30 PM
Perhaps a glance at the new-look Ottawa Senators? The Sens newest acquisitions, Cory Stillman, and MIke Commodore are expected to be in the lineup tonight as they welcome the Buffalo Sabres. Enjoy the games.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 The trading floor is open folks.
The Carolina Hurricanes and the Ottawa Senators began the trading season with a big one this afternoon, with a huge 4 player swap. The Ottawa Senators sent defenceman Joe Corvo, and forward Patrick Eaves to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for defenceman Mike Commodore (pardon the old portrait folks), and forward Cory Stillman.
Both Mike Commodore and Cory Stillman will both be unrestricted free agents this summer and Stillman agreed to waive his no-trade clause (something many players seem to be unwilling to do this year) in order to complete the deal between the two franchises.
Patrick Eaves will be a restricted free agent come the end of the season, and Joe Corvo has two years left on his contract.
It's hard to find negatives in this deal for either team and find a clear cut winner. The Ottawa Senators get a much needed physical defenceman in Mike Commodore (something they have been missing since the departure of Zdeno Chara), and some scoring depth from Cory Stillman. The Senators also get two very experienced Stanley Cup veteran players... something that will certainly help them this post-season.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
Many thought the Pittsburgh Penguins were done when they lost captain Sidney Crosby, myself included. The team that surrounds Crosby when he is in the lineup however took it upon themselves to pick up the slack in his absence.
Initially the stone wall goaltending of call-up Ty Conklin sent the Penguins on a tear rather than a slide. More recently however, Evgeni Malkin has stepped up in a big way, refusing to let his club fall behind. In fact his efforts of late have thrust the Penguins to the top of the Atlantic Divsion, and into second place overall in the Eastern Conference.
Yesterday afternoon, Malkin scored a goal and added three assists to help the Pens to a 4-3 win over their cross-state rivals, the Philadelpia Flyers. Malkin has now collected 15 points in last five games, and 21 points since Crosby was injured January 18th.
Quick Shave:
A bit of very frightening irony last night during the Florida Panthers and Buffalo Sabres game last night as Panthers forward Richard Zednik was slashed across the throat by teammate Olli Jokinen's skate as he was up-ended by a check. Zednik raced to the bench while blood flowed from the cut and was immediately taken to a Buffalo Hospital. Word as I write this is that he is stable. Nearly two decades ago, Buffalo Sabres goaltender Clint Malarchuk suffered a similiar injury, when he had his jugular cut in a game versus the St. Louis Blues in 1989.
Get well soon Richard.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 Everyone in Ottawa can now breathe a collective sigh of relief. Your club is back.
To be more specific, your top line of Daniel Alfredsson, Jason Spezza, and Dany Heatley have finally reunited after a month of injury related absences and picked up right where they left off. Last night Ottawa Senators forward Jason Spezza joined the NHL Hat Trick Club, and also added 3 assists for an incredible 6 point evening. Alfredsson added two goals and three assists, and winger Dany Heatley had an off night, scoring only 1 goal and three assists. 15 points between the three players.
The Senators destroyed the Montreal Canadiens 6-1 last night, who have been creeping on the Senators for the top spot in the Eastern Conference. Last night they hardly looked like a club that could compete.
Is the ship now righted in Ottawa? For the time being I would say yes. If Ray Emery and Martin Gerber can provide some consistent goaltending this club should roll through the playoffs.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 Dany Heatley came back just in time for the Ottawa Senators last night, and picked up right where he left off.
Heatley wasted little time getting back to his prolific goal scoring ways, potting a pair and added an assist in helping the Senators defeat the Florida Panthers 5-4. Heatley's second goal was the eventual game winner.
While his return was more than enough to boost the Senator's offensive game, Heatley did little to improve the goaltending which has been very inconsistent in his absence. Ray Emery allowed 4 goals on 33 shots in the match, and his play, along with counterpart Martin Gerber's have done little to inspire confidence among the club. There was apparently a closed door team meeting yesterday with the coach, and all were attendance except for the goaltenders Emery, and Gerber. Last time I checked, goalies were part of a hockey team. The Senators may be looking to shake things up prior to the trade deadline.
Quick Shave:
The Toronto Maple Leafs rebounded from their worst outting of the season (the 8-0 blowout against the Panthers) by defeating the red hot Montreal Canadiens 4-2. Maple Leafs forward Darcy Tucker who publicly stated to the media yesterday that he had no intention of waiving his no-trade clause prior to the February 26th deadline, scored two goals in the game. Goaltender Vesa Toskala made 34 saves for the win. The Anaheim Ducks are perfect in the Teemu Selanne era, easily defeating the New York Rangers 4-1 last night. Selanne got his second assist inas many games, and the Rangers still have not beaten a team from the West Coast. The Los Angeles Kings, the worst team in the NHL, defeated the Detroit Red Wings, the best in the league 5-3 last night. The Kings came back in the the third period to erase a 3-1 defecit, and prevent the Wings from winning their ninth straight game and matching a franchise record.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 The Calgary Flames signed their franchise defenceman Dion Phaneuf to a long-term contract yesterday worth $39 million.
Phaneuf will recieve roughly $6.5 million a year for the next 6 seasons and avoid becoming a restricted free agent. The fear was, for the Flames anyway, that if Phaneuf reached free-agency he would have been bombarded with offer sheets from around the league, an occurrence that has become more commonplace in the new salary cap era of the NHL. Like many teams around the league this year, the Flames chose to lock up their defenceman rather than lose him this summer.
Quick Shave:
The Ottawa Senators will get a shot in the arm tonight as they welcome back winger Dany Heatley after spending a month on the IR nursing a separated shoulder. Heatley is expected to play tonight when the Senators face off against the Florida Panthers. The Senators have won only three of their last eleven games without Heatley in the lineup.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 It's hard to ignore what the Washington Capitals's Alexander Ovechkin is doing right now. Ovechkin scored twice last night including the overtime game winner to life the Caps over the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-3 last night.
The pair of goals, brought his league leading total to 45, and has Ovechkin poised to eclipse the 60 goal mark in the remaining 30 games of the season. Ovechkin also leads the league in scoring overall with 72 points. His performance this season has the Washington Capitals flirting with a playoff berth, where they now sit just two points out. He has to be a frontrunner for the Hart Trophy this season, and looks like he may take the Art Ross and Rocket Richard Trophies as well.
Quick Shave:
After ripping off a nice string of wins, the New York Rangers fell 4-2 to the last place Los Angeles Kings. Alexander Frolov and Anze Kopitar, two bright spots on the Kings provided a goal and a helper each. The Rangers have yet to beat a Western Conference opponent this season. The Toronto Maple Leafs may have given up on the season last night, at least their 8-0 defeat at the hands of the Florida Panthers makes it seem that way. It's hard to imagine this team not having a fire-sale at the end of the month, provided their tradeable assets agree to waive their no-trade clauses. Teemu Selanne returned to the Anaheim Ducks lineup after a lengthy summer vacation and helped them defeat the New York Islanders 3-0. The Montreal Canadiens pulled within one point of the Eastern Conference leading Ottawa Senators by handing them a 4-3 loss night. The Senators are a team on the ropes right now as well. Controversy is swirling around the club, and the absence of their leading scorers in Dany Heatley, and Daniel Alfredsson has not helped improve the atmosphere. This team may also be due for a shakeup come deadline time.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 The Edmonton Oiler recieved some devestating news yesterday, that they would be without their leading scorer Shawn Horcoff for the remainder of the season. Horcoff has been playing through a shoulder injury all year that was aggrivated during his All Star appearance after a collision with Daniel Alfredsson. An MRI revealed a tear in the shoulder and that it would require season ending surgery.
Rather than bask in dissapointment, the Oilers took it to the Calgary Flames last night, and former Edmonton netminder Curtis Joseph, who made his debut for the Flames last night after recently being signed. Fernando Pisani, Dustin Penner, Ales Hemsky, Steve Staios and Sam Gagner combined for 5 unanswered goals, and Oilers keeper Mathieu Garon made 24 saves to complete the 5-0 shutout victory.
Joseph allowed all 5 goals on 28 shots, and recieved no offensive support from his new club. The Calgary Flames are another team swirling in trade rumors. They are expected to announce the signing of their franchise defenceman Dion Phaneuf to a contract extension soon, and have been rumored to be looking for a trade partner for winger Alex Tanguay. Tanguay has a no-trade clause, so moving the under-achieving winger will be difficult, if not impossible.
 Quick Shave:
Things are very tight in the Eastern Conference. Nine points separate first place Ottawa (68 points) from 8th place Boston (59 points). The Atlantic Division is a log jam now, after the New Jersey Devils come from behind victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3 last night. The Devils tied the game in the third with two quick goals in the third from Patrik Elias and David Clarkson, and Zach Parise iced the game early in overtime for the win. The Devils are now tied with the Philadelpia Flyers and the Pittsburgh Penguins for the Division lead with 63 points.
Game of the Night:
Vancouver at Dallas
The Vancouver Canucks are on the outside looking in right now, and go up against the red hot Dallas Stars, who are second only to the Detroit Red Wings in the West. If the Canucks want an invite to the big dance this would be the game to begin lobbying for it. Enjoy the games.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
Aside from the NHL Playoffs, the NHL trade deadline has got to be one of the most highly anticipated and exciting times of the year. Leading up to this February 26th, should be no exception.
The big difference this year, is that many teams still have a legitimate shot at a playoff berth, and a carefully timed win streak, or total collapse prior to the trade deadline could force some team into selling their assets and other's into buy mode. Depending on how the next few weeks plays out could drastically change the landscape of the league.
Historically playoff rentals don't often work out (like last season's rent-a-busts Keith Tkachuk (who did little to help the Atlanta Thrashers) and Peter Forsberg (who also was not much of a factor with the Nashville Predators), but sometimes a club can catch lightning in a bottle as the Edmonton Oilers did when they acquired Dwayne Roloson from the Minnesota Wild and road the goaltender all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals.
Here's a look at some of the biggest names on the board:
Marian Hossa - Atlanta Thrashers
While he's not having the kind of season the Thrashers were hoping for, he still has 48 points (23 goals, 25 assists) on the season. Unless Atlanta can solidify it's position over the next few weeks in the standing, and lock up Hossa to a long term deal (he's a UFA this summer), he will certainly be dealt at the trade deadline. Rumors have him headed back to Ottawa to help the Senators out of their recent skid since losing Daniel Alfredsson and Dany Heatley to injury, and to Dallas in exchange for goaltender Marty Turco. Hossa would be the perfect fit in the scoring winger role GM Brett Hull had hoped to fill for center Mike Modano. In any case, Hossa will be one of the most highly sought after players come trade time.
Mats Sundin - Toronto Maple Leafs
Mats Sundin would be the gem pickup for any club prior to the deadline this year, but there's a catch. Sundin's no trade clause. Will he waive it to go play for a contender? Rumors have been circulating since early this season when the Maple Leafs essentially hit the wall early. Sundin has put together impressive numbers, scoring 56 points (22 goals, 34 assists) in 54 games, playing on a Leafs team that has lacked consistency in every phase of their game.... other than being consistently bad. There's not a club in the league that won't offer up the farm to acquire Sundin at the deadline, but again, the decision is ultimately his to make. Sundin recently met with newly hired interim GM Cliff Fletcher, where the two apparently discussed his future with the club. Sundin has repeatedly stated that he doesn't want to be dealt, and wouldn't welcome a trade, but it will be very interesting, and one of the most debated topics over the next few weeks as to what will go down. Personally, I can't imagine him not waiving his no-trade to go to a winner. The Detroit Red Wings have been rumored to be very interested, and although I don't think that team needs anything, it could be a very attractive landing spot for Sundin. The Wings are poised to make a very strong Stanley Cup run, and also have a large Swedish contingent on their roster.
Peter Forsberg- TBD
The Peter Forsberg sweepstakes are on again. This is a gamble, but one many teams will be will to take. Forsberg's ankle is rumored to be NHL ready, and he is eager to make his return. The good, is that Forsberg will only cost the team that acquires him money, and a salary cap hit, as he is an unrestricted free agent. The bad, is that Forsberg has been damaged goods for the past several seasons, and he may easily re-injure his ankle and be forced to sit out for extended periods of time, if not for the remainder of the season. When Forsberg is healthy, he is one of the most potent scorers in the league, and has become an amazing set up man. Again when he's healthy. The Philadelphia Flyers are rumored to have the inside edge, but I can't imagine him not entertaining all potential offers. In any case, Forsberg should be playing in the NHL in a matter of weeks, if not sooner. By the way, if he's available in your fantasy leagues, he would be worth taking a gamble on.
Ray Emery - Ottawa Senators
A year ago, Ray Emery was backstopping the Ottawa Senators to their first ever Stanley Cup playoff appearance, now he's the poster-boy for the Senators's recent slide. Emery has been combative on more than one occassion with several team-mates, and with Coach Paddock. His lack of respect for the club earned him a fine last week when he showed up late for practice (an occurrence that has happened more than once in the past). Emery for lack of a better description, is this season's Sean Avery. However, look at it from this perspective. The Los Angeles Kings couldn't wait to get rid of Avery and once dealt to the New York Rangers, his fiery attitude helped turn around an under-achieving club and drive them into the second round of the playoffs. Perhaps a change of scenery is what Emery could use. I'm of the opinion that the Philadelphia Flyers would be a good destination for him. Firstly the Flyer's goaltending tandem of Martin Biron and Antero Nittymakki have been very inconsistent, and could use an upgrade. Secondly, there is more than enough veteran leadership on the Flyers to deal with an occassional Emery outburst. My prediction... Emery for Nittymakki straight up.
Look for the Toronto Maple Leafs to be big sellers come the end of February. The Leafs are due for a big shake-up, and the rebuilding hammer is going to land on Toronto in a big way. The biggest issue facing the Leafs, is that many of their assets have no-trade clauses (which they handed out like candy.... in fact I got one as well) and without consent, the Leafs may be stuck. The Los Angeles Kings, the Tampa Bay Lightning, and possibly the Edmonton Oilers could all be trading away their veterans. The Kings have been rumored to be shopping defenceman Rob Blake, and the Bolts have been likewise trying to trade defenceman Dan Boyle.
As always keep an eye on your calendar. February 26h, 3:00 pm.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
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