St. Louis Blues

Decision Day Part One

Yes it is only Thursday but tonight’s action will go a long way of determining who gets in and who stays home come April 7th. There are still so many scenarios but I believe tonight should start to bring this whole thing into focus just a bit more. First up, the poor teams that are battling for their playoff lives. You can hear the paddles going off in the back of the ambulance right now.

First up is Buffalo who plays at Montreal tonight. Montreal has the #2 seed clinched but they are playing for tops in the East right now….so every game counts. A win for the Habs tonight outright eliminates Buffalo and keeps the Habs tied with Pittsburgh. Even worse for the Sabres…last night’s questionable point (the Zubrus goal that was in but Toronto somehow could not see it) by Boston puts Buffalo’s postseason hopes in the hands of the Tampa Bay Lightning of all teams. Yes, the same Lightning that got blown out in Carolina 6-2 last night travel to Washington tonight to face the Washington Capitals. Basically if the Caps win…Buffalo’s hopes are almost over and done because Washington will have 92 points and the at the time be tied for 6th (if Ottawa loses in regulation). All those shootout and OT losses (12 total) will indeed have come back to haunt the Sabres. Needless to say, Ryan Miller will not be sending Martin Brodeur a gift basket at the end of the year.  I said almost for this reason.*

There is even a possibility that the West could be all sewn up except for seeding by tonight. Chicago Blackhawk fans will be doing extensive scoreboard watching in Vancouver and Nashville. The Canucks host the Edmonton Oilers and Nashville hosts the St. Louis Blues. With Hannu Toivonen (Legace out with hip flexor injury) getting the start for St. Louis….Nashville fans are probably drooling already (Hannu gave up 4 goals on 18 shots the last time out against the Preds). A Nashville win and Vancouver loss in regulation eliminates both Vancouver and Chicago all in one shot. A Nashville loss or even a loss in extra time leaves the door open for both Vancouver and Chicago. There are so many permutations that you may need a scientific calculator and a professor from M.I.T. for this one.

Now for the other teams that could clinch. Simply…the Rangers and Senators can win and they are in. The Rangers have two cracks against the Isles (tonight and tomorrow night). The Sens play at Toronto and Toronto is without Mats Sundin (groin tear). The Rangers could even lose both in extra time and be in with 95 points total. Minnesota simply needs a point and they win the Northwest and the 3 seed. Calgary just needs a point to make the playoffs. Detroit just needs a point at home against Columbus tonight to win not only the West but the overall #1 seed in the league or a Sharks loss (whether it be in OT, SO or regulation don’t matter).

Tonight will go in a big way to tell the playoff fates of more teams…now seeding is a different matter entirely. I did want to thank ESPN for their concise tiebreaking procedures on their page. Now of course they are all chasing one thing and that is the only thing that ultimately matters. There is that nice, shiny, silver thing called the Stanley Cup.

Thank You Wikipedia for the pic.

So with ten big games tonight….may the DVR’s work some OT and so may your eyes as the regular season comes firing all guns a blazing to the end. The end is definitely very near…and for some more near than they hope.

* Editor’s Note:  Thanks to my friend Andrew from The NHL Arena.  If Washington wins tonight, that doesn’t eliminate the Sabres. Buffalo can jump Philly into 9th, and then jump Boston for 8th based on the THIRD tiebreak. They would be tied in wins, tied in head to head record (4-2-2), but Buffalo would actually win the tiebreak based on goal differential.

Trade Deadline Fun!!!

The deed has been done…they day is now over…here is what happened.

TRADES AND SIGNINGS THAT HAPPENED TODAY!!

– Mike Comrie resigned 1 year…4 million with the Isles.
– Actual Trade: Bryce Salvador to New Jersey and Cam Janssen goes to St. Louis.
– Wade Belak goes to Florida for a 5th round 08 draft pick.
– Defenseman Brian Campbell to San Jose for Steve Bernier and a 2008 first round pick.
– Brad Richards goes to Dallas…also going with him will be goalie Johan Holmqvist…Tampa gets goalie Mike Smith, center Jeff Halpern and winger Jussi Jokinen and a 4th round pick.
– Goalie Cristobal Huet has been traded to Washington for a second round pick in the 09 draft.
– Andrew Ladd has been traded from the Canes to the Blackhawks for Tuomo Ruutu.
– The Colorado Avalanche have acquired Ruslan Salei from the Panthers for Karlis Skrastins and a third round pick.
– Chicago has moved Martin Lapointe to Ottawa….Chicago return a 6th round 2008 pick.
– Colorado acquires Adam Foote from Columbus…for a first round conditional pick and more.
– Sergei Fedorov has been traded to Washington…..for defenseman Ted Ruth.
– Rob Davison has been traded to the Isles from the Sharks for a 7th round pick in 08.
– Washington traded Matt Pettinger for Vancouver’s Matt Cooke.
– Toronto trades Hall Gill to the Pens….. for a 2nd rounder and 5th rounder in 09.
– Backman to the New York Rangers….Blues get a 4th rounder in return.
– WOW! The big one. Hossa and Pascal Dupuis to the Pens….for Erik Christensen, Colby Armstrong, Angelo Esposito, and a first round 2008 pick.
– Chris Simon to the Minnesota Wild for a 6th round pick.
– Brad Stuart has been traded to the Detroit Red Wings…Kings get back a 2nd and 4th rounder.
– Chad Kilger has been traded to Florida for a third round draft pick.
– Sjostrom, Leneveau and Josh Gratton going to the New York Rangers for Al Montoya and Marcel Hossa.
– Marc-Andre Bergeron has been traded to the Ducks for a 3rd round pick.
– JS Aubin has been traded for a 7th round draft pick to the Anaheim Ducks.
– Joe Motzko has been traded from the Thrashers to the Caps for Alexandre Giroux.
– Jan Hlavac was moved to Nashville for a 7th round pick.
– Brandon Bochenski traded to Nashville for future considerations.

ANALYSIS OF TRADES:

– Devils bolster their defensive depth with stay at home defenseman Salvador while Janssen goes home to St. Louis to add some grit to the Blues lineup.
– Florida finally gets a fighter that they need to add some physicality to the mix.
– Campbell does indeed get dealt and the San Jose blue line gets that much stronger with a QB on the Power Play. Buffalo gets a good forward with upside and a much coveted first rounder in this year’s draft.
– Dallas gets the center of attention they feel they need and a decent backup in Holmqvist…they do give up on Smith and Jokinen though. But you have to give to get something in the trade deadline.
– This is a precursor for bigger things in Montreal but you have to give major points for Washington in securing a #1 netminder with very good upside. And they only gave up a second rounder to boot.
– Carolina wanted more grit well they got it and Ladd provides Chicago with a little punch.
– The Avs get bigger on defense but they do get a little slower while the Panthers make a pretty smart trade in getting a vet like Skrastins.
– Ottawa gets a little stingier with Lapointe and for next to nothing…not bad.
– Colorado gets the old boys together as Foote helps them out on the defensive end….but pays for it with a conditional first rounder. An 08 if Avs make playoffs and an 09 if they don’t…plus Columbus gets another pick if Foote resigns with Avs…not as good of a move as it first looked to be.
– Fedorov provides a bit of veteran leadership to Washington as they try to win the Southeast…and trade not much for him.
– Isles needed defenseman help….and get a bit here. Just some depth to help the injuries mounting on the D side.
– Cooke provides the Caps with a little grit…it makes me wonder why the Canucks would do such a deal.
– The Pens get a big physical d-man but for a couple picks…a curious price to say the least but he will help in his own end.
– Rangers get a pretty good one with some upside….and the Blues get a decent pick.
– The Pens make 2 trades..the second one being an even bigger risk than the first one will be interesting one way or the other for Shero. Hossa will provide them with undeniable offensive punch…but trading away some of these character guys may hurt the Pens in the long run. A very curious move and if you are Montreal, why trade Huet now? But that is second guessing.
– Why Minnesota why? That is all I will say. I do not get it at all.
– Stuart gives the Wings some much needed defensive depth given all the injuries the Wings have sustained.
– A bit of a curious move for a third rounder but Florida does get a pretty good vet.
– Maloney had to give up a bit to get Montoya…hopefully he thinks it is worth it because I think Sjostrom could be pretty darn good.
– Isles did not like Bergeron of late but maybe the Ducks can turn him around…Bergeron will help some on the Power Play.
– I don’t get this one at all Burke….I just don’t.
– Another trade that seemed just a trade for trade’s sake.
– Hlavac will help the Preds just a little bit but the Preds seemed content to stay out of the fray on this trade deadline.
– I guess Bochenski was just interchangeable parts for Burke.

Serenity Now!

It is quiet…almost too quiet.  Now that is the nicest part of the trade deadline is the hours before the first “big” trade hits.  Fans and pundits alike always forget how quiet it actually gets…as if the hockey world shuts down for a bit before hitting us with a reckless abandon that leaves us speechless.  This is not like the Free Agent Frenzy which takes place over days and doesn’t have a true end.  The Trade Deadline has an end….at or around 3pm ET tomorrow.  The fun part is always guessing who goes where but even better is what is left as far as fallout from what is NOT done.

Players like Sundin, Kaberle, Tanguay, and now apparently McCabe among others are staying put.  Now while that doesn’t damper the trade market completely, it does allow for a lot more of the subtle trades that I am expected to take place in the next 22 hours or so.  I definitely do not expect 25 trades again like the last two years…but I don’t expect a clunker day of 6-10 trades like some are calling for.  I would say around or a little over 15 will likely suffice though that will leave some fans wanting more like their team got left out in the cold.

New Jersey is still on the track of trying to get John-Michael Liles or Barret Jackman though the price seems too steep right now on both fronts.  That price may come down in the next little bit but it may also not.  That is something Lou Lamoriello will have to consider.  How far is he willing to go?  Keep in mind, the Devils have 79 points, are #1 in the East right now, and are one of the hottest teams in hockey.  Team chemistry sometimes outweighs need…even if the need is somewhat glaring.

The Marian Hossa sweepstakes is still going….teams are lining up but right now, Montreal is still the frontrunner at least until a darkhorse comes along.  Look at the Isles with Ryan Smyth last year as an example…no one believed he was going there until it actually happened and even then no one still believed it.  I have Hossa as 70-30 as to going to Montreal.

Breaking News Just in……..

The Colorado Avalanche have signed Peter Forsberg for the rest of the season.  Basically the Avs get a physical, playmaking talent of a center as a “rental” without giving up a thing.  Thanks to TSN, Spectors, and Fan 590 for breaking the story.   I had heard some rumblings but I admit I dismissed them just because of the foot and ankle issues.  It remains to be seen what Forsberg has left in the tank.  But if he has anything left, he does have a presence that could be helpful in getting the Avalanche in the playoffs and make them a dangerous first round out.  Now will that make moving Liles out easier?  I am not sure.  One thing is for sure, the Avs just improved a little bit and that may make some GM’s pull the trigger a little faster now.

Serenity now may just be serenity gone very soon.   Stay tuned.

Dominoes Starting To Fall??

With two days left until the trade deadline….it appears some dominoes are already starting to fall.  The path has been made for some trades to get the green light even though destinations are currently unknown as of right now.

First up is the saga of Marian Hossa.  Hossa will now definitely be traded after Atlanta GM Don Waddell failed to sign him yesterday in an 11th hour attempt to keep him.   Where will he end up?  Montreal?  Ottawa?  Somewhere else?  I am apt to go with Montreal right now but I think a third party may snatch him up if the price is right.  Remember, the team that does trade for him will have the inside track in resigning him in the offseason.

Next we have Brian Campbell of the Sabres.  It appears Darcy Regehr is going to make an offer later today or this evening in the 4 year, 22 million dollar range.  If Campbell does not bite and at this point there is no guarantee the offer made will even be that high….Campbell could be out of Buffalo as soon as Monday afternoon.  He could end up in New Jersey, San Jose, or even Detroit…depending on what breaks when.

The Los Angeles Kings will be active sellers and I see at least 2 or 3 players being dealt at the deadline besides Jaroslov Modry.  Though Rob Blake will not go anywhere….players like Tom Preissing and even Alexander Frolov might.  This team is in rebuild mode yet again.  So I scanned up and down their roster a bit.  Brad Sturart, Ladislav Nagy, and even Brian Willsie could all be trade deadline casualties for the Kings.

Tampa is now definitely in sell mode.  Not only do I expect to see Vaclav Prospal moved but I expect either Dan Boyle or Brad Richards to be moved as well by the deadline.  Richards might go to Columbus or even St. Louis.  Boyle may also go West to San Jose, Detroit, or even Calgary…who knows at this point.  The only thing for sure is Tampa will be sellers.

Finally, the Flyers may be pressed into one or more trades with their losing streak hitting ten and their recent rash of injuries.  The latest is a crucial one with Mike Richards getting sidelined for three weeks with a torn hamstring.  They will bid heavy in many sweepstakes and may be a darkhorse as they may be more willing to give up more than the asking price.  Playoff desperation makes GM’s do some very strange things.

Well one thing for sure…is there is only 51 hours till the deadline and it is awfully quiet…maybe too quiet for my liking.  That calm will end soon and probably in a big way as it always does every year.