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 November
Trade Rumours October
Trade Rumours
December 17, 2001
Buffalo: Tired of some uninspiring play
and lack of fire power from Chris
Gratton, reports out of Buffalo have the Sabres keen in unloading the
big center for some offensive help. Reports have many teams interested in
the under-achieving Gratton, with Florida and Carolina being a potential
landing spots in exchange for Sandis
Ozolinsh and Shane
Willis from the Canes and Marcus
Nilsson and Denis
Shvidki from the Panthers. Fantasy Impact: Gratton has turned
into a major league bust. Seems to be too slow to handle the pace of the NHL
and not tough enough to compete as a decent two way center. The ‘Canes
deal is an unloading of salaries swap, along with headaches as Sandis
Ozolinsh continues to miss the more wide open play of the western
conference. Shane
Willis has proven to be out of chances in Carolina, but is young enough
that he could still recover into at least a 20 goal guy. Marcus
Nilsson and Denis
Shvidki are decent NHL talents, but they Sabres have a bunch of those
guys in the 6’0” 190 lbs range. Their stats wouldn’t improve all that
much. If you have Gratton, unload him as the trade hype heats up – you
won’t get any more for him at any other time in his career.
Carolina: Well…the ‘Canes have a
problem, a goaltending problem. Tom
Barrasso has played well enough to lock up comeback player of the year
in December. However, that means last years’ work-horse Artus (Archie)
Irbe is riding pine…and not liking it. Problem is, where to deal him
because he is going to want to play full-time and not be a back-up. Solution
– the LA Kings. Reports have GM Dave
Taylor looking to off-load either Jamie
Storr or Felix
Potvin for a bona fide #1 guy, and Irbe fits that bill. Canes have
reported offered Irbe and Ozolinsh for Lubomir
Visnovsky, Storr or Potvin and prospect Adam
Mair. Fantasy Impact: Plain and simple, this would be a potential
salary dump by the ‘Canes and they would have to eat some of Ozolinsh’s
contract. That said, the Kings have a plethora of young defencemen in their
system, but goaltending is what wins you clutch hockey games and Kings
don’t have it. Irbe loves the minutes, and right now his confidence in
shaky because of the play of Barrasso. Visnovsky is a great player that has
struggled in his sophomore year. A change of scenery could work wonders.
Vancouver: As we reported in our
November 26, 2001 rumors page, hockey life in Vancouver has reached pressure
cooker status. Indifferent play has led fans to scratch their heads, the
local scribes to demand trades and Brian
Burke to heat up the phones looking for options. Names bandied about
have included Todd
Bertuzzi, Brendan
Morrison and Andrew
Cassels. Burke’s rumored run for Lecavalier as late as last week, was
Bertuzzi, Morrison and Brent
Sopel. Latest from the Wet coast is Andrew
Cassels available for a mid-level scoring winger and a prospect. Once
again, the Blues are the rumored front runners – offering the Dallas
Drake and Scott
Young or Cory
Stillman for Cassels and Brent
Sopel. Also appears as Florida has weighed in as well, looking to grab
Cassels for Marcus
Nilson and one of Ivan
Novoseltsev or Denis
Shvidki. Fantasy Impact: Brendan
Morrison fit in well between Bertuzzi and Naslund during Cassels latest
injury, and since he’s been back, Morrison has been playing out of
position on right wing. Marcus
Nilson would benefit from a change and some time with countryman Naslund.
Cassels would simply love feeding the puck to either Bure and supplanting
the under-achieving Viktor
Kozlov. Cassels other on-ice intangibles would make a good fit on the
young Panthers team. As far as the Blues go, success continues to be a
struggle. Adding Andrew
Cassels would hopefully ignite struggling Keith
Tkachuk and add another veteran to an already deep team.
Edmonton: Fans have really gotten on
defencmen Tom
Poti for his weak in his own end play. Like clock work, Poti seems to
make a glaring error once a game and that has not gone un-noticed by the
Oilers faithful, and other GMs in the NHL. The Poti to the Senators rumors
have resurfaced. The rumored deal is Josh
Green and Tom
Poti for Petr
Schastlivy, Chris
Phillips and defence prospect Tim
Gleason. Fantasy Impact: There is now way that Poti is this bad,
as in playing this bad. But with Poti’s confidence at an all time low, and
him signed to a one year deal, the Oilers seem destined to move him. If you
are an owner of Poti, we’d hang on to him and reserve him for now. If an
when he does get moved, look for him to have an impact right away with his
new team. As we mentioned before Schastlivy is buried behind the talented
Sens forwards, but seems the Sens seem more determined to hang on to him.
Should Schastlivy make his way to Edmonton, it could be a great fit for the
talented winger.
December 10, 2001
Tampa Bay: After a week-long governors
meeting this week, GM Rick
Dudley has announced that Tampa Bay are done fielding offers for Vincent
Lecavalier. After fielding a plethora of offers, Dudley went on record
today indicating that what was being offered was not enough for the young
Lecavalier. Fantasy Impact: This is NOT good news for if you are a
poolie owner of Lecavalier. Hopefully you took our advice and made a deal
for the “Vinnie the wonderkid” last week, because his trade value would
have been at a peak then. After Dudley’s announcement, LeCavalier’s
stock has dropped faster than his stats for this year. Vinnie will play O.K.
for the remainder of the year, but his fantasy value won’t be increasing
anytime soon. He’ll likely be a bit bummed about the lack of movement, but
his out may come in the off-season. For now, if you haven’t moved him, you
are best to hold him and sees what happens.
Florida: Already the trade speculation is
heating up in Florida, and Iron Mike Keenan’s only been there for a week.
Thankfully, he doesn’t make the trades or there would likely have already
been one. That said, Viktor
Kozlov is said to be attainable as interim GM Fletcher wants to get some
value back for the enigmatic Russian. Teams interested include the Sens,
Blues and the Ducks. On the offer sheet are said to be Chris
Phillips and Petr Schlatslivy, Cory
Stillman and Barrett Jackman, and German
Titov with Samuel
Pahlsson or Matt
Cullen respectfully. Fantasy Impact: At this point, Kozlov’s
recent hip-pointer keeps serious trade discussion on hold, but as soon as he
is back, expect things to heat up quickly. Florida is in desperate need to
change the chemistry on the team; Keenan addition is merely the start. More
grit is desired for the Panthers and Kozlov will be dangled to get some. We
are convinced that Kozlov will never attain the point per game kind of
production that his talent warrants. As long as you are prepared to settle
for a guy that will get you 40-50 points wherever he plays, than Kozlov will
be O.K..
Calgary: The Flames recent skid has rookie
GM Craig Buttons looking to improve his team via the trade route. Said to be
available is Marc
Savard, who play upon returning to the Flames line-up has been rather
uninspired. Said to be looking with interest are the Blues, Ducks, Blue
Jackets and Predators. The hottest regarded deal has the Ducks dealing Matt
Cullen and d-man [prospect Marc Popovic for the disgruntled Savard. Fantasy
Impact: Change of scenery could be do both these players a world of
good, particularly if Savard got the chance to play with Paul
Kariya. Cullen would benefit from getting out from under the spot-light
somewhat, and Flames GM Buttons would get another young cheap guy to give
him some depth down the middle while younger player develop. The Flames
won’t give Savard away, but Buttons has proven in the past that he is not
afraid to make a deal that surprises.
December 3, 2001
Tampa Bay: Well, the real question is, is there not a team in the
NHL not on the phone with Lightening GM Rick
Dudley asking him what he wants for Vincent
Lecavalier ? Flyers are supposedly offering Jiri
Dopita, Jan
Hlavac and Chris Thieren. Blues are said to be dangling Cory
Stillman, Dallas
Drake and d-prospect Barrett Jackman. Habs would part with Richard
Zednik, and one of d-prospects Ron
Hainsey or Michael Komisarek, along with a future first rounder. Devils
are said to be ready to flog either Scott
Gomez or Jason
Arnott. Finally, the Sens would be willing to part with Radek
Bonk and Chris
Phillips for Lecavalier and something (not much) coming the other way. Fantasy
Impact: Lecavalier brutal start and lack-lustre play is driving this
speculation – but the old adage, “where’s there is smoke, there is
fire” is accurate here. The Lightening have actually posted solid numbers
do far this year – and that’s without much effort from Lecavalier. We
think the key in any deal for Dudley, is that he has to get value back that
can help his team now. Prospects will have to come with a better than decent
player – and that’s a hard combo to get these days in the NHL. That all
said, if Lecavalier is moved – his numbers will increase dramatically, but
not until next year. Just too much baggage on him right now, and it will be
difficult for him to rebound and make the impact that his skill warrants
this season. If you have Lecavalier – look to move him.
Buffalo: It took all of 20 games for Slava
Kozlov to begin to openly complain about his ice-time and request a
trade out of Buffalo. Tough spot Slava, when you only have 8 points in 27
games (6 of them are goals), those are not exactly stats to be proud of.
That said, there are teams interested in the enigma that is Slava. Most
noticeably are the Rangers, Stars, Habs, Ducks and the Canucks. Habs looking
to give Richard Zednick or Jan
Bulis, Stars would part with Jamie
Langenbrunner, Ducks – anyone but Paul
Kariya, and the Canucks would move a combo of Harold
Druken, Denis
Pederson and Steve
Kariya. Fantasy Impact: Any change of scenery will be better for
Kozlov than the one he’s in right now – playing on the third line.
Problem for the Sabres is that they won’t get a player, or players for
that matter, equal to the value they gave up to get Slava – Dominek Hasek.
But in the offensively challenged days of the NHL, teams need his potential.
If he is moved, he’ll get top two line ice-time until he produces or his
new team gets tired of waiting. Leave this one alone.
New Jersey: Well, the proverbial excrement has finally hit the
fan. Coach Larry
Robinson has lost his patience with his under-achieving team and broken
up the “A” line . Jason
Arnott’s “A” is now on Bobby
Holik, and now Arnott’s name is the one linked in trade rumors with
just about everybody. Desperate to replace the lost production of
Mogilny’s 45 goals from last year, the Devils are said to be interested in
one time Devil – Bill
Guerin (soon to be a F/A in the off-season). Latest buzz is Arnott to
the Blackhawks for Tony
Amonte. Fantasy Impact: getting Amonte would greatly benefit the
Devils – as we have always thought Arnott’s offensive contribution to a
team is over-rated. That said, Arnott is a tempting package – size, gritty
and some offensive skill. But, if the Hawks could get Arnott in exchange for
the soon to be F/A Amonte, they would be wise to do so. Both players would
benefit from the change. Just do not expect Arnott’s numbers ever to reach
a point a game like stats again – no matter where he plays.
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