Finally, our holiday time is over, and Hockeyleaks is back in action. I have a lot to talk about, so lets get going!
First, Colorado's goalie situation is getting ugly. At this point, it doesn't look like either goalie can stop a beach ball! I am hearing from a good source that Colorado is having very serious talks with Buffalo about Biron, while another source says Colorado may be interested in Sean Burke. Finally, Brian Boucher is another name going around. No word on who Colorado is shopping, but you have to assume one of Aebisher and Budaj would be traded if another goalie was brought in. Don't believe the Theodore to Colorado rumours for a second...they are not accurate at all.
Speaking of goaltending, Kari Lehtonen is back for the Thrashers, which is great news for this hockey club. He has yet to start, but he is off the IR, and will play very soon. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, Lehtonen is one of the NHL's top goalies. I really expect Atlanta to make a strong push starting in the next couple of weeks.
San Jose, who was doing very well after the Thornton trade, has started to collapse. They are in the market for a d-man, and I have heard a name that surprised me. Aucoin has been linked to the Islanders as of late, however, the Sharks definitely have the cap room, and apparently are very interested in Aucoin. We'll see where that goes...
I really liked the Coyotes picking up Pavel Brendl yesterday. I think this kid has a lot of talent, and it's been wasted over the past few years. I think Brendl will finally be in a place where he may get used, and Phoenix may finally discover some of this guy's potential.
The Leafs have hit some major injury problems over the last few weeks, and they are looking to add a body or two. I've even heard Ed Belfour is being shopped, however, at his age, he's a tough sell. The Leafs would love to add a scoring winger with speed, as this team really lacks in that position. However, even with the injuries, they've won three straight.
Ted Nolan has asked about the Devil's job, however, I have heard Paul Maurice may be the front runner. I don't believe this, as I honestly believe Maurice is happy with the Marlies, and is the eventual next coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Owen Nolan is getting closer to returning with each day that passes. I have heard Calgary and Ottawa, but I do not believe either of those. Ottawa would be interesting, as it would be Nolan's way of getting back at the Leafs. The most likely destination for Nolan would be San Jose, while Edmonton and Phoenix are two other teams that apparently have inquired about the UFA winger.
The Bruins are apparently trying to deal both Murray and Samsonov. Murray has been linked to the Flyers, Leafs and Predators, while Samsonov has been linked to the Kings and the Avalanche. It'll be interesting to see if either player moves. Samsonov is very likely to be dealt sometime this season, as the Bruins are going nowhere, and Samsonov is a UFA at season's end.
The site is still not fixed yet, so it will be another few days before regular updates are back on the site. Daily updates will resume on the blog though, and check hockeyleaks.com at least once a day, just to check if things are back up and running. Cdog will be helping us to update the site once it is back, which means you can expect more updates! cjohnson202@hockeyleaks.com if you have any questions or comments. Also, I have been invited to Sportsnet to speak with several people and get a full tour, and this will take place in January. Expect a full report from that visit once it takes place. Enjoy your day, and I hope your enjoying your holidays.
