Well with the Olympic break in full effect, you think things around here would have slowed down a bit? It's the exact opposite! Not only are we working hard on getting ready for the trade deadline, but the new forums are being worked on, and should be up this weekend, if not before. I hope everyone likes the change, I know it will be a pain that we'll loose all the old posts and everyone will have to re-register, but the move is for the best, as it will be on our server, so there will not be any unexpected downtime. Also, they will be faster, better laid-out, and will offer more features. So they are something to look forward to.
I spent the day at Sportsnet today, and I want to thank everyone there for inviting me to spend the day in the newsroom. I got a chance to meet many people from the sports world like Rob Faulds, Scott Morrison, Brad Fay, Jim Lang, Barry Davis and Nick Kypreos, as well as many others who work behind the scenes. It was interesting to see how things worked on their end, and I could just imagine what it would be like there on trade deadline day.
I know what it will be like here on deadline day...crazy! We'll have every trade here as it breaks, all day longs, with thoughts on each deal from myself, right here in Toronto, as well as other updates from our members around North America and beyond. We are really working on something special for all of you, and I hope you all like what the end result is. That being said, we're also already preparing for the offseason free agent frenzy, so Hockeyleaks is going to be your main source for hockey news for a long time.
Lets dive into a few rumours! Jokinen to Ottawa for Havlat and a 1st Round pick is a very strong rumour at this point. It makes a lot of sense, as Jaques Martin really loved Havlat, and the Sens really don't have room for him once he returns from injury(which may not be until next year). If the Panthers can't sign Jokinen soon, he will be dealt, and Ottawa is offering the most. Calgary has interest, but will struggle to offer a better deal than Ottawa's.
The Witt situation is an interesting one. Nashville was almost finalizing the deal with Washington, when the Caps got an offer from the Bruins that beat the Preds. At that point, Washington decided that it would be better to wait and see what else comes in, than to rush a deal before the Olympics. Right now Montreal, Toronto, Nashville and Boston are the four teams in the Witt hunt.
Arnason to Toronto is off for the time being. According to a good source, Chicago rejected the offer of Antropov, and asked for Stajan in return. The Leafs rejected that, and talks broke down. That being said, another source told me that talks will resume when the trade freeze is lifted, as Toronto really wants Arnason.
Check out Hockeyleaks.com for new articles, as well as our new affiliates. Our new forums are coming soon too, so check back to see if they're up! If you want to write for us, or want your site advertised on hockeyleaks.com, please email me at cjohnson202@hockeyleaks.com. Have a good night everyone.
