Well i was suppose to be heading back to the city tonight, however, my car's defroster has decided to crap out, and thanks to that I cannot get the ten pounds of ice off my windows/windshield. For this reason, updates will not occur until mid-day tomorrow, but I felt that I should post what was going to be tomorrow's big story, tonight, just incase other rumour outlets pick up on this too.
One of my writers messaged me tonight saying he heard a rumour involving Datsyuk to Florida, and wanted to know if I'd heard anything. I took a look around, and what I found was actually quite interesting.
The Panthers are at a point where they realize they will not be a playoff team this year. In fact, they are at the point where unless they make some major changes, they won't be a playoff team for awhile. Changes are coming in Florida, and to make these changes they need cap room. Jokinen is unhappy in Florida (remember, he signed when he believed Luongo was staying, and when the Panthers looked like they were building a contender). Jokinen to Detroit would give Detroit a player that still has a few years left on his contract, and is just as good, if not better than Datsyuk, who is a UFA this July 1st. Florida in return would get a player who could provide for them this year, and then leave in the offseason, giving them a lot more cap room. This deal makes sense, and even if it falls through, I am hearing Jokinen is gone from Florida by Feb. 27.
Bertuzzi is another player who could be on his way out of Florida. Florida wants prospect/picks in return for him. Bertuzzi is another player that will be a UFA this July, and all signs point to him leaving Florida.
As we get closer to the Feb. 27 trade deadline, more and more rumours will come our way. Stay tuned to Hockeyleaks.com and this blog for all the latest. This years deadline may be the best one yet, with so many great impending UFA's out there, there could be a lot of them on the move. Stay Tuned
