Round 2: Get it on!

What a second round the NHL has given us this year. Eight very deserving teams, four very wide open series. Well, almost. After a 6-2 first round, here is my stab at round two's winners.

East

(1) Boston vs. (6) Carolina

This is the only series where I'm pretty sure who will win. The Bruins are just too strong, while Carolina will be tired after a long seven game series with the Devils. Thomas will continue to stand on his head, while the youth in Boston will continue filling the net. Still, Ward will steal a game or two for the Canes, but it won't be enought

Bruins in 6

(2) Washington vs. (4) Pittsburgh

Ovechkin vs. Crosby; Bettman could not have wrote this one better. This should be the series of the round, and I have very high expectations for this one. Crosby and Ovechkin will play their best, and in the end it could come down to a coin toss. If you're Washington, you need more from Mike Green. In the end, I think the Penguins will take it, but will be punished severely along the way.

Penguins in 7.

West

(2) Detroit vs. (8) Anaheim

The Ducks look to go 2 for 2 in the upset department when they take on the defending cup champs. We've seen this before, and the results was a Ducks sweep. The Ducks won't sweep, but they will win the series. They say defense wins championships, and Ducks have the best top four in the NHL.

Ducks in 7

(3) Vancouver vs. (4) Chicago

What a series this should be. Luongo vs. Khabibulin. While both of these goalies are at the top of their games, it will be interesting to see how both fair against each others offenses, which are both rolling along. Look for Havlat to have a big series, but look for Luongo (and Alex Burrows) to have an ever bigger one.

Canucks in 7

So there we have it. There's the talk, now it's on to watching the games! I can't wait for these series to begin, and I won't have to as it all kicks off tonight.

Expect my next blog on Saturday or Sunday. I am moving, and the internet apparently won't be hooked up until Saturday. I'll keep my fingers crossed for tomorrow! For the latest in the meantime, check out the team bloggers section at http://hockey-leaks2.blogspot.com.

Players could pay the price

Last night we saw two of the season's early cup favourites eliminated in the first round. Both San Jose and Calgary had teams that on paper were cup contenders, but fell way short.

In Calgary, it's hard to imagine either Sutter or Keenan being let go after the first round exit. Both are well respected by ownership and have done a great job with this Flames team.

In San Jose, the coach is too new to be fired, and Doug Wilson, despite the team's playoff failures, has built a pretty solid team. Wilson's job is in trouble, but he may survive to see one more season.

The changes coming for both of these teams will likely come on the ice. In San Jose, it's not a stretch that Thornton could be gone by the start of next season. He has done little in the playoffs for a team that really needed him to step up.

Cheechoo has had back-to-back awful seasons, and it's really time for a change of scenery. If San Jose can trade Cheechoo this offseason, they will.

Nabokov struggled near the end of the season, and that carried over to the playoffs. While Nabokov would be an easy scapegoat, I don't see the Sharks moving him unless a Thornton or Cheechoo deal brought a starting goalie back in return.

In Calgary, Iginla and Kiprusoff did not perform to their expectations this postseason. Iginla is a staple in this franchise and isn't going anywhere, but sources tell me that Kiprusoff is not so save. The Flames are very high on Leland Irving, and now may be better than ever to throw him into the spotlight. The return for Kiprusoff would be extremely high, and such a deal would give the Flames more depth and possibly a more well-rounded team.

With the addition of Jokinen, Langkow could be let go in order to free up some cap space. Mike Cammalleri is all but gone to Calgary, and all but arriving in Toronto.

Bertuzzi re-signing is very up in the air, while I'm pretty sure Adrian Aucoin's Calgary career is over.

Look for a change to come on the blueline as well, with one of Sarich or Regehr being dumped.

It will be very interesting in San Jose and Calgary this summer to say the least, as both teams have fallen too short, too many times.

Brashear Suspended Six Games

The NHL has suspended Caps forward Donald Brashear for six games for incidents in game six of the Caps/Ranger series.

Six games is pretty huge, and this is a clear statement by the NHL to get this type of stuff out of the game. Remember, these are six potential playoff games (should the Caps win this series.) If the Caps are eliminated, the games will carry over until next season

Whats better than a game seven?

Game sevens are one of my favourite things on this planet. Nothing is more exciting than a winner-take-all atmosphere. In the NFL and march madness, every game is do or die, and for that reason I find their playoff format extremely exciting. On the other hand, anyone can win in the game of hockey and for that reason, the seven-game series idea is necessary.

When a game seven occurs in the NHL, it is because both teams are evenly matched. We are already assured two game sevens tomorrow, with New York/Washington and New Jersey/Carolina. Both series have been great, and I cannot wait to sit down and watch both of these tie-breakers.

Tonight we have two game sixes, and because I'm a fan of hockey in general, I'll be cheering for the Sharks and Flames. Four game sevens in the first round would be fantastic, but will it happen?


San Jose came in as their series favourite, and have looked much better over the last three games. Thornton has played much better than his previous playoff endevours, while Marleau and Boyle have looked great. The Ducks would love to close things out at home tonight, but I think the Sharks will steal one on the road and force the first round's third game seven.

As far as Calgary/Chicago, I just don't see this one lasting another game. While I predicted Calgary to win this game in seven, I don't see Calgary beating Chicago tonight. Yes the Flames are at home tonight, but they will be without Phaneuf which is a huge minus. Chicago looked too good last game, and they shoud close out the series tonight.

For the latest blogs on all your favourite NHL teams, make sure to check out http://hockey-leaks2.blogspot.com, which is our newest Hockeyleaks.com page. This features team bloggers from all around the league. We're always looking to add more, so email me at cjohnson202@hockeyleaks.com for more details.

What a series loss would mean for San Jose

San Jose, the best team in the NHL this season, is on the brink of elimination. Not to put down the Ducks, because they are a great team with a lot of strengths, but San Jose should not be going out in the first round.

A first round exit would mean a lot of change in San Jose. First, you'd have to think Joe Thornton could be on his way out. This guy has not done a thing in the playoffs. Patrick Marleau has shown this year that the Sharks are his team, and I think a first round exit could very well mean the exit of Joe Thornton.

Cheechoo is another player who badly needs a change. This kid has shown that he can be a great NHLer, but his sub-30 point season means he likely will be with a new team in the fall. The Sharks will have trouble dumping his salary, but someone will take him I'm sure.

What about Nabokov? I'm sure he'll get Vezina consideration this year, but he has been nothing short of awful in these playoffs. Could a change of scenary be in his future as well?

And of coarse the big question: who will be making these changes? Doug Wilson has been the GM of San Jose for awhile now, and while he has led the team to great regular season success, he has always fallen short in the playoffs. It's not a stretch to believe a first round loss to the Ducks would mean the firing of Wilson.

While the Sharks are not out of it yet, it appears like it's only a matter of time. While it's going to be an interesting summer for a lot of NHL teams, the Sharks should be near the top of that list.

Montreal fans: look to the draft

I know how it feels Habs fans, the feeling of your teams season ending much before you think it should. As a Leafs fan, making the playoffs alone would feel like a Stanley Cup win at this point.

However, the draft is a time you should all be excited about. The centennial season can be seen as nothing short of a failure, and the Habs know the best way to fix this is at the draft. For those unaware, this year's NHL draft is in Montreal on June 26th. I have every intention of being there...

We've all heard the Lecavalier to Montreal rumours, but this morning I got wind of something a little bigger.

You see, the Habs are in an interesting situation as far as the draft is concerned. While most teams are still cash-strapped, the Habs have so many UFA/RFA players that they will be able to bring in a big name or two at the draft without fear of going over the cap.

If the Habs land a player like Vinnie, they simply let Koivu, Kovalev, or both go. Two guys talked about going to Tampa are RFA's Chris Higgins and Tomas Plekanek. Both are not seen as future parts of Montreal and will be traded if the opportunity presents itself.

As far as UFAs, aside from Koivu and Kovalev, there are a few other big names the Habs may losing. Komisarek is not likely to return to Montreal I've been told, while Schneider may return after he had such a good end of the year with the Habs.

So yes, we know the Habs are still trying to get Lecavalier, but thats not the only thing the Habs are looking to do.

Discussions I have heard today involve Colorado and their 3rd overall pick. Should a deal not happen to bring Lecavalier to Montreal, I am hearing Colorado and Montreal have held discussions to give Montreal the third overall pick. The deal would include Higgins, Montreal's pick (which I believe would be 15 or 16 overall), and a Montreal goalie? Halak? Price? I don't know, but one of them. There would one more player and one more draft pick going to Colorado, with possibly Colorado throwing in one smaller piece.

Montreal wants to make a splash at the draft simply to say "sorry" to their fans. This was a big year for the team, a year many thought was now or never. The Habs have every intention on telling their fans that never isn't an option, and that the Habs will be more competitive next year. The draft is their place to do that.

Tavares at Number Three?

The Redline Report released today has just about everyone baffled. While Hedman going to #1 was something that had been talked about over the past 12 months, the fact that Matt Duchene is now ranked #2 is just baffling.

Tavares has been "the prospect" for the past few years, and I still believe he will be selected at number one. While this will likely do nothing to lower Tavares' value, this should help the values of Hedman and Duchene.

Hedman has been questioned a lot over the last few months, and many have questioned whether he's the prospect we originally thought he was. This kid still has a super-star future ahead of him, and just because of his less-than-stellar performance at the world juniors, there is still no reason to think this kid won't be a top d-man in this league.

The interesting thing is Duchene, who is projected by most to go #3 to Colorado. What a great player this kid could be for the Avs, who need a top centre to replace Sakic, who has another year left in his career tops.

This is the deepest draft I can remember, and for any team to move into the top-three will be a challenge. It can be done, and it will be attempted, which just further makes this years draft the most anticipated in recent years. The fact that it's in Montreal, with them looking to respond from a soon-to-be first round exit, is another reason to book a trip to Montreal on June 26.

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How about tonight's games? The Penguins showed the NHL that they are still a top team in the NHL, while the Hurricanes watched a three goal lead disappear before winning the game with 0.2 seconds left. Finally, Detroit ruined Columbus' home playoff debut by giving them a thrashing.

As for the ones still remaining, the Blues have battled back from 0-2 to tie the game, though the Blues should be up 3-2 after the refs made an awful call.

The game of the night, however, will be San Jose/Anaheim, as it's a must-win for the conference winning Sharks. These Ducks look tough, and could put this series out of reach with a win today.

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make sure to check out our team bloggers link at http://hockey-leaks2.blogspot.com. We are still looking for bloggers for about half the teams, so shoot me an email if you are interested in writing for us.

Looking for Team Bloggers!

So I am going to set up a second blogspot account for 30 different bloggers to post on for Hockeyleaks.com. This will be under the Hockeyleaks.com name and simply act as a new section. I am looking for a blogger for each of the 30 teams, and at this moment all thirty teams are up for grabs. If you are interested in a position, send me a sample blog covering your team at the current moment. So if they are in the playoffs, talk about what they've done, if they are not, talk about the season that was or the offseason ahead. I want to launch this soon, so the sooner I fill the spots the better.

Email submissions to cjohnson202@hockeyleaks.com :)

How about those Ducks?

The Anaheim Ducks may have been this year's trade deadline winners (which I will actually take a look at in a future blog, likely following the first round).

Rumours surrounded this team, with the likes of Marchant, Pronger, Niedermayer and Giguere all apparently available for the right price.

The deadline passed, all four remained Ducks, and the Ducks have barely lost a game since. The team, seeded #8, leads top seeded San Jose two games to none, and looks to have a strangle-hold on the series as they head back to the Honda Centre for games three and four.

Niedermayer and Pronger have been 1a and 1b as far as defensemen in this year's playoffs go. Both have looked like they're in their prime, and they very well could be.

Marchant is the biggest surprise, as he's playing over 20-minutes a night and playing a role nobody could have seen him playing at the deadline.

Giguere, while being on the bench, is offering support and is breathing down Hiller's neck should he faulter. Just his presence is making Jonas Hiller a better goalie, and how good has he been.

San Jose still has a chance, but these Ducks will be tough for anyone to beat. A Detroit/San Jose second round match-up looks likely, and how much fun would that be. You know Detroit is still upset about a couple years ago, what a series to look forward to.

As for tonight's games, Montreal and Boston are currently tied at 1-1, while Washington has a 2-0 lead over NYR. If you follow on twitter (Hockeyleaks), you would know Hockeyleaks.com predicted Washington, Montreal and Calgary wins tonight.

Stay tuned to this blog, Hockeyleaks.com and the Hockeyleaks twitter for all the latest

Douggy R, Burke's Quest, and more!

Hello everybody!

As you all know by now, Doug Risebrough was let go by the Minnesota Wild. Do not expect this guy to be out of work long.

Sources tell Hockeyleaks.com that both Edmonton and Atlanta are very interested in Risebrough. Both teams have failed to make expectations over the past few years and change is needed. Risebrough is one of the top GMs in the league and he could do wonders for both of these teams. Risebrough however is expected to wait to see which first-round playoff failures will make management changes following their eliminations.

How about Brian Burke's quest for Johnny T? The rumoured deals are as follows.

Toronto would move their first round pick (7th overall), both their 2nd round picks, and one unnamed prospect for Tampa Bay's 2nd overall pick and some salary. What could that salary be? Ryan Malone and Vaclav Prospal are two guys Tampa wants to dump.

As for the current games, do not be surprised if Anaheim upsets San Jose. These Ducks are on a mission and have the experience to do some damage in this years playoffs. Scott Niedermayer showed just how great he still can be last night.

Tough loss for the Habs last night. A first-round exit during this centennial would certainly mean big changes in Montreal. How safe is Gainey? With a guy like Risebrough (who remember, the Leafs had on their short list, along with Burke, Regier and Holland), you have to wonder if a team like Montreal would dump their current GM for Risebrough.

Big game for Carolina tonight, if they fall 2-0 to New Jersey they likely would not be able to climb out of that hole.

Most excited for Vancouver/St. Louis tonight, as this series has potential to be the best one in the opening round. Game one was good, but this series still has a lot of room to get a lot better.

Check Hockeyleaks.com for the latest playoff news, stats and standings!

First Round Predictions

Every year I make predictions and not to brag, but I have a pretty good track record. Last year I went seven for eight in the first round, while in 2007 I was a perfect 8-8. Let us see what 2009 brings!

East

(1) Boston vs. (8) Montreal
- How sad is it to see the Habs in 8th during their 100th year. The Habs will battle hard, but their goaltending is too iffy and their offense is too spotty. The Bruins are solid front to back and will be a tough team to beat. Bruins in six.

(2) Washington vs. (7) NYR
- How can you bet against a team with Mike Green and Alex Ovechkin on it? I can't, especially in the first round. The Rangers will put up a better fight than most think, but will come up short. Capitals in six.

(3) New Jersey vs. Carolina (6)
- The Hurricanes have been one of the hottest teams over the last couple months, and I don't expect them to cool down. I'm not sold Brodeur is 100% and I think the Devils struggles will continue right into the playoffs. Carolina takes this in seven.

(4) Pittsburgh vs. (5) Philadelphia
- If Carolina is hot, than Pittsburgh is molton lava. The Penguins are a force in this league and will easily get past the Flyers. Philly has the offense but their defense and goaltending will be their weak points. Penguins in five.

West

(1) San Jose vs. (8) Anaheim
- This series has potential to get ugly. Both teams have been two of the league's best over the past five years. The Ducks will beat San Jose up, but in the end won't get past them. They will put up a fight. Sharks in six.

(2) Detroit vs. (7) Columbus
- The Blue Jackets finally make the playoffs, only to get stuck against the defending cup champs. The Red Wings are not going to lose to the Blue Jackets, but because of their weak goaltending, it'll take them seven games to get out of this series. Red Wings in seven.

(3) Vancouver vs. (6) St. Louis
- You all have no idea how bad I want to pick St. Louis in this series, but I can't. Mason has been so hot as of late, and the Blues could have Kariya back for this series. With that said, Sundin will play like a man possessed, and Luongo is too hard to bet against. Canucks in seven.

(4) Chicago vs. (5) Calgary
- Probably will be the best first round series. Calgary put so much effort into the trade deadline that a first round exit will not be acceptable. The Blackhawks will have a lot of guys playing in their first playoff series, which will hurt them. They'll give the Flames a big challenge, but the Flames will move onto the second round, setting up San Jose vs. Calgary for the second straight year. Flames in seven.


So there you have it. What do you think, I'd love your feedback. Stay tuned to Hockeyleaks.com for all the latest playoff news, stats and updates.

Prospect Watch

Just a few quick hits on a few young players that a lot of teams have their eyes on.

Matt Gilroy is a NCAA champion, and a UFA. I am hearing it's between Toronto, Montreal, Philly and Boston. He is expected to make a decision by Wednesday.

As far as goaltending prospect, Jonas Gustavsson, I am hearing he is all but a Toronto Maple Leaf. Burke met with his agent this past weekend and will meet with him again following the World Championships. Gustavsson cannot sign with a team until the completion of the World Championships, so do not expect closure on this one any time soon. Dallas is still interested but the Leafs are the heavy favourites.

Check the blog tomorrow, as I will make my first round playoff predictions!

Leafs Sign Bozak

The toronto maple leafs have signed forward Tyler Bozak to a multi-year deal.

Great news for Leafs fans, this guy is a better version of Brunnstrom, already used to North American ice.

April Fools!

So I can't take the guilt anymore and I'm giving in. I've received close to 20 emails over the last 10 hours saying thanks for the good times and wishing me luck in my future.

Yes: I will be going to the Hockey News in 2010, but in no way does that mean Hockeyleaks.com is close to the end.

Hockeyleaks.com is not going anywhere, in fact, we are set to improve even further.

Heading to July 1st, we hope to make many improvements on the site. I want to integrate social networking into Hockeyleaks, with more use of Twitter and similar applications to make sure you are all up to date on everything hockey.

We also plan on heading to the draft this year to cover the event live, with live updates and hopefully interviews with some great hockey people.

Finally, July 1st will be done bigger than ever before, bigger than any draft, deadline or July 1st we've ever done in the past.

Thanks for all your well wishes, but I'm pleased to say that Hockeyleaks.com is not going anywhere and will be here for years to come.

Happy April Fools everyone, have a great day.

Also, remember to add Hockeyleaks on twitter... username: Hockeyleaks

All Good Things...

With the NHL season winding down, that is not all there is to be sad about.

It is my sincere regret to notify you all that after four years of great accomplishments, success, and fun, Hockeyleaks.com will be shutting down.

As many of you have heard, I will be interning at the Hockey News starting in January of 2010, and I feel that it is best if I put my efforts fully into that. I just do not have the time I have had in the past to keep up to date with the site and the people that go there.

Thank you to everyone over the years who has visited Hockeyleaks.com and made it what it is today.

Like they say, all good things must come to end, and this website appears to have run it's coarse.

Thanks again everyone, it's been a blast.

A Much Needed Update

Hockeyleaks.com has been updated. It's been forever, but I got a new laptop and it's taken me awhile to transfer all the files and software I needed over. It's done and updates should be a regular thing. With 8-10 games left per team, it's time to make one last stab at final predictions...so here we go!

East

1. Boston
2. Washington
3. NJ
4. Philadelphia
5. Pittsburgh
6. NYR
7. Carolina
8. Montreal
9. Florida
10. Ottawa
11. Toronto
12. Buffalo
13. Atlanta
14. Tampa Bay
15. NYI

West

1. San Jose
2. Detroit
3. Calgary
4. Vancovuer
5. Chicago
6. Columbus
7. Edmonton
8. Minnesota
9. Anaheim
10. St. Louis
11. Nashville
12. Dallas
13. LA
14. Phoenix
15. Colorado


What are your predictions?

Wrap Up!

First of all I want to say THANK YOU to everyone who came to the site today! We had over 350 people in the chat at one point, it was great talking to everyone.

Hockeyleaks.com beat Hockeybuzz on every single transaction today, and we're free! The longer I do this, the more fun it gets for me and I think the better we get as a whole. This was fun, I cannot wait until July 1st when we will do this all again, bigger and better.

My Thoughts? I am disappointed we didn't see names like Bouwmeester, Pronger, or Kaberle moved, but in the end it was still a very entertaining day.

The Winners?

My winner of the day is Phoenix. They didn't give up anything they couldn't afford to lose, but get a ton of draft picks and young talent that will keep this team competitive for years to come. The Coyotes were almost playoff-bound this year and I think they'll be back in the playoffs next season. Great deay for Phoenix.

Calgary also did a great job. They wanted a D-man and a center, and they got A-Level players in both categories without giving up too much. Great day for Sutter and the Flames.

I will say Edmonton had a great day as well, as getting O'Sullivan and Kotalik for Erik Cole I believe is an awesome trade for a guy that was going to leave anyways.

The Losers?

Montreal couldn't afford to stand pat, and they did. This is a team I think will be a first round exit, let's see if they can prove me wrong.

Philly. This team was in on big name players, and instead got Kyle McLaren (over-paid, over-valued) and Carcillo. Carcillo gives them great, but honestly, I would have preferred the 2nd and Upshall. From what I've read, Flyers fans agree.

What this means?

The East is going to be a lot of fun these last 20 games. I don't think Buffalo did enough to stay in the playoffs, and I think the Rangers needed to do more. Boston could really have used to make a move, and this could hurt them in the playoffs. I think Detroit needed a goalie. I'm pleased with San Jose adding grit.

I'm going to take a few hours to digest this all, and then make my season-ending predictions based on today's moves. Check for that around 10 pm tonight.

Thanks again everyone, I really appreciate all of your support, can't wait to do it again!

Hockeyleaks.com Trade Deadline Coverage

We have been in chat for the last two hours. Make sure to stay on hockeyleaks.com, the chat and the forums for all the latest. Features we have:

Breaking news as it happens
A sportsnet vs. tsn scoreboard
breaking rumours
and much more...

I will be in chat and on the site from 8 am - 5 pm, excluding 1:30-2:30 where I have an un-missable commitment. That said, Hockeyleaks.com staff members Yick and TJ will be in chat and on the site updating and getting the latest from myself and other sources.

Today should be fun, let's do this!

Prediction Fun

For those who haven't noticed, the site has been back to fully working since about 11 am this morning...

now, bold predictions. These are not rumours or hearsay, these are just my guesses to what Wednesday could look like. For the latest rumours check the rumour mill and the blueprint...

now for the fun

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To Boston: Thomas Kaberle
To Toronto: Phil Kessel and a 1st

I am hearing the Bruins feel Colborne has potential to be the next Thornton. This is a team who has lost a Thornton already, and won't lose another. Kessel has been hot/cold this year (I blame his mono) but the fact is he's been replaced by Wheeler as the teams best young player. The Bruins choose Kaberle over Pronger and JayBo simply because he's the easiest to fit under the cap.

To Montreal: Chris Pronger
To Anaheim: Higgins, Subban and a 1st

Chris Pronger is a perfect fit for Montreal, plus he will replace Komi who isn't likely to re-sign with Montreal. As far as Anaheim goes, they get younger and in the long-term, better.

To Calgary: Ryan Smyth
To Colorado: Leland Irving, 1st round draft pick

Despite the rumours, Ryan Smyth would move on if he had to, and Calgary would be right at the top of his list...right beside Vancouver. Irving would give Colorado a hope for the future in net.

To Montreal: Milan Hejduk
To Colorado: 2nd round pick, Matt D'Agostini

This is Montreals 100th season, they will add both a top d-man and a suitable forward. Hejduk has had good success with Tanguay, and would be a great fit in Montreal.

To Columbus: Nik Antropov, Mike Van Ryn
To Toronto: 1st Round Pick, 2nd round pick, 6th round pick

The Leafs want Columbus' first round pick, but will have to spice up their Antropov deal to get it. Columbus would love a puck moving d-man or two, Van Ryn would be a good pick up for them.

To Chicago: Olli Jokinen
To Phoenix: Duncan Keith, 3rd round pick

Chicago gets the center they badly need, while Phoenix gets some much needed defense.

To Vancouver: Alexei Ponikarovsky, Ian White
To Toronto: 2nd round pick, Alex Burrows

Vancouver gets another scoring winger in Ponikarovsky, who is locked up beyond this season, plus a puck-moving d-man who will be an RFA. The Leafs get a 2nd round pick, which they badly want, plus Burrows, who Burke is high on. Burrows is a UFA, but Burke would like a head start on signing him now.

To Buffalo: Daniel Briere
To Philly: 1st round pick, Nathan Gerbe

Philly will free up cap space they've lacked for several years, while Buffalo will get a player they wish they never let go.

To Philly: Ed Jovanovki
To Phoenix: Ryan Parent, 1st round pick

Phoenix sheds cash, while Phoenix grabs that big d-man they are so hot for.

To Vancouver: Jay Bouwmeester
To Florida: Michael Grabner, Matthias Ohlund, 1st round pick

Vancouver gets the best d-man on the market, while Florida gets a d-man to keep them competitive, as well as building blocks for the future.


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so there you have it, feel free to comment on these "deals" in the forums!

We're Back!

After about 14 hours of troubleshooting, re-writing php scripts and a lot of hair being pulled out, Hockeyleaks.com is back!

and I dare say better than ever, as we have upgraded our forums to be more stable as well as containing for features.

Stay tuned to Hockeyleaks.com over the next few days as rumours will be updated several times a day and we will break the deals as they happen!

Site Down

After attempting to upgrade to a newer version of our forum, the whole site has crashed!

I am in the process of deleting/re-installing the forum, and hopefully when that is done the site will fix it-self.

Stay tuned to the blog for all the latest.

End in sight for Guerin deal

Just got word from a very respected source that Bill Guerin is all but a Philadelphia Flyer. While I cannot confirm this, the source says the Flyers lack the cap room to complete this deal, especially with the activation of Briere over the last 24 hours. It will be interesting to see how the Flyers make this happen. Flyers are still MAJOR players for a puck moving d-man as well. Kaberle, Pronger and Bouwmeester are all on their radar.

Things are really heating up...here are rumours from this mornings rumour mill.

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- Kaberle may in fact be the most-wanted player at this years deadline. He is cheaper than Bouwmeester and Pronger, with a longer remaining contract term than both. Recent rumours for Kaberle include:

Kaberle to Boston for Colborne, a 1st and a 3rd, Kaberle to Boston for Kessel and a 1st, Kaberle to Montreal for Higgins and Subban, Kaberle to Philly for Upshall, Van Riemsdyk and a 1st.

- The Dallas Stars are apparently shopping Brad Richards and Mike Ribeiro

- The Blue Jackets continue to pursue Antropov, but are unwilling to give their 1st rounder up unless the Leafs include a player such as Ian White.

- Minnesota is looking likely to deal Backstrom at the deadline. Washington is apparently the front runner.

- The Bruins, Flyers, Leafs and Sens are all interested in Pronger today, with the first two teams trying to get creative and fit the big d-man under the cap. Kaberle is a smarter solution for them

- Jamal Mayers has asked for a trade fromt Toronto if one can be arranged.

- Blue Jackets like Kuba.

- The LA Kings are trying to get Ryan Smyth out of Colorado.

- The Leafs are likely to deal Moore as his contract demands are quite high. One rumour suggests Moore and Blake could be offered as a package.

- The Flyers would like to deal Briere, but nobody with cap space has shown interest at this point.

- The Rangers would move Scott Gomez if they get the chance.

--

Chat tonight at 10 PM EST

Canucks make play for Bouwmeester

The Canucks really believe this could be there year, and they'd love to add Jay Bouwmeester and make him part of what they hope will be a Stanley Cup run.

Sources today have told me that the Canucks have offered a 1st round pick, Michael Grabner (he's been called up to showcase, at least three teams have interest, Vancouver and Toronto are two of them) and Matthias Ohlund. The Panthers like pieces of this deal, but talks are far from over.

The Canucks also continue to talk to the Wild about Gaborik, but nothing is close on that front.

For those who havent been on the site today, the Pens dealt Ryan Whitney to Anaheim for Kunitz and Tangradi.

If Whitney is worth a top-six forward and Anaheim's 2nd best prospect, you have to wonder what Bouwmeester, Kaberle, Pronger and Niedermayer could attract.

Stay tuned to Hockeyleaks.com for all the latest.

Chat Tonight

There will be a chat tonight at 10 PM EST, don't miss it. I will start with doing a Q&A. Things are heating up, just one week until the deadline is here!

Make sure to check out Hockeyleaks.com for all the latest.

For Twitter updates, make sure to follow me, Cjohnson202

Rangers fire Renney

As first speculated in the Hockeyleaks.com chat last night, Tom Renney has been fired by the New York Rangers.

Sources tell Hockeyleaks.com that John Torterella is in the running to replace Renney.

Trade!

The Ottawa Senators have traded San Jose's 1st overall pick (acquired in the meszaros deal) and Dean McAmmond to NYI for Mike Comrie and Chris Campoli.

Introducing: The Blueprint

Hockeyleaks.com has changed a little today, you will notice some differences on our Nav Bar.

First, The Blueprint.

Yes, this is total rip-off of Eklund's chart, but it's done 100% by me, and I promise it to be more accurate than Eklund's. This is also free, which is $20 cheaper than the garbage Eklund puts out. Go to Hockeyleaks.com and click on "The Blueprint" to access it. It will be updated daily, so check back often.

Second, Chat.

The Chat returns. The chat will only be open when I hold chats, so check the forums and blog often to see when the next chat will be.

Feel free to comment on these features and let me know what you think.

Stay tuned to Hockeyleaks.com for all the latest.

The Latest

First off, I just want to say how much fun I had with you all last night in the chat. Between 10:30-2 am last night there was a constant group of about 50 that just chatted about this Habs situation. We learned about it together and it was really a lot of fun. Thanks to everyone that came out.

Hockeyleaks was one of the first on this story, and what a story it has turned out to be. By now, I'm sure you all know the details, but I will say this, I'm hearing this could just be the start. There is more to come out I've been told, and the "more" involves even higher profile Habs. We'll see what materializes, but this could just be be the begininning.

Here are the trade rumours for today:


- Bob Gainey has admitted that the Lightning have contacted him regarding Lecavalier, and that Subban, Higgins, and Gorges were players Tampa had interest in. I'm hearing the Habs are really shopping Higgins right now.

- Sean Avery is close to re-joining the New York Rangers, this is going to happen.

- The rumours that the Leafs are close to making a trade do have some substance. Chicago, Boston and Columbus are the three teams the Leafs have been talking to the most as of late.

- The Penguins have apparently made a significant offer for Ryan Smyth.

- Staying with the Avs, the Bruins are big Jordan Leopold fans and these talks are making progress.

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Stay tuned to Hockeyleaks.com today, I am going to be making my own "Chart"...take that Eklund

Habs Massacre Coming

This is a HUGE story right now...

La Presse's tomorrow edition will release a story and photos of certain Habs players with unacceptable behaviour in the Montreal night life.

Several sources are telling me that this will put the Kovalev story to the background, and this will seriously damage the Habs as a team.

One source told me, "this will make the Ryan O'Byrne purse stealing incident look like a joke"...

This information is expected to leak around midnight eastern tonight.

I will be in the chat all night till 12:30 - 1 am Eastern, so make sure to stop by to discuss this. This is going to be big....stay tuned.

You heard this scoop here first...

Hockeyleaks Timeline + Chat Now

First, chat now for awhile...http://www.hockeyleaks.com/chat.html

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Couldnt go back all the way because our original blog is blocked...but...

Oct. 28, 2005 - http://web.archive.org/web/20051028001310/http://hockey-leaks.blogspot.com/

Dec 1, 2005 - http://web.archive.org/web/20051201015459/http://hockeyleaks.com/

Jan 1, 2006 - http://web.archive.org/web/20060102182120/hockeyleaks.conforums.com/

Mar 5, 2006 - http://web.archive.org/web/20060305103809/http://www.hockeyleaks.com/

July 5, 2006 - http://web.archive.org/web/20060715113920/http://hockeyleaks.com/

Aug 15, 2006 - http://web.archive.org/web/20061107164305/www.hockeyleaks.com/forums/

Jan 1, 2007 - http://web.archive.org/web/20070104075605/http://hockeyleaks.com/

July 15, 2007 - http://web.archive.org/web/20070219094531rn_1/www.hockeyleaks.com/forum2/

July 16, 2007 - http://web.archive.org/web/20070716174147/http://hockey-leaks.blogspot.com/

Feb. 19, 2009 - http://www.hockeyleaks.com

Feb. 19, 2009 - http://hockey-leaks.blogspot.com

Feb. 19, 2009 - http://www.hockeyleaks.com/forum2/index.php


talk about progression...

Rumour Blitz

Here are your rumours for Feb. 19:

- The Ducks continue to free fall in the standings, and they've still played a few more games than everyone else. It looks very likely that Scott Niedermayer will be dealt back to the Devils. It also looks like Chris Pronger could be headed East, and that Eastern could be, wait for it...The Habs.

- Phoenix now finds themselves last in the West, meaning bodies are about to fly. Derrick Morris is a target of the Buffalo Sabres, while Olli Jokinen is the target of many. Jokinen could find himself with the Flames or Sens when all is said and done.


- The Leafs continue to shop Antropov, and a 1st round pick is what is required to bring him in. Seems steep? Consider that Antropov is on pace for more points than any other forward available in this year's deadline. Rumours like yesterday's Leafs/Pens ones (Antro for Whitney, Antro for Gogli and a 1st) are not far-fetched, this is the type of the return Burke expects.

- The Flyers and Thrashers are talking about a deal that would send Kari Lehtonen to the Flyers for James Van Riemsdyk. Honestly, I feel the Flyers would be overpaying, and I wonder if teams like Minnesota (Backstrom), Toronto (Toskala), Anaheim (Giguere) and Montreal (Halak) may get involved in this.

- Speaking of Backstrom, I'm hearing it's very likely he is traded. Minnesota is set to go with Josh Harding in net, and is pretty confident at this point that Backstrom will not re-sign with the club. The Leafs are planning on going after him on July 1, it will be interesting to see if they make a move for him at the deadline.

- Jay Bouwmeester is very available, and the shopping of him will be stepped up starting next week. The Panthers will make one final contract offer to him in the next seven days, and if he doesn't accept then he's gone. The Panthers are too far along in their rebuild to let Jay-Bo walk for free. If he's not signed, he will be traded. The Oilers are still leading this, don't count out those Flyers, who may blow the Panthers away with an offer.

- Ryan Smyth is out there for the taking, and yes, Montreal is in on him. However, at this point, I am hearing that it's a Western team that has the early (and I mean very early, this is going down to the deadline) lead. That team? Calgary.

- The Rangers are once again pushing to acquire Jovanovski.

- Nashville defenseman Ville Koistinen has requested a trade out of Nashville.

Stay tuned for Hockeyleaks.com for all the latest. Thanks to all to came out for the chat last night, it was fun. Check the blog and forums often for an update on when the next chat will be held.

Hockeyleaks.com Chat Now

I am testing out a chat-client right now, in hopes of making chats a regular thing as we head towards the deadline. Please join me right now, and ask some questions regarding the deadline. I have several rumours to discuss!

http://www.hockeyleaks.com/chat.html

Kovalev Done As A Hab?

Reports are flying right now that Alex Kovalev has played his last game as a Montreal Canadien. Gainey is heavily shopping him, though it is important to remember that Kovalev does have a no-trade in his contract. Kovalev will be a UFA at season's end, so it appears he will be dealt as a rental player. This, however, is just the start.

Losing Kovalev will hurt the Habs up front, as he was and still is expected to be a large part of their offense. We'll start with Kovalev, and where he could end up.

I'm hearing Pittsburgh has already spoken to Montreal about Kovalev, but will not include their first round pick at this point, which is what Montreal is asking. The Pens have bigger things on the go (Kovalchuk, Gaborik for starters) and are not willing to trade major assets for Kovalev.

While Pittsburgh has interest, it's unlikely as Gainey wants to move Kovalev to the West. It should be noted that Kovalev will not waive unless it's to a contender, as if not he'd rather stay in Montreal. So who in the West has interest?

The Canucks, for starters. I am hearing a deal could be in the works that sends a draft pick and a defenseman to Montreal for Kovalev.

Other teams in the early running? Minnesota, Dallas, and surprisingly, Chicago.

Expect Kovalev to be dealt sooner rather than later. Things are not on good terms, and Gainey wants this distraction dealt with ASAP.

But what could this lead to? It is no secret that Montreal still wants Vinny, and this could be a a major piece to that puzzle, just like Schnieder was. A deal was close between Montreal and TB near the deadline, but T-Bay wanted one of Markov or Komisarek, and that wasn't happening. With Schnieder a Hab, and possible d-man coming from Vancouver, the Habs suddenly have the ability to let one of Markov and Komisarek go.

It's Montreal's 100th season, and things should really turn up right about....now.

Stay tuned to Hockeyleaks.com for all the latest

Let The Games Begin!

The first deadline-ish trade has occured!

The Atlanta Thrashers have traded defenseman Mathieu Schneider to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for second and third round draft picks.

Stay tuned to Hockeyleaks.com for all the latest

Duck Sale?

Speaking to several people around the league, there is a growing consensus that the Ducks will indeed be sellers this deadline. This is a team with a lot of the right parts in place, but work needs to be done. They don't need a rebuild, simply an off-season to make things right. I am hearing contracts could be dealt at the deadline, with the replacements coming in during the off-season, younger and possibly cheaper. Here is some of what I am hearing regarding the Ducks:

J.S. Giguere could be on his way out, and yes I've been reporting this for almost a month now. The Leafs, Flyers and Capitals are the three teams I'm hearing, while Colorado is also slightly in on this. The Ducks are looking for defense in a big way, as Niedermayer and Beauchemin are both UFA's on July 1. The Leafs have Kaberle and Kubina to offer up, while the others fall short on top-quality defensemen they can afford to lose.

Scott Niedermayer is almost likely to be dealt, with New Jersey the one realistic destination for him.

Chris Pronger is iffy, as he has one year left on his deal. If the Ducks could get a top-quality guy from say the Leafs (Kaberle, Kubina) or Devils (Paul Martin), then Pronger would become a major tradeable player. But who is in on him? The Bruins are very in on this, but would struggle to make cap room available (though trading Manny Fernandez would go a long way). Aside from the Bruins, the Penguins would love Pronger and may have the tradebait to bring him in.

Todd Marchant will be looked to be dumped by the Ducks, but will not bring in that large of a return.

Here are today's other rumours from around the league...

Tomas Kaberle will be traded at the trade deadline, and has accepted this. He will submit his list of ten teams he'd be willing to go to this week. Kubina is in a similar process right now.

The Canucks are still talking to the Wild about acquiring Marian Gaborik. Pittsburgh and Ottawa are still involved in these talks as well.

The Avalanche are apparently shopping Ryan Smyth in hopes of bringing in a #1 Goaltender.

The Denver Post suggests the Avs have serious interest in Jaroslav Halak, but Hockeyleaks.com does not believe Halak will be dealt, due to the struggles of Carey Price.

The Sabres have a large interest in Phoenix's Derrick Morris.

For all the latest, make sure to check Hockeyleaks.com several times a day!

Projected Standings, Part One

It's a slow day today, so I'm going to take a stab at predicting the final standings of this season. This will be revised several times before we hit the end. Feel free to stop by the forums and comment on my predictions.

Eastern Conference


1. Boston
2. New Jersey
3. Washington
4. Philadelphia
5. New York Rangers
6. Montreal
7. Buffalo
8. Pittsburgh
9. Florida
10. Carolina
11. Tampa Bay
12. Ottawa
13. Toronto
14. Atlanta
15. New York Islanders


Western Conference

1. San Jose
2. Detroit
3. Calgary
4. Chicago
5. Vancouver
6. Dallas
7. Edmonton
8. Minnesota
9. Anaheim
10. Columbus
11. St. Louis
12. LA
13. Phoenix
14. Colorado
15. Nashville

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Rumours!

The bruins really like Jordan Leopold, who has yet to really perform up to expectations in Colorado.

The Flames and Leafs have interest in Columbus defenseman Klesla, but he's an injury hazzard and will likely not be moved until the off-season.

The Blue Jackets and Canucks both have interest in Tampa Bay's Prospal

The Sharks have discussed moving Jonathan Cheechoo, with Tampa Bay and Minnesota being possible destinations.

Despite denying trade rumours, Chris Pronger could still be dealt. Washington is really interested in him.

Things are heating up

Las Vegas Sports Betting Rules

With less than a month until the trade deadline, things around the NHL are really heating up.

The Leafs are very active on the markets right now, getting an idea of exactly what there players are worth. Poni, Antropov, Kaberle and Moore are apparently the four most-wanted Leafs, while Blake, Kubina, Toskala, and Ian White could all be moved for the right price.

Sticking with the Leafs, the team have held internal discussions involving Ray Emery. Emery is currently not in Russia, and refuses to return until they pay him, something the KHL hasn't been doing properly all season.

Final Leaf note of the day? Rumours continue that Burke will have interest in the Sedins should they hit the open market on July 1st.

Moving along, the Ducks are said to be quietly shopping their "big 3" defenseman. The Devils apparently like Niedermayer, while the Habs have interest in Francois B. As for Pronger, I'm hearing Washington is really poking around this one.

Columbus has held several discussions with the Islanders involving Witt and one of their forwards, I'm hearing Comrie.

Bouwmeester is still most-likely to Edmonton. For the Oilers to get him this season, it would cost them a package involving one of Sam Gagner or Andrew Cogliano.

Steve Mason has been placed on the IR, leaving the BJ's very shallow in goal for the next week to ten days. Reports have Columbus asking the Blues about Manny Legace.

Crosby is causing a stink in Pittsburgh, wanting a top-notch linemate to play with. No names available at this point, but Ryan Whitney could be sacrificed to bring in such a player

Rookie Madness

This year it has amazed me at how many great rookies the NHL has seen. In past years, we've always had a good idea about who would take home the Calder Trophy. First it was a toss-up between Crosby and Ovechkin, then it was Malkin, and last year it was Kane. This year, I honestly believe it's anyones game.

Steve Mason leads the pack, with seven shutouts and MVP type play for for the Columbus Blue Jackets. Should this team make the playoffs, it's his fault.

Bobby Ryan has 17 goals and has really blossomed into something special. He will get his share of votes, and will be a strong contender should he keep up his recent play.

Blake Wheeler is third in rookies in scoring with 33 points, while he leads the league with a +32. He cannot be overlooked.

Finally, Kris Versteeg has come out of nowhere and leads all rookies with 38 points. Chicago is going to be really good for many years to come.

Make sure to drop by the question of the day section to cast your vote on who should be the rookie of the year to this point.

Sports Betting odds


Rumours:

Sean Avery to the Rangers rumours are heating up again. The Rangers would love his grit, and there is no question that Avery really brought a lot to the Rangers last season.

The Columbus Blue Jackets and Toronto Maple Leafs continue to talk trade, with Columbus having serious interest in Antropov and a puck moving defenseman. The Leafs are said to be very interested in prying Filatov from Columbus.

The Calgary Flames are said to have interest in Montreal's Chris Higgins, as do the Avalanche.

LA PRESSE has indicated that Ducks d-man Francois Beauchemin is on the Habs off-season shopping list.

The Phoenix Coyotes are talking to Ottawa about Christoph Schubert.

Today's Fun Facts - HARTSBURG FIRED

I know we jumped the gun last time, but Hockeyleaks.com can confirm that the Ottawa Senator's have fired head coach Craig Hartsburg and will announce that at a 11 am news conference. Stay tuned to Hockeyleaks.com as we await a replacement being named. Pat Quinn anyone? Here are some fun facts of the day. Check the rumour mill momentarily for today's rumours

NHL Handicappers

- The Canucks are 1-5-4 in their last 10 games, while currently on an eight game losing streak. This has them in 11th place in the West, and out of a playoff spot.

- The slump nobody knows about? The Detroit Red Wings have lost five straight games, and now sit 8 points behind San Jose, while playing one more game than the Sharks.

- The streak nobody knows about? The Devils have won eight straight games, giving them a five point division lead over the Rangers.

- The once last-place Dallas Stars currently find themselves sixth in the West, just two points back of fifth, with four games in hand on the Ducks.

- five teams are currently tied with 53 points in the west. The top team is sixth, while the bottom team is tenth. Vancouver is in eleventh with 52 points. This is going to be one exciting race.

- Teemu Selanne still leads the league in Power Play Goals with 13, despite playing in only 35 games.

- Four Flyers (Carter, Richards, Gagne) lead the league in shorties, with four each.

- Ovechkin now leads Carter in goals after a big weekend. AO now has 36 on the season.

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Kaberle To Miss Time

Leafs defenseman Tomas Kaberle will miss at least one month with a broken hand. He broke his hand during Thursday's win over Colorado. This could hamper the Leafs' effort to trade him, and will almost surely lower his value, at least a little bit.

Sticking with the Leafs, the club continues to talk to Anaheim about J.S. Giguere. Giggy is said to be feeling the pressure in Anaheim, not having won since mid-December. The Ducks are happy with Hiller, and will continue to give him the majority of the starts. Washington and Ottawa are also interested in the veteran goalie.

Though Forsberg will not return to the NHL this season, Philly and Colorado have told him they would be interested in signing him for next season.

Vancouver continues to free fall, and a coaching change could be coming. Some rumours suggest Pat Quinn, however, Hockeyleaks.com has been told that Sundin would prefer someone other than Quinn be brought in.

The Kings Alexander Frolov has been getting a lot of attention from teams as of late, one of them being the Carolina Hurricanes.

The Wild have started to discuss trading Gaborik again, as the winger is on schedule for a March return. The Panthers really like this guy at the moment.

For all the latest, make sure to check Hockeyleaks.com several times a day.


Sports Betting Champ Review

Zetterberg Signs 12 Year Deal

Doc's Sports Blog

The Red Wings have signed Henrik Zetterberg to a 12-year contract worth $72 million. This means Zetterberg's cap hit will be an incredibly low $6 million per season.

Ken Holland is my choice for best GM in the league.

Leafs/Panthers Talking Again

sports interaction review

Toronto has traded with no team more than they have traded with the Florida Panthers over the past year. The Leafs have sent McCabe, Belak and Kilger to the sunshine state since last year's deadline, while the Leafs have gotten back picks and Van Ryn in return.

Eklund, Garrioch and others have been talking about the Leafs showing serious interest in Jay Bouwmeester, and they are 100% right. With that said, I'm hearing the deal is bigger than that.

First, you may ask why the Leafs would give up something they could potentially get on July 1st for nothing. The Leafs have taken this avenue in the past (Adam Foote is one that really comes to mind) and failed. Burke doesn't want to make this mistake, and understands that Bouwmeester is a guy they could really build a strong defense around.

The first part going to Florida would be Kaberle. He'd be willing to go to Florida, as he is good friends with McCabe and would love to be re-united with him. Florida would take Kaberle, as skill-wise they wouldn't be downgrading much, if at all, from losing Bouwmeester.

Nathan Horton is the next player to come into this discussion. The forward is very unhappy in Florida, and is hoping to be dealt at the deadline. Toronto has serious interest in Horton, and is looking to get Florida to package him with Bouwmeester.

Aside from Kaberle, Florida would be looking for a younger player to go the other way. Grabovski, Kulemin and Tlusty are all names being mentioned. Depending on the young player the Leafs choose to include, a draft pick may also be necessary. In this case, it would likely be a draft pick the Leafs have yet to acquire, but will in the coming weeks when they deal players such as Antropov, Ponikarovsky, Kubina, etc.

While this deal is not imminent, I can confirm it is being largely discussed. Burke is eager to start building "his" team, and both of these players fit the mould that Burke wants to form.

Look for Burke to address the goaltending situation soon as well, with Pogge being called up in the next 10 days to get some work. There are currently rumours that even Pogge could be dealt, in hopes to bring in a proven #1 goalie. Names to look at include Giguere and Backstrom.

Sit tight, this is an exciting time in Leaf land.

The NHL All-Star Game

Please check out the following website:

sports interaction review

This is an article I wrote for Versus...

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All-Star Game fulfills fans’ fantasies.

By Corey Johnson, Hockeyleaks.com

Since the lockout, there has been a great debate on whether or not the NHL should continue the All-Star Game.

In recent years, injuries have been a big deal when it comes to the All-Star game, with some of the biggest stars missing the game itself due to being injured.
Injuries have also occurred during the All-Star game, as in the case of Rick Dipietro, who is still suffering the effects of playing in the 2008 All-Star game.
While those against the game have valid points, taking the NHL All-Star game away from the fans is something the league cannot do.

Fantasy sporting leagues are at their peak, and the NHL All-Star game is the one game a year where fans can see their fantasy rosters come to life.
Take Ilya Kovalchuk for example. He is one of the NHL’s best and most talented stars, but is unfortunately playing on an Atlanta team that hasn’t been able to surround him with other super-star talent. The All-Star game gives NHL fans a chance to see Kovalchuk at his best while surrounded by players such as Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Andrei Markov.

Another example would be a healthy Marian Gaborik, who plays on a defense-first team in the Minnesota Wild. Even on the Wild, Gaborik is a special player, but think about watching him on a powerplay that featured Patrick Kane, Joe Thornton and Nik Lidstrom?

The solution to the All-Star game is not to cancel it, but instead to freshen it up. Let’s change the format each year. One year, have the traditional East vs. West format. Follow it up the next year with a North America vs. the World format. Why not try the AHL’s format of Canada vs. the World the year after?

Changing the format of the All-Star game would just give the game a new twist each year, but would also allow for different line combinations.

Under the current format, we will never see Crosby and Thornton on the same team. Same goes for Malkin and Zetterberg, Kane and Ovechkin, etc. Switching the formats year after year would allow fans to see different players play together, which in turn keeps the game fresh every year.

The NHL-All Star break is a special time of year, and allows the fans of the game of hockey to really see the pure skill the NHL’s top stars possess. Keeping the All-Star game around is the right move as the NHL moves forward.

Goalie Saturday

Two big goalie moves today...

the first was the Oilers trading Garon to Pittsburgh for Sabourin, Stone and 4th in 2011 (nothing like dealing for a pick that's three years away).

This gives the Penguins are guy to push Fleury, something this team really needed. On the other side, the Oilers still have three goalies as we approach the deadline. Roloson is on his way out...

Wade Dubielewicz was claimed off waivers by the Blue Jackets. What's this mean? Look for Columbus to deal Leclaire, while look for the Islanders to make a move for Vancouver's Sanford.

Check the rumour mill for the latest rumours including ones on Pronger, Weight, Guerin and Leclaire.

Columbus/Atlanta make a trade

The Columbus Blue Jackets have traded Clay Wilson and a 6th round pick to the Atlanta Thrashers in exchange for Jason Williams. Williams has 7 goals and 11 assists in 41 games for the Thrashers this season.

Check Hockeyleaks.com for all the latest

Sundin, Staal, Kaberle

Those are the three names making the biggest news today.

Sundin made his return last night against the Oilers. He went pointless, but the Canucks won the game. I wonder how many games Sundin can go pointless for before he gets heat from the fans and entire NHL world?

Jordan Staal got a new contract from the Penguins today. 4 years / 16 million dollars. In my opinion, he's not a $4 million dollar player, and the penguins can't afford to pay him this.

Thomas Kaberle made the allstar team today, and it's also come out that he's willing to waive his NTC. Before everyone jumps on the Kaberle to Columbus rumours, I am hearing Kaberle wants to go somewhere that is guarenteed to be in the playoffs should he be traded...more on this below.

Before I jump into the rumours I want to apologize for me jumping the gun yesterday on the Ottawa Situation. I was told by a source, and confirmed the news with a few others. Other outlets, such as the Ottawa Citizen and Sportsnet.ca quickly jumped on this as well. In this industry, when you get word of something this big you jump on it. Sometimes you're right (I have been the first to break many things, like the Sean Avery trade to the Rangers, like the Zubrus trade to New Jersey), and sometimes you're not entirely correct (as I was yesterday). There is substance to this story, and I still believe something similar will go down in Ottawa soon. Only time will tell for sure.

Now to the rumours:

Jordan Staal could still be traded. In fact, one source told me today they believe he signed to up his trade value. The Penguins are in terrible shape right now, and cannot afford to go south. This is a team said to be in their prime, and in no way, shape or form can the Penguins afford to regress from their Stanley Cup appearance last year. Staal is the most moveable piece they have, and they continue to shop him despite signing him to a brand new contract.

Thomas Kaberle is all but an ex-leaf at this point. With his permission, Burke will now begin to shop the defenseman around the league. With that said, don't expect Kaberle to go anywhere until around the trade deadline. Kaberle loves Toronto, but will move on if it means a shot at a Stanley Cup. Early teams in the Kaberle race include Pittsburgh, Vancouver, Minnesota, Phoenix, New Jersey, Washington and yes, Philly still wants him. Columbus and Carolina are two teams I also see putting feeler offers in for him.

A rumour popped up recently involving Liles and Svatos going from Colorado to Ottawa. I don't believe this one, as I don't see what Ottawa possibly could offer Colorado (beyond their first round pick) for these established players. With that said, I know for a fact Colorado has inquired about Jason Spezza.

Jagr to New Jersey? Forget about it...

Mattheiu Schneider will be traded by Atlanta before the deadline this year. Montreal likes this vet, as does Minnesota.

Mike Comrie is another player on the move before the deadline. I'm hearing Minnesota, New Jersey and a possible Edmonton return.

For all the latest check out Hockeyleaks.com

Murray, Hartsburg still employed...

My apologies for reporting that these two men were fired earlier in the day. I was told from three seperate sources that this was done. Three papers, as well as Sportsnet.ca also picked up the story shortly after I reported on it.

While both men still have jobs, I am hearing big changes in Ottawa could come as early as this weekend, with Murray and Hartsburg both fighting for their lives.

I still believe Quinn and Nicholson will be Senators, as the information I acquired earlier in the day is very real. This is the start of big changes in Ottawa.

Murray, Hartsburg Fired

Just got word from a good source that both Bryan Murray and Craig Hartsburg have been fired by the Ottawa Senators...being told that Bob Nicholson will replace Murray, while Pat Quinn will replace Hartsburg.

Stay Tuned To HockeyLeaks.com for all the latest

Leafs Acquire May From Ducks

The Toronto Maple Leafs have traded a sixth round draft pick to the Anaheim Ducks for Brad May.

Check Hockeyleaks.com for all the latest

Who Is Your MVP?

Almost at the halfway point of the season, we have several surprises. Chicago is one of the top teams in the league, Boston is the top team in the league, and both Phoenix and Columbus are in the playoffs. If the season were to end today, who would you pick as the league mvp?

If I had the decision, I think I would take Marc Savard. While Boston has several great stories this year (the goaltending, Phil Kessel, Michael Ryder), I think Savard has been the best on this team. Savard is fourth in the league in points, third in the league in assists, and has a league-leading +25. He has led the Bruins by example, and taken them from a fringe team to one of the league's best.

Other candidates: Alexander Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals, Jeff Carter of the Philadelphia Flyers, Steve Mason of the Columbus Blue Jackets, Zach Parise of the NJ Devils, and Mikka Kiprusoff for the Calgary Flames (he has all 23 of their wins).

Who is your MVP? Go to the Question of the Day forum and let me know, I'm interested to hear it.

As for rumours, we have some fresh ones for today including the latest on Nathan Horton, The Ottawa Senators and Jordan Staal. Click on the link below to go to the rumour mill!

http://www.hockeyleaks.com/index.php?page=rumors

Remember When...

Remember when the Dallas Stars were just two points out of a playoff spot, with games in hand? Well thats the situation we are in right now. This team is going to make the playoffs, and could do damage once their in it.

Great work by the NHL yesterday with the winter classic. The game featured scoring, great plays, big hits...it really couldn't have gone any better for the NHL.

Alex Tanguay out for six weeks is a huge crutch for the Habs to overcome. They are also without Higgins, Price, Koivu and others, this is just one more obstacle for this team to overcome. They will, but the hill just got that much steeper.

Gaborik is done for at least ten weeks...so tack that on to the three months he's already missed. Taking the surgery now was a great move on his part though. He will return sometime in late march, maybe help the Wild into the playoffs, and be in top form for just long enough to get some offseason attention. This guy is still going to be one of the biggest fish in the sea come July 1st.

There are some rumours out there today, including more on the Blue Jackets/Leafs deal, so check out the rumour mill for the latest.

BIG things happening in Leaf Land

After taking a week to relax, do some boxing day shopping, and enjoy some great world junior games, I am back to normal and so is hockeyleaks. What better way to come back then with some huge leaf rumours, right?

Curtis Joseph will start Tuesday and Thursday for Toronto. This leads to speculation that Toskala could be dealt soon, and that is for good reason.

Late last week I was told from a good source that the Leafs and Blue Jackets were working on a deal that would send Pascal Leclaire to Toronto. These talks are still ongoing, and Brian Burke sees Leclaire as Toronto's possible goalie of the future. With the way Steve Mason has been playing, Leclaire is available.

As for Toskala, three teams are very interested in the goalie. Washington, Colorado and LA. Washington insists that any trade they make involves Theodore going the other way, but that would also mean the Leafs would get more value for Toskala, possibly a first round pick or a very good prospect. Colorado needs goaltending more than ever, while the Kings are currently up in the air with the debut of Jon Quick (the NHLs third star of last week).

Burke has always said he builds teams from the net out, so it makes much sense that his first move as General Manager would be to bring in a new backstop. While no deal is complete, I can say that he is actively discussing several possible deals involving goaltenders and will continue to do so.

Ron Wilson said this morning that he is giving Joseph two games to see if he can find his groove...I smell bullshit.


In other NHL news...

Mats Sundin has arrived in Vancouver. No word yet on when he will make his Canucks debut.

The Senators continue to shop for some help. The Jason Spezza rumours will not go away, while Jay Bowmeister to Ottawa rumours continue to fly.

The Wild continue to slip in the Western standings. The more desperate the Wild become, the cheaper Gaborik will be. Ignore the Gaborik to the Islanders rumours, it's not going to happen (see Eklund). Currently the team closest to landing the off-injured winger?: Pittsburgh.

The Flyers are trying to move Randy Jones.

The Montreal Canadians apparently have interest in Chicago's Martin Havlat, who is the healthiest he's been in a long time. Don't expect Chicago to make a deal until after their amazing win streak is over.

Check Hockeyleaks.com for all the latest

All I Want For Christmas Is...

I've heard so many christmas lists done by journalists over the last week, from TSN to Sportsnets, from AM 640 XM Home Ice, everyone is doing it. I decided hey, why don't I try my own list, so here it goes. Here is what I think each team needs for Christmas.

Anaheim: Cap Space. Anaheim is likely more up-against the cap than any other NHL team. Yes, the Ducks would love to make a trade to bolster their team, but considering most of their salary goes to young players the Ducks don't want to move, the cap situation isn't likely to get any better.

Atlanta: Someone for Kovalchuk to play with. This guy is one of the best pure goal scorers in the league, but he's also Atlanta's only top player. Remember when Atlanta made the playoffs? It's not going to happen again until Atlanta brings in a guy who can compliment Ilya.

Boston: Patrice Bergeron. This guy has been great when in the lineup for Boston, but he looks to be out long-term once again due to a concussion. Get this guy a better helmet.

Buffalo: Daniel Briere, Chris Drury, Brian Campbell. Boy does Buffalo miss these three.

Calgary: A more consistant Kiprusoff. Ya, he leads the league in wins, but his numbers are awful.

Carolina: More team doctors. This team has dealt with injury after injury this season. Justin williams is back, and should help them get back into a playoff spot.

Chicago: Someone to take one of their goalies. Huet and Khabibulin are both playing great, but one has to be moved. The Hawks have talked about bringing in a top centre, like Spezza or Nylander, but can't do a thing until they can move one of their two over-priced goalies.

Colorado: No, I'm not going to be the millionth person to make a Joe Sakic, snowblower joke. Instead, I'm going to say this team needs Patrick Roy, because he's the only goalie that can save this team's season at this point.

Columbus: Steel Shoulder Pads. Brassard and Torres are both toast because of shoulder injuries. Better luck next year Columbus.

Dallas: Sean Avery. Just kidding...

Detroit: The cap to go up next year. No team, except maybe Montreal, will have a tougher off-season next year.

Edmonton: One goalie to step up. We've seen goalie after goalie get hot in Edmonton, only for them to burn up and die games later.

Florida: Roberto Luongo. Worst...Trade...Ever.

LA: Roberto Luongo. or any real goalie for that matter.

Minnesota: Gaborik. Ya, they have him, but he's played what, three games?

Montreal: See Detroit.

Nashville: To Move To Hamilton.

NJ: Martin Brodeur. Ya, "the replacements" have been good, but it's only a matter of time before things get rough in New Jersey.

NYI: Someone to take Rick Diepetro. 15 years? What were they thinking.

NYR: Mats Sundin. Missed him by that much....

Ottawa: A bomb. They need to blow things up and start all over.

Philly: To take more penalties. I'm serious. Carter, Richards and Gagne each have four short-handed goals.

Phoenix: Some defense. They really miss Ballard.

Pittsburgh: Ryan Whitney, who they get back tonight.

San Jose: Nothing. I honestly believe this team has everything they need.

St. Louis: To trade with Toronto more. Steen and Colaiacovo have been two of their best players since the trade. Also, less golf-cart accidents would be helpful.

Tampa Bay: Who knows, that organization is a mess. So I guess, new owners?

Toronto: To go back in time. Kaberle for Carter and a 1st? You force that to happen, any way possible. Same goes for Sundin to Montreal for Higgins, Grabovski and a 1st.

Vancouver: Mats Sundin. Ya, I know they got him, but did they get mid-season form Sundin, or the Sundin who didn't score in the Leafs final 18 games a few seasons ago?

Washington: Goaltending...aka someone to take Theodore off their hands.


Check Hockeyleaks.com and the Rumour Mill for all the latest. Happy Holidays everyone.

Saturday, Feb. 21

That is the day Mats Sundin returns to Toronto. What a night that should be...if you can get tickets for this game, go...it will be a night to remember.

A lot of speculation floating around right now. One rumour says Mats was a Ranger until about two hours ago, when a trade they were working on with a Western team (I've heard Dallas and Columbus) fell through. They notified Mats that they would not be able to move the salary required until after the trade-freeze, and Mats told them thanks, but I'll go to Vancouver.

Vancouver now has something they've really been lacking...a leader. I'm already hearing that Luongo may give Mats the C, as it's better represented on Sundin than on Luongo, who just don't have enough push on the ice as the goaltender.

All along I've felt Vancouver was the best fit for Mats. They lack #1 centre, but have a great support staff, a solid defense, and the best goalie in the league (if healthy). Mats makes the Canucks a complete team.

In New York, Mats simply would have been one of the guys, with big names like Gomez and Drury already leading the way. In Vancouver, Mats is the guy, just like he's used to being.

A lot of pressure, but I'm one hockey journalist who believes Mats will live up to every second of it. Good luck in Vancouver Mats...even as a Leaf fan that feels betrayed by your lack of waiving-of-trade-clauses, I'm still rooting for you

Gaborik, and two annoying Swedes...

Mr. Gaborik will be back in game action tomorrow night for the Minnesota Wild. That makes this website owner (who picked him with his second round pick in a keeper pool) very happy. Let the Gaborik trade rumours begin.

Sundin is looking more and more like a New York Ranger by Friday. Sundin apparently is very close to making his decision, and when looking at Vancouver's travel schedule compared to New York's, it just makes sense for Mats to go to the Big Apple. It's going to be interesting to see how NYR fits Mats under the cap...

and finally, Forsberg once again is planning a trade-deadline return to the Colorado Avalanche. He wants to participate in the 2009 Playoffs, and with Colorado...Colorado will only get there if Raycroft and Budaj are no-longer their top goalies...

Rumours, Rumours, Rumours

Hockeyleaks has been always best known for their rumours. Over the last six months, we've kind of gone away from that, focussing on opinion and news. Well my friends, I am happy to say that the rumours return starting today. My life has been very busy and I haven't had the time to research the latest rumours. I could have made ones up, or given out half-assed rumours (see Eklund), but that's just not who I am. I only post rumours that I am confident in, and while 99% of discussed deals do not go down, I can guarentee you that at least 80% of the rumours you read here have been discussed by NHL personel. The other 20% is the hearsay that is thrown around to throw us all off, and nobody can avoid that.

So check the rumour mill today, tomorrow, and every day after that, because the rumours are back!

The big rumour of the day? Sundin to NYR, Gomez to the Canucks. Check the rumour mill for exact details.

AND PLEASE, reply to each days rumours with your thoughts and comments. When I post rumours and nobody responds, it's discouraging! So let's step up and take back our place in the rumour world!

McGratton Enters Substance Abuse Program

Former sen and current Coyote Brian McGratton has entered the NHL/NHLPA's substance abuse program. He will recieve full salary and benefits while he cooperates with the program.

Speaking of McGratton, his wild buddy Ray Emery is the leading vote-getter for the KHL All Star game, leading the league with a 1.96 GAA.

No Leaf game tonight, tonight is Saturday, right?

The Flyers destroyed the Pens 6-3 in afternoon action today. LA has a 1-0 lead over the Wild after 2 periods.

We're expecting to know whats up with Sundin on Tuesday or Wednesday. While Vancouver is the heavy favourite, the Rangers, Blackhawks and Habs are still in it. Sources also tell Hockeyleaks.com that Calgary is making a late stab at the Swedish centre.

Did anyone else wonder if Bill Watters stole the Blake for Avery story off of our forums? To see what else is going on at our forums, simply log on and join in the discussion.

Sundin To Canucks (E5)

Ok I lied, he's not confirmed to be going anywhere, but today I am strongly hearing the Canucks are the current leaders. The Rangers would love to add this guy, and Sundin does like New York, but at this point it will be difficult for the Rangers to shed the cap space they need to bring him in. The Flyers, Sens and Habs remain in this, but are a reasonable distance back at this point.

Waddell has come out and said he won't be dealing Kovalchuk this season. While I actually believe he doesn't intend to, I am hearing a western conference team is preparing to make a big offer for him. That team? It could be Phoenix.

Sakic is out for three months, and the Avs are where they have been for the past few seasons: The Playoff Bubble. The Avs need to replace Joe, and need to solidify their goaltendingm, but here is the problem: They are low on assets. To get anything significant, a player like Wolski or Svatos will have to be moved, and that may be more dangerous than leaving the roster as-is.

Jon Sim is on waivers, nobody here expects anyone to claim him.

The Leafs apparently do have interest in Calgary's Cammalleri, a player who they tried to aquire last season when he was with the Kings. Obviously with Brian Burke's trade freeze, talks are on-going but nothing will happen until after Christmas.

Scremp is being showcased by the Oilers, they want to move this kid.

Huet's strong play is tempting the Hawks to move Khabibulin. Ottawa, Colorado and LA are the main players, but don;t count out Carolina, who has made contact with Chicago about the russian net-minder in the last week.

Check Hockeyleaks.com for all the latest. We are once again looking for smeone to help with the Power Rankings...if you want to be that person, email me at cjohnson202@hockeyleaks.com. Also, if you are a web-master looking to make some ad-revenue, drop me an email, one of our sponsors is looking to spread their word and is looking for pages with a google page-rank of at least 2. Email me if you're interested.

Sabres For Sale?

Rumours this morning have the Buffalo Sabres for sale. Anyone else see our buddy Jim buying this team and moving them a few towns over to Hamilton?

How about those Chicago Blackhawks? Currently sixth in the west, just two points behind fourth, with three games in hand on Vancouver and Anaheim. Home-ice advantage in the first round is realistic for this young team.

Speaking of homeice advantage, Calgary is in position to have it this year. Two reasons: Iginla and the rebounding Kirprusoff.

Sundin is expected to make a decision any day now (yes, we've all heard that before). Today's latest: Vancouver and Ottawa are the two front-runners, while the suddently struggling Rangers are also VERY in this.

Check Hockeyleaks.com for all the latest.

The Most Disturbing Blog Ever

http://www.hockeygodonline.com

Who is letting this go on? "Danton's Corner"? Are you kidding me? Two of the biggest criminals in NHL history are now working together on a blog that I cannot help but read. What's next, a book? Actually, yes, they are both working on their seperate books...is anyone else excited to read about the "real" story of David Frost and the way he took advantage of young hockey players? Does Frost not remember that Danton is in jail because he hired someone to kill Frost?

I want to hear your thoughts on this blog, so please reply to this in the forums and let me know. Make sure you read Frost's attack on Toronto reporters, and how obnoxious this guy really is. Honestly, the fact that this blog is being read and is getting press is just wrong. The guy was wrongly aquitted, and now a week later he's milking it. He is planning on setting up a pay-to-view section of his blog...

Eklund, is that you?

Cap Crunchers

Rumours are hitting me this morning that a few of the NHLs top teams are looking to make trades, despite their success.

Montreal and Detroit are both in the top half of their respective conferences, but both are also looking ahead to next season. Both Montreal and Detroit are up against the cap, with key UFAs this summer. Both teams understand that they will not be able to keep all their current players beyond next season, and would like to fix this problem before it becomes a real problem.

In Detroit, they are currently as close to the cap as you can possibly be. This summer, Zetterberg, Hossa, Samuellson, Franzen and Conklin all become free agents.

Jimmy Howard will likely take over for Conklin at the same salary, so that will even out. Zetterberg will likely get a similar contract to Hossa's, so that evens out. However, Samuellson will be looking for a raise, as he only makes 1.2 million a season, as will franzen, who will expect a large raise above his current 1.15 million dollars.

Rumours this afternoon suggest the Wings may be shopping Cleary, Draper and Holmstrom. Cleary is struggling, only registering 7 points with a -2 in 15 games with the Wings this year. Holmstrom could also be doing better, with 13 points in 17games, though his plus 8 and his presence in front of the net would be something a lot of teams would be interested in. As for Kris Draper, he is having the worst season of his career, with just 2 points in 23 games, while posting a horrible -8.

The Wings would love to get Ville Leino into the lineup, and this seems to be the path to do it. They feel Leino would be more productivce than any of the three players I mentioned, which is why they can afford to take back stricky picks and prospects for the above players. Darren Helm has been back and forth between Grand Rapids and Detroit as well, and they'd like to have room to keep him up for good.

In Montreal, they face a similar problem. With just two million to spare right now, and apparent interest in Mats Sundin (which will be addressed in the next paragraph), the Habs are heading into Cap Hell for next season. Tanguay, Koivu, Kovalev, Lang, Begin, Kostopolous, Bouillion, Komisarek, Brisebois and Dandenault are all unrestricted free agents come July 1st.

Forget Brisebois, Begin, Kostopolous and Dandenault because they can either be re-signed or replaced for the same amount they are costing the Habs now.

Alex Tanguay has been explosive for the Habs this year, big credit to him for their success this season. He currently makes 5.35 million, he's worth more. Look for him to get at least $7 million somewhere.

Saku Koivu is someone I'm not 100% concerned with. He's their captain, he loves Montreal, and he's currently making just under $5 million. I don't see him demanding much of a raise, and I don't see him in a rush to leave. With that said, some are saying he is interested in playing with his brother, who will be looking for a new teammate with the expected departure of Gaborik. Koivu is having a breakout offensive year with the club, leading all Habs with 19 points.

Robert Lang, who many expected to not do a thing for the Habs, quietly has been a great player for them. With that said, he's still not worth four million dollars, and will likely be replaced.

Alex Kovalev has 16 points in 23 games, and has been a key component to the Habs success over the last 3 seasons. At 4.5 million, I think Kovalev will be looking for somewhere around 6 million. While it's only 1.5 million, it's also that same amount that the Habs don't have to spend.

Then there is Mike Komisarek. They've lost a big defenseman every July for the past two years, and they don't want to make this a three-peat. Komisarek has a cap hit of 1.7 this season, and will be offered more than 4 million by rival teams. This kid is one of the top defensive defensemen in the game, and easily Montreal's #2 defenseman.

To make matters worse, Montreal has two of their best young players as RFAs. Plekanek and Higgins, their 6th and 7th top scorers, are both in for big raises. At just under two million dollars per year each, both can expect to be making at least double that when the 09-10 season opens.

So what does Montreal do? Whispers have them shopping Lang, Kovalev, and Higgins. Lang is unlikely going anywhere, as his four million is too much for rival clubs to pick up. Kovalev has been such a key for Montreal, but with Tanguay and Koivu's amazing play, Kovalev is suddenly available. Look for a Minnesota or a Vancouver to make a play for him between now and the deadline. Finally, Higgins has been shopped by Montreal for a year now. He was offered in a package to Atlanta for Hossa, he was offered in a package to Toronto for Sundin, he was offered in a package recently to Minnesota for Gaborik (before he got hurt). For whatever reason, Montreal has fallen out of love with Higgins, and I've been told that Higgins will be gone from Montreal 100% by the trade deadline.

Detroit and Montreal, two teams that would love to have Mats Sundin, are not alone. Chicago GM Dale Tallonmet with Sundin a few days ago, and are considered serious players in this game. The Calgary Flames, for reasons I will discuss in a second, are also serious players in this Sundin game. Vancouver is back in it, while do not count out Ottawa, who need Sundin more than anyone else.

As for Calgary, they are shopping one of my favourite players, Mike Cammalleri. He'll be a UFA at the end of the season. Calgary was hoping Cammy would play a stronger physical game, but he hasn't and they've had enough of him. Ottawa is big on this guy, as is Washington.

Nylander to Chicago is not dead, but Chicago really needs to find a taker for Khabibulin before this goes anywhere. Nylander is really unhappy in Washington and would gladly waive his NTC.

Finally, with the LA Kings very close to a playoff spot, management is starting to believe that this is the time to make a move. The team is full of young talent, and should only get better from here. I am hearing they have interest in Toronto's Kaberle, Kubina, and Toskala. Burke is on the fence about Toskala, unsure if he's the guy to build his team around. He would also love to move one of his two extremely valuable defenseman. With that said, talks are not ongoing, and are not expected to get aggresive until the new year.

In afternoon action, the Panthers blanked the Rangers (who are falling quite fast...) 4-0. Atlanta currently leads St. Louis 2-1 in the second period. Game of the night tonight? Edmonton and Dallas...why you ask? Nobody in my opinion had a better playoff rivalry in the late 90s than these two teams. Let's see if an old rivalry can spark some good hockey from to struggling teams.

Burke Deal Done, Belak Dealt To Preds

Brian Burke has officially signed a contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Six year deal, around $3 million per season. Burke will be in Toronto on Saturday to
officially announce the deal.

The Preds have traded Nick Tarnasky to the Florida Panthers in exchange for Wade Belak

Wacky Wednesday

The Brian Burke saga is almost over. Talking to sources yesterday, the Burke deal will be announced on Saturday. Six years, including the balance of this one, and Burke will make about $3 million a season. The deal will be announced in Toronto Saturday afternoon, and will be featured for primetime on Hockey Night in Canada. Many speculated that Burke's first move would be waiving Jason Blake, but a concussion on Blake's end may delay that process.

The Panthers are amping up trade efforts on the Bouwmeister front. Toronto, Ottawa, Chicago, Vancouver and Washington are all teams I've heard that have interest. He will be dealt by the deadline, that is for sure.

As for Kovalchuk, would a Gaborik for Kovalchuk trade really be so wacky? yes, it would, ignore those rumours.

What about Claude Lemieux! I hope he makes it back into the NHL, what a story that would be.

Leafs trade Colaiacovo and Steen To Blues

For Lee Stempniak. More to follow, check Hockeyleaks.com for the latest

Grey Cup?

Today, the Grey Cup will be played in Canada? Does anyone watch the CFL anymore? Sadly, i'm more interested in the Titans-Jets game today, where my beloved, unbeaten Titans are currently down 10-3 to Brett Favres Jets....

In the hockey world, there is INCREASED speculation that Burke, Nonis and Sundin could all be Leafs this week. I have been told that Nonis comes with Burke right away, no matter where he goes. While originally I was told Burke would be a Leaf by tomorrow, it may be delayed till later in the week. Either way, this will get done.

As for Sundin, he has spent much of the last week talking to other teams. He met with Gainey first, Melnyk next. I am told he has also had several phone conversations with Gillis as well. It looks as though Sundin will play for a Canadien team, but which one? I believe it will be Toronto, but only time will tell. If Burke becomes the GM of the Leafs, I just don't see Sundin going anywhere else. Burke will want to win now, and Sundin is the best player available.

What about Shanahan? The Devils and Flyers are the two teams to watch, however, I've been told a third team has entered the mix. That team you ask? Carolina.

The Bruins now sit a-top the Eastern Conference. How long can they keep this up?

Vancouver could be in a world of trouble if Luongo is out for any length of time. First Brodeur, now Luongo. Nabokov, who is the third best goalie in the NHL, appears to be next.

Khabibulin is doing anything but hurt his value. It's only a matter of time before someone wakes up and realises this guy could be their missing piece. My vote goes to Ottawa, but I'm hearing Khabibulin won't be moved until Sundin signs somewhere. Three teams interested in Sundin, like Khabibulin: Ottawa, Tampa Bay, and Philly.

What's up with Gaborik? He may be one of the best wingers in the game, yet we're not hearing anything on his injury status...He's killing me in my hockey pool.

For all the latest, check out Hockeyleaks.com

Burke Watch

While the original thought was that Burke would take his time signing with Toronto, I am hearing more and more that he will be the Leafs GM by the end of next week.

Already there are a ton of rumours about what Burke would do, and according to sources, he'd do plenty. Bringing in an enforecer, getting rid of a couple of smaller-sized players like Steen, Blake and Tlusty, and securing a few more draft picks are apparently things Burke has his eye on in Toronto. Is there a chance Burke won't end up in Toronto? Yes, but at this point it's small.

The Blackhawks and Caps are talking about a deal that would send Barker to the Caps in exchange for Nylander. There is more than those two players involved. Nylander is apparently not pleased with his current role on the Caps. On a related note, is there a better player in the league right now than Semin?

Ottawa is looking for some blueline help, and they are really trying to pry Ohlund out of Vancouver. The Canucks are still hopeful they can get him resigned, but if they finally give up, the Sens will be first in line. The Canucks and Sens have been trying to make a deal with each other since last deadline.

On the Sundin watch, I've been told Toronto and Vancouver are the two teams to watch. Sundin has been surprised by both teams play thus far, and feels he could help both teams easily make the playoffs.

The first team to trade for a goalie may be Dallas. They'd really like someone to put the pressure on Turco, who has been awful thus far.

A coaching change isn't all the change that will happen in Tampa. I've been told to watch for another big hammer to drop if things don't improve in a hurry. That hammer could be St. Louis.

Tonight is a great night for sports, I suggest sitting in front of a tv all night! I myself am off to Boston Pizza to catch the leafs game, followed by a great UFC card.

Stay tuned to Hockeyleaks.com for the latest, including some great content from Versus next week. If all goes to plan, I will be speaking with former 22nd overall draft pick, and current Versus broadcaster, Brian Engblom next Thursday. They've also given us a great interview with Jonathan Toews that I will post on this site in the next few days.

Brian Burke Out As Anaheim GM

Just got word that Brian Burke is no longer the GM of the Anaheim Ducks. Bob Murray will be taking over. No word on if Burke was fired or has stepped down. Stay tuned to Hockeyleaks.com for all the latest.

Sick Of Sundin

Before I go on, I want you to know that Sundin likely will sign with one of the teams I am about to mention. How, or why, I don't know, but there is a lot of sillyness going on when it comes to Sundin right now.

First, lets get things straight. He's going to sign for at least $7 million within the next month.

The Ducks are at the cap, so how are they expected to add seven million dollars? Several reporters will tell you they will make a trade to pave the way for Sundin, but who?

Niedermayer and Pronger are making just under seven million, but I don't expect either to be dealt. Todd Marchant is a likely trade piece, but his 2.5 million salary wont even get half the job done. Sure, you could add Getzlaf, Perry or Kunitz to the deal to clear the seven million, but why would you trade a player that will be good on your team for five more seasons to add a guy who will play half of this season, and maybe next...it won't happen, the Ducks are not getting Sundin.

The Rangers are another team who apparently will make room for Sundin should he want to come. The Rangers have just under 2 million in cap space, so their challenge is a little easier. They are not trading Gomez or Drury, so scratch that idea. Naslund, Redden and Rozsival are also not being dealt, so there goes that as well. After them, nobody is making over 2.1 million, meaning Sundin to Broadway just isnt possible.

Then there are the Sens. First, Sundin would never play for the Leafs arch rival, it just wouldn't be right. The sens have four million in cap space, so they could clear an extra three if they had to. Chris Neil and Vermette would have to go, but they could go anyways and the team wouldnt really miss them. Statistically Sundin could go to Ottawa, but I'd bet against it.

Montreal is no longer interested, and the Leafs like they're chemistry where it is. If I had to take a guess, I'd say he goes to Vancouver. They have the cap, he cna be the richest NHLer on the Ice, and with Luongo in net, he'd have a chance to win everynight.

Teams like Anaheim, Ottawa and NYR can dream big, but in the end they just don;t have the ability to bring the big Swede in.