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November 26, 2001
Edmonton: With Ryan
Smyth our for 7 more weeks, the Oilers are said to be prepared to move Tom
Poti for a solid top 6 scoring winger. Teams rumored to be interested
include the Rangers, the Bruins and Blues. St. Louis seems anxious to part
with one or both of Dallas
Drake and Scott
Young. However, the most likely suitor however has been the Ottawa
Senators. Rumored going the other way are Petr
Schastlivy and Chris
Phillips. Fantasy Impact: This is a deal that looks very
intriguing for both teams. Phillips has actually picked up his game the last
5 games, but the Sens anemic power play could really use Poti and his hard
shot. Schlatslivy is likely buried behind the talented Sens forwards, but
seems the Sens are holding out dealing him hoping to land a veteran center.
That said, Todd
White has played excellent as the #2 pivot in Ottawa, giving the Sens
lots of options now. The Oilers would love to get more depth at both
positions, and lord knows that seems to be the revolving door policy until
the expiration of the current CBA in two years. Thumbs up both sides.
Vancouver: Something has got to give soon
in Vancouver – 5 potential decent centermen is quite the luxury. Look for
Ottawa and St. Louis to come calling.
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Cassels would shine in Ottawa – playing
with Alfredsson and McEcheran, while Schastlivy may finally be the
scoring left-winger the Canucks have been looking for. Fantasy Impact:
Both players would benefit from the move – Schastlivy most of all.
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In St. Louis, life is not good and the Blues
recognize that they want to win the cup…now. Adding Andrew
Cassels would hopefully ignite struggling Keith
Tkachuk and add another veteran to an already deep team. Drake has
been benched for much of the start of this season – and Cory
Stillman looks lost. Watch the Blues close a deal in the coming
weeks.
San Jose: How much longer will the Sharks
wait until the team revolts on coach Darryl
Sutter or they deal Teemu
Selanne and his $9.5 million per year contract. Jim
Dowd has turned the red-light on more often than Teemu and that is not
sitting too well with Sharks ownership. A rumored Amonte for Selanne swap
doesn’t make much sense, but the Rangers are said to be on the phone
plenty looking for a scoring winger. Headed the other way is still either Petr
Nedved or Radek
Dvorak and Jamie
Lundmark. Fantasy Impact: We find it difficult to believe that
the Finnish Flash has fizzled this quickly. He is just too good a talent to
not be able to put up some big time numbers. Granted Sutters’ defense
first system is stifling the offensive players in San Jose (just ask Patrick
Marleau ), but still…Teemu should have more. Hard to know when this
deal may transpire, but Sutter may plead with management to get him more
grit before he loses his job, and Teemu may be the scapegoat. Watch close,
as a change of scenery for Teemu may be big.
Anaheim: Reports out of the Duck Pond have Paul
Kariya ready to give the Ducks an ultimatum – “get me some help or
trade me”. If that does some fruition, watch for AT&T to install more
phone lines in GM Pierre Gauthier’s office from the flood of calls he’ll
receive. Face it the Ducks are brutal, and with no help for Kariya, he’s
getting pretty frustrated. Latest help rumor for the Ducks captain had Adam
Oates winging his way to the pond. Headed back were rumored to be either
Steve
Rucchin or Ruslan
Salei and German
Titov. Fantasy Impact: Gauthier needs to do something. If he
trades Kariya, he is gonna get prospects and little immediate help, so he
better try to improve the team with Kariya on it. Moving Rucchin eliminates
the only physical force up front they really have, so don’t count on that
one. The Ducks would love to off-load under-achieving Titov and Salei, and
who knows…the Caps may be just tired enough of Oates’ whining that they
oblige him for two guys that can play in Ron Wilson’s system. Oates’
would love Kariya, but he’s have to catch up to him first – hard to do
at age 40. But on the power-play…oooohhh! Big points!! Watch the Disney
folks carefully.
November 18, 2001
Vancouver: The acquisition by the Canucks
of Trevor
Linden seems to have placed the Canucks in an interesting dilemma. With
Linden now in Vancouver, Brendan
Morrison has fit very well into his role as the #1 center (formerly
occupied by the still injured Andrew
Cassels). But as Cassels nears returning, the Canucks are said to be
interested in moving either Cassels (a free agent in the off-season) or
young Harold
Druken. The teams most interested have been the Ottawa Senators and the
St. Louis Blues. The names bandied about going the other way from Ottawa
have been Petr
Schastlivy (if its Druken) and Schastlivy and Chris
Phillips (if its Cassels). From St. Louis the players discussed have
been Cory
Stillman and Dallas
Drake. Fantasy Impact: Something has got to give soon in
Vancouver - 5 potential decent centermen is quite the luxury. Cassels would
shine in Ottawa - playing with Daniel
Alfredsson and Shawn
McEachern, while Schastlivy may finally be the scoring left-winger the
Canucks have been looking for. Both players would benefit from the move - Schastlivy
most of all. In St. Louis, life is not good and the Blues
recognize that they want to win the cup…now. Adding Andrew
Cassels would hopefully ignite struggling Keith
Tkachuk and add another veteran to an already deep team. Drake has been
benched for much of the start of this season - and Stillman looks lost.
Watch the Blues close in the coming weeks.
Florida: All is not well in Miami, as the
Panthers seem to have turned on themselves. Co-captain Pavel
Bure has come under some scrutiny for his penchant to play at just one
end of the ice - infuriating fans, coaches and teammates. Bure contends that
he's a scorer and that's what the Panthers pay him to do. This is a bit of a
powder keg, just waiting for a lit fuse. Teams have been calling the
Panthers re: Pavel availability. Suitors include the St. Louis Blues, Dallas
Stars, Los Angles Kings and the Montreal Canadiens. Fantasy Impact: Without
a doubt, moving Pavel
Bure and trying to re-build would almost assuredly spell the doom for
the Florida franchise - as without a marquis player, the Cats would be in
trouble. Of all the teams needing Bure, the Habs are the hungriest -
regrettably they do not have the talent to offer to entice the Panthers or
the money to pay Pavel. But…you never do know do you. Bure will score no
matter where he goes and if the price is right. However, unless peace in
restored in Florida locker room soon…he may not do as much as poolies
would like.
New Jersey: Rumors still abound that the
Devils are looking to replace the scoring lost by the departure of Alexander
Mogilny last season. Chi-town's Tony
Amonte heads GM Lou Lamerillo's list with Teemu
Selanne and close second. Headed the other way would be a package of John
Madden, Colin
White and Sergei
Brylin. Fantasy Impact: Up until the Hawks recent western road
swing, they had been playing great and we thought maybe the Amonte rumors
would subside…not a chance. Despite still wearing the "C", it
looks as though Tony
Amonte wants out - and if he does, he could do some real damage. In San
Jose, Selanne has played..well…much like he did last year…ordinary. $9.5
million this year is a ton of dough for a guy with 6 goals in 20 games. San
Jose would love to off load Selanne, but with his hefty salary - the Sharks
won't get as much as they would hope.
Columbus: Latest from C-Bus is that
Columbus GM Doug
MacLean is fielding offers for veteran goalie Ron
Tugnutt. Tugger has played well this season, but the horrible start by
the Blue Jackets will make MacLean look at playing more of his prospects and
young players - this includes goalie Marc
Denis. Most logical choice has been Vancouver, with Harold
Druken and Steve
Kariya going the other way. Fantasy Impact: Ron
Tugnutt is a proven clutch goaltender, and the Blue Jackets would
certainly benefit from the offensive minded Druken and Kariya, as would
these two players benefit from new starts and more ice-time. But this deal
won't happen as long as Dan
Cloutier continues to shine for the Canucks.
Boston: Finally, appears as though Bill
Guerin may be finding yet another zip/postal code in the not too distant
future, as latest rumors form Beantown have Bruins taking trade with the St.
Louis Blues. Headed to Boston would be Dallas
Drake, defencemen Sean
Hill and d-man prospect Barrett Jackman. Fantasy Impact: We are
coming out with a bold statement and say that Guerin will not finish the
year with the Bruins. The Blues would love to re-unite Doug
Weight and Guerin and the asking price may not be that much. Guerin has
had a wretched start - and would welcome the move out of Boston to try and
get going. As all pending F/A know - stats=big paydays. If you have Guerin,
keep him for know (unless you can convince someone that he'll be moved this
month), but try and reserve the guy until he gets moved. When he does,
activate him and enjoy!
November 4, 2001
New Jersey: Less than pleased with his teams' offense after his
top line of Petr
Sykora, Patrik
Elias and Jason
Arnott, the latest buzz from the swamp had Devils GM Lou Amerillio
making inquiries into the availability of a very disgruntled Tony
Amonte from the Hawks, or Vincent
LeCavalier from the Lightning. Reports had offers being: Amonte and Boris
Mironov for Scott
Gomez, Sergei
Brylin and Colin
White. While the 'Ning swap was Gomez and White straight up for Vincent
LeCavalier.
Fantasy Impact: Gomez appears at times to be lost without his buddy Alexander
Mogilny not around to convert his soft passes. Amonte would surely help
the Devils on a second line - even if he were paired with disgruntled Bobby
Holik. While in Tampa, LeCavalier seems to have worn out his welcome. A
lengthy contract dispute along with a brutal start to the season, has GM Rick
Dudley seriously contemplating parting with Vincent. The reported deal
however, would give the Lightning smallish centers in Brad
Richards and Gomez - but they certainly would please the Lightning
wingers that would benefit from their pass first shoot later style of play.
Ottawa: One rumor that keeps popping up regarding LeCavalier, is
the Lightning parting with him, along with under achieving Andrei
Zyuzin, for Daniel
Alfredsson, Chris
Phillips and Petr
Schastlivy. The Senators are desperate to address the gaping offensive
hole left by the departed Alexei
Yashin and Lecavalier would certainly do the trick.
Fantasy Impact: Although the Sens would love to get LeCavalier, they may
have to set their sights a little lower - Holik perhaps? While a change of
scenery would be welcomed for Lecavalier, Holik may be a better and more
plausible acquisition for the Senators - particularly as he'd come with
likely Brylin for Alfreddson. Watch the Sens camp closely - the Holik swap
may come to fruition soon. If it does, Holik would increase his output
simply by playing in a more offensive system.
Anaheim: Amidst the team's worst start in memory, it appears anyone over the
age of 28 on the Ducks can be had. First on the list for Ducks management is
the under-achieving German
Titov. Strangely enough, teams interested in the veteran forward include
the Rangers, the Habs and the Lightning.
Fantasy Impact: Make no mistake - Titov has not exactly had the
impact that the Ducks thought he would when they signed him as a F/A two
seasons ago. Injuries, personal problems, a bad attitude and a bad team have
basically turned a decent forward into a guy that just skates around and
then picks up his paycheck. Titov would benefit from a change of scenery,
and the most likely landing spot is New York - whether they are desperate
for offense or anyone that used to be able to provide it. If that deal does
happen, we'd pick him up for the inevitable first three weeks after the
trade where Titov will get prime PP and PK time - after that, the Rangers
will realize what they have actually acquired doesn't make them a better
team - and then you should dump him.
NY Rangers: Well…the Amonte to the Big Apple rumors have stalled
a bit, particularly with the Blackhawks most recent winning streak. However,
reports have Amonte still brooding and the Hawks will be hard pressed to
keep up their current pace. If Amonte doesn't see eye-to-eye with Wirtz
& Co. soon and sign a contract extension, he'll walk for sure and leave
the Hawks with nothing. Along with Amonte would be Mironov for young
prospects Jamie
Lundmark and Manny
Malhotra.
Fantasy Impact: This deal likely happens if the Blackhawks fall out
of the playoff race. Amonte wants out and would love to be back in New York.
This deal would allow the Hawks to dump salary for decent prospects and play
young guys more in Kyle
Calder and Mark
Bell to see what they really can do. Watch this situation carefully - it
will be a distraction for Amonte and the Hawks until either he signs or is
dealt. |
