The Thrashers acquired forward Evgeny Artyukhin from Anaheim on Monday night for minor-league defenseman Nathan Oystrick and a conditional draft pick in 2011.

Lalime to start against Crosby and the Pens tonight (Miller will get a well-deserve night off). And I want to punch ESPN for not understanding hockey (outside of Melrose) and how you can't play your starting goalie every game. When your goalie just played 6 games in 13 days under the global microscope, in addition to playing a lot of games pre-break, and traveled across 3 time zones directly to Pittsburgh yesterday, I think giving him a night to decompress and get his mindset back in the NHL season is a smart move. Plus Miller for whatever reason has a tough time against the Pens. Lalime actually does well against them.

Save your blood pressure and never look to ESPN for anything hockey related as of now. Mike and Mike were trying to talk about it yesterday and sounded even dumber than they normally do.

NYI have traded defenceman Andy Sutton to Ottawa for a second round pick that previously belonged to the San Jose Sharks

The funny part is the Caps at Sabres game tomorrow, which will be Miller's first start, is on Versus. National TV vs. local broadcasts in tonight's game.

Maybe another change of scenery will finally make things click for him. He's definitely an enigma, big, fast, very skilled and completely crap 98% of the time. But he will give you a couple of highlight reel goals a season.

Evgeny Artyukin? Andy Sutton? 46 year old Chris Chelios?

Whatever happened to good players being involved in deadline deals/moves?

Chelios isnt even going to play in the NHL unless they trade or lose a couple of guys to injury. Hell probably just keep playing in Chicago until he retires

Two words: Salary. Cap.

Still, it's early yet and we did have some action prior to the Olympics with Toronto's various deals. Phaneuf and Giguere aren't small potatoes.

And Kovalchuk was the biggest piece of all.

I can't stand people who are clueless or "bandwagon" fans.

A) Ray Whitney cannot be traded unless he waives his no-trade clause. He wants a 3-year extension. Not worth more than 1.

B) Stop comparing the Olympics to the "inferior" NHL product. http://community.post-gazette.com/bl....aspx#comments

You're comparing apples to oranges.

C) The NHL cannot force a team to play a certain player. I don't care if the Sabres are playing Crosby and Pittsburgh tonight. Reasons above. It is NOT A BIG GAME. If that is true, then all 82 games would be big games. The only big games start are going into the last 10 games or so of the regular season and where you're battling teams for the division lead in that game.

D) The Sabres are in 3rd place and leading the NE division with games in hand. Sure, they fell apart going into the break (while Ottawa got hot). But stop acting like the world is ending. Every team has a slide; it's just when you have it that is important.

This stuff drives me nuts. It's so incredibly stupid. People are constantly fumbling around to explain why the Olympics are better than the NHL. Most favorite reasons are: "bigger ice" surface (a myth), different rules (no, not really), no fighting (yes, there's no fighting, but that's not why the product is better), less stoppages (again, not really), etc.

The reasons are so plain and simple:

1. It's 12 teams. About seven or so teams are comprised of the best players in the world. They are essentially all-star teams, loaded with speed, size, skill and talent. You have better players, you have a better product. How many people were raving about some Norway versus Germany game.

2. It's short tournament where almost every game counts. After the preliminary round, each game is essentially a "Game 7", one and done. That kind of tension is impossible to manufacture during a regular season or during anything other than an elimination game.

3. National pride. This factor is often overlooked and it shouldn't be. These guys are highly motivated to play for their country, something that most of these guys only get to do a few times throughout their careers. The NHL tried to tap into this a few years back when the All-Star game was North America vs. The World (doesn't the AHL still do this?) The problem is, of course, is that it's a meaningless All-Star game, so there is no passion, no tension, nothing. Does anyone really care about Team North America?

Other than other high profile national tournaments, it is impossible to manufacture Olympic hockey outside of the Olympics. Playoff hockey certainly comes the closest and a Game 7 closer still. Of course, all these people will have long ago abandonded the sport (hell, the abandonded the sport as Sunday afternoon) simply tittering to themselves "Oh, I'd watch more hockey if NHL games were all like that gold medal game."

As for the comparisons between the World Baseball Calssic and Olympic Basketball mentioned in the article linked. No, no one does ever come away from those gushing about the quality of play. It's not because their respective major leagues are so great, but rather because those tournaments are so weak. No one cares about the World Baseball Classic and Olympic Basketball isn't nearly competitive enough at this time.

If you take the first 70+ games a lot more seriously then those final 10 games should be a walk in the park. That's what drives me nuts about the "it's a long season" kind of cliches...a loss is a loss no matter when it occurs.

Emery is out for the year and his career could be in jeopardy, as he has the same issue with his hip that cause Bo Jackson's career to end.

That's true. I'm just expecting more "name" players, even role players, to move before the deadline.

I know. I guess it comes down "What is a big game?" Miller playing Crosby doesn't make it a big game.

We need to add a power-play guy. However, afraid-to-take-a-risk Darcy Regier won't do it.

TSN reporting:

Ponikarovsky to Pittsburgh for Martin Skoula for cap purposes and the next great name in hockey, Luca Caputi.

If tonight was the last ride for the Hurricanes as they're currently made up, it was a heckuva way to go out, plowing the Leafs in Toronto, 5-1. It was pretty clear that the Leafs slapped a nice large stamp on this one from the start as LaRose pickpocketed JSG behind the net to score a shorty and Carolina generally controlled play from there. There was an absurd stretch with about 4 minutes to go in the second where the Hurricanes kept it in the attacking zone for two minutes straight. It didn't result in a goal, but elicited a loud sarcastic cheer from the meager crowd in attendance when Corvo finally bobbled the puck and let it escape over the blue line.

Continuing the too-little-far-too-late push, that's six in a row for Carolina and a ridiculous 11 of 14. There's actually a feasible chance of matching the franchise win streak record of nine as they draw Ottawa at home and then get two road games against a packing-it-in Florida team and the now-Kovy-less Thrashers. Doubt they'd get it to ten, though since Washington's the next game after that.

Not sure I'm a huge fan of trading Caputi. Is Ponikarovsky that big of an upgrade?

We also need to get rid of MacArthur, Stafford and Mair and send Kennedy back to Portland (although he looked better tonight) and call up Tyler Ennis.

The first three though...damn. Buffalo doesn't have a chance to get out of the first round with them in the lineup.

I could write ten paragraphs on how bad MacArthur is. Stafford is wasted talent - he would rather jam with his band and play guitar than work on his game. He's played one (ONE!) good game all year and it was the game after (ironically enough against the Pens) he sat in the press box. Mair has no hockey sense whatsoever. Zilch.

Why can't Regier see these things?

According to Regier, we are good because we have our top-six fowards sign through next year. What good does that do us if they aren't producing? Also, he doesn't want to trade away the future for now. I heard on the post-game show tonight that they aren't close to anything and are looking for something beyond this year. (http://blogs.buffalonews.com/sabres/...Sabres+Edge%29)

Agree on Stafford and MacArthur. I would rather have Ellis in over Mair.

Kennedy needs another year in Portland I think. He has his moments and seems like he plays most nights, but I just don't think he has it yet.

Derek Morris back to Phoenix (where, let's face it, he always belonged) and Boston gets a 4th round pick in 2011 in return.

Bruins need more defensemen so I doubt they're done dealing.

And so ends the Martin Skoula Era in Toronto...

He is traded to the Devils for a 5th round pick.

You mean we did'nt get Colin White??

Damn:mad: :mad:

:p

I was surprised by that as well. He would seem to fit in well in Toronto.

Boston acquires Seidenberg and Bartowski from Fla for Craig Weller, Byron Bitz and a 2nd round pick.

Where are you guys going for the most up to date stuff? TSN?

Yeah they have a trade tracker.

Dola if you can watch online...

NHL VideoCenter

Aaron Ward to Anaheim for fourth-rounder and goalie Justin Pogge.

Yup, just saw this. Haven't seen Ward all year. He's getting up there. Can he still eb an effective stay at home? If so, that's a decent get for the Ducks, as sound defensmen in their own end is an area of issue. Surprised they ere able to move Pogge for more than a gallon of Zamboni gas and a spit bucket.

Pogge not so good in Anaheim?

Phoenix trades Peter Mueller and Kevin Porter to Colorado for Wolski.

Scott Walker to the Caps for a 7th round pick.

Nice pick up for the Capitals. I know Walker isn't the player he once was, but I always liked him.

Sad to see Bitz go. He really made a name for himself with his strong physical play in the playoffs last year.

The Wings have made a trade!

They send Kris Newbury to the New York Rangers for forward Jordan Owens.

Between this trade and that St. Louis/Chicago Hannu Toivonen deal, the landscape of the Central Division has really changed.

Wouldn't know. I don't think he ever once hit the ice, although he dressed as the backup a time or two when Jiggy or Hiller were sidelined.

My opinion of him is more based on the feedback I got from you guys here, and the general impressions tossed out in articles about him or by Ducks fans on the MBs at the team site. The consensus seems to be Pogge is a player with seemingly unrealized talent.

Curtis McElhinney for Vesa Toskala

Does anyone want Toskala anymore? He used to be good.

I want him! Dernit...

Sorry, saw the news and had a flash of "Hiller hurt; McElhinney in goal for playoffs" and kinda freaked out. WTH...

I can only hope this is a cap move for another move today. We had the space for Ward, IIRC, so we shouldn't have needed to move Toskala for that. Toskala's deal is done at the end of the season. So no real reason to do this deal, cap-wise, unless they're creating room (I hope). Team-wise, made more sense to keep Toskala.

Buffalo just got Raffi Torres for Nate Paetsch and a 2nd

pretty boring dealing day so far

think pho-col was the biggest deal yet

Well, luckily for you, you can forget this excercise as he's been traded to Atlanta for a 3rd and 4th round pick. Though, maybe JiMGA would like to hear about how bad he is.

Yeah this makes no sense to me. They had better do something with the space created otherwise they just dealt one of the better backups in the league for nothing. Is McElhinney expiring after this season also?

Agreed. Like was mentioned above, I think the Olympic break sort of broke things up. It looks like most of the big names, Phanuef, Giguere, Kovalchuk, Joikenen, were traded before the break, leaving the smaller moves for today.

Yawner so far...but i guess we should have expected that with the trades that happened before the olympics.

Milan Jurcina goes from Columbus to Washington

anyone know what edmonton is waiting for?