Goodbye Olympics, Hello NHL Trade Deadline

I must say that I am somewhat sad that the Vancouver Olympics are over, with a record fourteen gold medals, and an amazing total of 26, it would have been nice to keep that party going for a while. I have to say congratulations to all athletes that represented their countries, and especially to the Canadian athletes who made us all proud at these Winter Games.

It was fitting that the last medals won at the Olympics were for ice hockey, and of course the gold for Canada. There could not have been a better ending for the Vancouver Games...for Canada at least.

With 80% of Canadians apparently watching this hockey game against the rival United States team, there could not have been a Canadian that was not beaming with pride. I for one, watched the game with my family, and that overtime goal led to about three minutes of screaming, hugging, and jumping. It's one of those, "where were you when...?" moments.

So good work boys, it was an amazing game by both sides, with the Americans fighting hard throughout the entire game. Hopefully NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and the owners will understand how beneficial Olympic participation from their players really is for promoting the game around the world.

There is no doubt Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins will get a little more attention around the world for his overtime heroics. Wouldn't it be nice to say that you have already won a Stanley Cup and an Olympic gold medal at the age of 22? Simply incredible.

With the Olympics drawing to a close, the NHL kicks right back into action, with the trade deadline at 3:00pm EST tomorrow. According to sources, there has been quite a bit of talk between GM's around the league, with playoff bound teams looking for depth.

There have already been a few moves in the last 24 hours, with some teams wanting to get a jump on the other teams. Last night the Edmonton Oilers sent defenseman, Denis Grebeshkov to the Nashville Predators for a 2010 second round draft pick. This might be the first of many moves for the Oilers, but both teams have found a good fit here. The second round pick is a good one for Edmonton going forward, and Grebeshkov is a talented young defenseman who might flourish under Predators coach, Barry Trotz.

The Ottawa Senators continue to shore up for a playoff push, as they have acquired veteran defenseman Andy Sutton from the New York Islanders for a second round draft choice. Adding blueline depth for the playoffs should alyways be the mission of any general manager, and Murray has done just that in this trade. It is not a blockbuster by any means, but it adds a solid stay-at-home defenseman to the roster, and also gives the team more toughness.

Darren Dreger of TSN also reports that the Philadelphia Flyers are making a push for Nashville Predators defenseman, Dan Hamuis, but it remains to be seen if a deal can be made before tomorrow's deadline. Hamuis would be a great addition to any playoff team, in Nashville he has quietly become a very steady defensive and offensive presence. Details to follow...