Versteeg Dealt to Leafs for Prospects

The Chicago Blackhawks have continued to clear cap space, by sending winger Kris Versteeg to the Toronto Maple Leafs for Viktor Stalberg, Philippe Paradis, and Chris DiDomenico. The Leafs also received forward, Bill Sweatt in the deal.

Versteeg is a forward that can be immediately plugged in to a top-six role on the Leafs. The 24 year old tallied 44 points in 79 games in the 2009-2010 season, and has 101 points in 170 NHL career games. He's also collected 26 points in 39 NHL playoff games.

Stalberg is the most significant piece going to Chicago, as he showed flashes of brilliant speed and offensive ability. This move was necessary for Chicago, as management looks for ways to keep their core intact. For the Leafs, they have acquired some much needed offense, but more moves will need to come if they hope to compete for the playoffs next year.

Tomorrow is the start of unrestricted free agency, so it will be interesting to see if the Leafs have any more moves planned. Over the Boards Hockey will provide constant updates throughout the day tomorrow, in the event that players are signed or traded.

Savard to the Leafs?

There are numerous reports today that the Boston Bruins and the Toronto Maple Leafs are once again talking trade. This time, talks are rumored to be centred around forward, Marc Savard. Over the next four years, Savard will have a $4 million cap hit, but will make around $7 million. Not such a bad cap hit for a point per game player. However, the real concern is the injury history of Savard. He has a past filled with foot injuries and concussions. Something that scares teams away.

Surprisingly enough, many are saying that if such a trade were to happen, defenseman Tomas Kaberle will not be part of any potential deal. Many in the media, especially in Toronto, seem to be salivating over the prospect of reuniting Savard and Kessel on Toronto's first line. I however, think that this is the wrong road for the Leafs to travel.

Savard is a good player, but at 32 years of age, and with his injury history, I think Toronto could do better. The tandem of Savard and Kessel did great things in Boston, but the two had limited playoff success. Sports writers in Toronto should cool off on the opinion that this move is in the best of interests of the Maple Leafs. After all, Brian Burke said that he was not in play for Marc Savard this afternoon on the Fan 590.

Draft, Rumors, Signings Update

The draft may not have been the place for the big moves many were expecting, but there was some significant movement. The Vancouver Canucks acquired Keith Ballard and Victor Oreskovich from the Florida Panthers, for forwards, Steve Bernier and Michael Grabner, and Vancouver's first round pick in the 2010 draft. Seemingly set at forward, the mission of Canuck's GM Mike Gillis, was to shore up his defense. Ballard is a hard-working defenseman who is used to 20 minutes plus, per game against the opposing teams top lines. He will help the Canucks going forward.

Going to Florida is hard-nosed forward, Steve Bernier and winger, Michael Grabner. Bernier has never quite lived up to expectations, but with his size and drive to the net, he might come into his own with higher minutes in Florida. Michael Grabner, is a speedy, creative winger who has shown a lot of promise playing in the AHL. He is only 22 years old, and has a cap hit of just under $900,000. He is a key part to this deal, as he could blossom into a scoring winger for the Panthers. With the twenty-fifth overall pick, Florida then chose left winger, Quinton Howden. He's not a sure fire prospect, but according to scouts, has a lot of NHL potential.

The Montreal Canadiens traded up five spots to the 22nd pick, and selected defenseman, Jarred Tinordi. This monster defenseman stands at 6 feet 5 inches, 205 pounds and apparently has a nasty streak. One scout in The Hockey News wrote, "when he plays a physical, pass-first game, he's as good as there is. But when he starts to dangle, his warts show." Regardless, this is a problem that a lot of young players have. If Tinordi can round out his game, he can become a dependable defensive defenseman and add some much needed size to the tiny Habs.

The Ottawa Senators also traded their only first round pick (16th overall) to the St. Louis Blues, for 2009 first round prospect, David Rundblad. This defenseman has developed nicely over the past year, and was drafted seventeenth overall last year. This is a good deal for the Senators, who have received a prospect already a year along in his development. With the 16th pick, the St. Louis Blues drafted the crafty Russian, Vladimir Tarasenko.

As expected, the Toronto Maple Leafs acquired a second round draft pick from the Chicago Blackhawks. The pick was 43rd overall, and was used to select "Burke type" player, Brad Ross. According to scouts, Ross is a similar player to Darcy Tucker. An agitator who has somewhat of a scoring touch. Playing with Portland in the WHL, Ross played on a line with Nino Niederreiter and Ryan Johansen, two top five picks in the 2010 draft. One scout from The Hockey News said, "he's one of my favorite players in the draft. He's a WHL version of Steve Downie without some of the initial immaturity." He was the only player in the CHL to score more than 25 goals and have 200 penalty minutes.

Not being able to lock Hamhuis into a contract after acquiring his negotiating rights from Nashville last week, the Philadelphia Flyers have now flipped those rights to the Pittsburgh Penguins for a third round pick in the 2011 draft. The Penguins could use a solid shut down defenseman like Hamhuis, especially if Gonchar leaves. If Pittsburgh does not get him signed, Hamhuis will be in high demand come free agency.

After failing to sign Hamhuis to a deal, the Philadelphia Flyers wasted no time attempting to acquire the negotiating rights to another sought after free agent, goaltender, Evgeni Nabokov. TSN has reported that the Flyers have reached a, "verbal agreement" with the San Jose Sharks to acquire the negotiating rights. If the Flyers can get Nabokov signed, they will have filled a big hole on their team.

The Toronto Maple Leafs did not move defenseman Tomas Kaberle at the draft, but that doesn't mean that there wasn't any interest. Apparently there were five teams that made offers to GM Brian Burke, but Burke obviously did not yet receive an offer to his liking. He even went as far as saying that one offer was, "a joke." He did say that offers had picked up for the offensive defenseman, but that he wasn't going to make a deal unless it was for at least a top-six forward.

Brian Burke also eluded to the fact that one team offered the Maple Leafs a first round pick in the 2010 draft for a defenseman that wasn't Tomas Kaberle. It is highly believed that the offer was for Luke Schenn. Burke has received many offers for Schenn, but Burke obviously envisions him as part of the Leafs going forward. It should be noted that Schenn played exceptionally well for the Leafs after Dion Phaneuf was brought in.

The Face of a Franchise

It is official. Taylor Hall has been drafted first overall by the Edmonton Oilers, and has effectively become the face of a floundering franchise. After months of speculation of who the Edmonton Oilers would draft with the first overall pick, the drama has now ended. As expected, Tyler Seguin has been selected second overall by the Boston Bruins.

1) Edmonton – Taylor Hall LW
2) Boston – Tyler Seguin C
3) Florida - Erik Gudbranson D
4) Columbus - Ryan Johansen C
5) NY Islanders - Nino Niederreiter LW
6) Tampa Bay - Brett Connolly RW
7) Carolina - Jeff Skinner C
8) Atlanta - Alexander Burmistrov C
9) Minnesota - Mikael Granlund C
10) NY Rangers - Dylan McIlrath D
11) Dallas - Jack Campbell G
12) Anaheim - Cam Fowler D
13) Phoenix - Brandon Gormley D
14) St. Louis - Jaden Schwartz C
15) Los Angeles Kings - Derek Forbort D
16) St. Louis - Vladimir Tarasenko RW
17) Colorado - Joey Hishon C
18) Nashville - Austin Watson LW
19) Florida - Nick Bjugstad C
20) Pittsburgh - Beau Bennett RW
21) Detroit - Riley Sheahan C
22) Montreal - Jarred Tinordi D
23) Buffalo - Mark Pysyk D
24) Chicago - Kevin Hayes RW
25) Florida - Quinton Howden LW
26) Washington - Evgeny Kuznetsov LW
27) Phoenix - Mark Visentin G
28) San Jose - Charlie Coyle RW
29) Anaheim - Emerson Etem C
30) NY Islanders - Brock Nelson C

2010 NHL Mock Draft

Here is my 2010 NHL Mock Draft. I have attempted to predict which players teams will draft this weekend. My predictions are based on player rankings (from the International Scouting Service, The Hockey News, and TSN), the draft history of specific teams, and to a lesser extent, the needs of specific teams. The teams are in draft order, and the glaring need for each team is in brackets. The draft is a tough thing to predict, as we rarely know which player a team covets and if teams move their picks in trades. However, it is still fun to give it a whirl...

1) Edmonton (big forward) – Taylor Hall LW
2) Boston (winger/defense) – Tyler Seguin C
3) Florida (top-six forward) – Cam Fowler D
4) Columbus (centre/top-six) – Erik Gudbranson D
5) NY Islanders (big defense/winger) – Brandon Gormley D
6) Tampa Bay (defense/best player) – Brett Connolly RW
7) Carolina (best player/forward) – Nino Niederreiter LW
8) Atlanta (goalie/best player) – Jack Campbell G
9) Minnesota (skilled forward) – Ryan Johansen C
10) NY Rangers (scoring forward) – Jeffrey Skinner C
11) Dallas (defense) – Derek Forbort D
12) Anaheim (goalie/defense) – Mikael Granlund LW
13) Phoenix (best player) – Alex Burmistrov C
14) St. Louis (scoring/goalie) – Austin Watson RW
15) Florida (top-six forward) – Mark Pysyk D
16) Ottawa (scoring forward) – Nick Bjugstad C
17) Colorado (defenseman) – Dylan McIlrath D
18) Nashville (defenseman) – Emerson Etem C
19) Los Angeles (top-six forward) – Vladimir Tarasenko RW
20) Pittsburgh (winger) – Beau Bennett RW
21) Detroit (defenseman/best player) – Riley Sheahan C
22) Phoenix (best player) – Quinton Howden LW
23) Buffalo (big winger/defenseman) – Jonathan Merrill D
24) Chicago (centre/best player) – Evgeny Kuznetsov LW
25) Vancouver (defenseman) – Jarred Tinordi D
26) Washington (big defenseman) – Alex Petrovic D
27) Montreal (big centre) – Tyler Pitlick C
28) San Jose (best player) – Tyler Toffoli C
29) Anaheim (goalie/best defense) – Calvin Pickard G
30) Chicago (centre/best player) – John McFarland C

Marleau and Pavelski Lock In with Sharks

Patrick Marleau, considered the best centre in this summers free agent crop, has signed a four year deal worth $27.6 million, to stay with the San Jose Sharks. Marleau had a strong regular season and playoff with the Sharks, collecting 44 goals and 83 points, and scoring 13 points in 14 playoff games.

Joe Pavelski was a standout for the Sharks in the 2010 playoffs, scoring 9 goals and 17 points in 15 games. In the regular season Pavelski had career numbers, with 25 goals and 51 points 67 games. If his development continues, he will be a big part of the Sharks moving ahead.

Also, the San Jose Sharks have let longtime goalie Evgeni Nabokov know that he will not be re-signed. Nabokov has been one of the NHL's best goaltenders and has more wins the last three seasons than any other goalie. It will be interesting where he ends up. Stay tuned.

Byfuglien Shipped to Thrashers

TSN reports that the Chicago Blackhawks are in the midst of sending forwards Dustin Byfuglien, Ben Eager, Akim Aliu, and defenseman, Brent Sopel, to the Atlanta Thrashers for first and second round picks in the 2010 draft, forward Marty Reasoner, Jeremy Morin, and Joey Crabb. Byfuglien was a playoff hero for the Blackhawks in their run to winning the Stanley Cup, but moves were necessary for the cash strapped Hawks.

Looking ahead, it was essential for the Blackhawks to clear cap space in order to keep the teams nucleus together. After announcing their desire to keep winger Patrick Sharp in the fold, Byfuglien was obviously deemed to be expendable by GM Stan Bowman and his staff.

This trade works well for both teams, as the Thrashers now have an emerging power forward and a lot of added toughness. However, it remains to be seen if Byfuglien can remain as effective for the Thrashers without the strong supporting cast that he had in Chicago. The Blackhawks in return, collect draft picks and cap space. With the trade, the Blackhawks clear about $4 million in cap space (taking Reasoner's $1.2million for the 2010-2011 season into consideration).

It remains to be seen if there are more moves in store for the Blackhawks. More to follow...

Trade News and Updates

The Florida Panthers have officially started the fire sale, by sending forwards, Nathan Horton and Gregory Campbell, to the Boston Bruins for defenseman Dennis Wideman and the 15th overall pick in next weekends entry draft and a third round pick in 2011.

This seems to be a great deal for the Bruins, as they pick up some much needed offense in Horton and Campbell. If can both live up to their potential, the Bruins might have received a couple gems in this deal. Wideman had an off year this past season, and the Bruins also have the second overall pick (acquired from the Leafs) to offset the loss of the 15th overall pick. I suppose, Peter Chiarelli made this deal to gain some of the lost offense after the Kessel trade.

Tomas Plekanec has elected to stay in Montreal and sign a long-term extension with the Canadiens. According to TSN, Plekanec has inked a six year deal, worth $30 million. If Plekanec had made it to the free agent market, he would have been highly sought after.

Scott Niedermayer Announces Retirement

TSN reports that veteran defenseman, Scott Niedermayer is about to announce his retirement from the NHL. This is the second all-star defenseman that has decided to retire after the 2009-2010 season, after Rob Blake officially announced his retirement last week. Niedermayer will be a definite lock for the Hall of Fame, having amassed 740 points (172 goals and 568 assists) in 1,263 games with the New Jersey Devils and Anaheim Ducks. He has won four Stanley Cups, won two Olympic gold medals, won the Norris Trophy for best defenseman in 2003-2004, won the Conn Smythe trophy as the best player in the 2006-2007 playoffs, and played in seven NHL all-star games.

He is a complete class act, and will be known as one of hockey's best players of all time. As a youngster, I will always remember watching Scott Niedermayer dominate games, especially in pressure situations. Hockey fans everywhere will miss this amazing player and person.

Draft and Trades

This past week, a top goaltender and a prized defenseman were traded, stealing some of the headlines that otherwise would have been devoted to rumors and draft news. It seems as though the rumors have only heated up (see my post, "adding fuel to the fire") as we look forward to this weeks draft in Los Angeles. Considering how shallow this years free agent pool is, many believe this will encourage more teams to improve their rosters via trade. So with teams like the Maple Leafs, Florida Panthers, and Chicago Blackhawks making their intentions public, it seems that we can expect more movement in the coming days.

This week is of great importance for many teams, and there should be some action on draft day. I will keep you updated on some of the more "realistic" rumors out there and report any trades or signings that occur as well. I will also be posting my own mock draft, as I attempt to predict who each team will draft in the first round. For all you Leaf fans out there, don't worry about the Leafs not having a pick in the first round, as GM Brian Burke is sure to make a big splash on draft day, if not before.

I will provide constant updates on draft day, and will also dissect any moves, trades, and signings that occur. It should be an interesting week, so stay tuned with Over the Boards Hockey for the latest news.

Rights to Free Agent Defenseman, Hamhuis, Dealt to Flyers

The Nashville Predators have kept busy this Saturday, sending Hamhuis' rights to the Philadelphia Flyers for youngster Ryan Parent. The Philadelphia Flyers will also recieve a conditional pick from the Predators in 2011 if the Flyers are successful in signing Hamhuis to a contract. Hamhuis, a 27 year old veteran defenseman, is this summer's most prized defenseman on the free agent market. If the Flyers can get him signed to a long-term deal, they will have vastly improved their team immediately. He is a top four defenseman, who can eat up big minutes and add some scoring.

In the deal, Nashville re-acquires Parent, who was sent to the Philadelphia Flyers in the Forsberg deal. Parent is a former first round pick who has shown promise. The Preds will hope that he can eventually step in a fill the void left by Hamhuis.

Arnott Returning to the Garden State

The New Jersey Devils have re-acquired centre, Jason Arnott, from the Nashville Predators for winger, Matt Halischuk, and a second round draft pick in 2011. Arnott was once a playoff hero for the Devils, when he scored the game winning over time goal to win the cup for the Devils in 2000. Over a very successful career, Arnott has collected 383 goals and 490 assists in 1,099 games. In order to make the trade happen, Arnott waived his no-trade clause, and is apparently ecstatic about the move back to Newark. The Devils hope that the big scoring centre can help them get past the second round of the playoffs.

Matt Halischuk played only 20 games in the 2009-2010 for the Devils, scoring 1 goal in the span. This is somewhat of a typical move for the Preds, as they have a history of turning their veteran players over for youth and draft picks.

Habs Send Playoff Hero to St. Louis for Prospects

TSN reports that the Montreal Canadiens have sent star goaltender, Jaroslav Halak, to the St. Louis Blues for prospects, Lars Eller and Ian Schultz. In Halak the Blues recieve a very steady goalie, who has shown that he is more than capable of being able to perform in high pressure situations. He is a young and solid goaltender who will be a very important piece of the puzzle for St. Louis.

Eller is a forward capable of playing both centre and left wing. At 6-1 and 192 pounds, he is not the big scoring centre that many were hoping the Habs would get for one of their goalies, but he could prove to be a valuable asset for the Canadiens down the road.

Ian Schultz is another young forward, listed at 6-2 and 205 pounds. Like Eller, he has definite promise for the future, but is not the type of player who will make an instant impact on a Montreal Canadiens team that is searching for toughness and scoring.

This seems to be a decent trade for both teams, with the St. Louis Blues looking for an alternative to Chris Mason, and the Habs getting a couple pieces for the future. I am little surprised at the timing of the trade though, as the Habs might have been able to drive up Halak's trade value heading into the draft. Regardless, Habs GM Pierre Gauthier must have a plan, and that plan clearly involves young goalie, Carey Price. It will be interesting to see how this trade affects player movement.

Adding Fuel to the Fire

It is amazing how many trade rumors are already swirling around, considering the Stanley Cup was only won by the Blackhawks two days ago. For instance, today TSN has reported that the New Jersey Devils are expected to make a major push for Leafs defenseman, Tomas Kaberle at the draft. This has led to speculation as to what the Devils might offer for the offensive defenseman.

On AM 640's Leafs Lunch, Darren Dreger and Bill Watters discussed the fact that Dale Tallon, the new GM of the Florida Panthers, is ready to start a fire sale in Florida, with Nathan Horton and Stephen Weiss apparently on the trade block. This led to discussions as to whether the Toronto Maple Leafs would target the Panthers as a possible trade partner to acquire some much needed offense.

Then James Duthie of TSN, through his Twitter account, raised an interesting fact about Jonathan Toews and the effect of his winning the Conn Smythe Trophy. According to Duthie, Toews has recieved a $1.3 million bonus for winning the Conn Smythe in this years playoffs. Because the Blackhawks are already at the cap ceiling for the 2009/2010 season, it will be added to their cap for next season. This means that GM Stan Bowman will have an even tougher time trying to cut salary to re-sign some key players. But, finding cap room for a player bonus for winning the Conn Smythe is something any GM would love to do after winning the Stanley Cup. Link to James Duthie's Tweet: http://twitter.com/tsnjamesduthie/status/15871135386

On a day where I thought focus would still be on the Chicago Blackhawks winning their first cup in 49 years, trade rumors have been stired up and have certainly picked up steam. It is looking like this offseason will be an interesting one.

Accomplished Veteran, Rob Blake Ready to Retire

Veteran defenseman, Rob Blake has reportedly decided to call it a career after 21 NHL seasons. Blake has rounded out a Hall of Fame career which saw him play 1,270 NHL games and score 240 goals and 537 assists with the Los Angeles Kings, Colorado Avalanche, and San Jose Sharks. He was awarded the Norris Trophy in 1998, as the NHL's best defenseman, won a gold medal with team Canada in the 2002 Olympics, and won a Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche in 2001. For years he has been regarded as one of the toughest, most dependable defensemen in the game. It will be sad to see him go, as yet another player that I watched as a youngster is retiring.

BLACKHAWKS BACK ON TOP!!!

It's been 49 years in the making, but the Stanley Cup has finally made its way back to the Windy City. In amazing fashion, the Chicago Blackhawks came back in overtime on a goal that nobody but its scorer saw go in. Patrick Kane put a low shot on net, that inched past Leighton and into the net. There was a moment of shock, as Kane rushed down the ice jumping with his hands in the air. Once his teammates got the final word that it was a good goal, it was jubilation for the Hawks players, coaches, management, and fans.

Young Blackhawks captain, Jonathan Toews, won the Conn Smythe trophy as the best player in the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Marion Hossa, playing in his third straight Stanley Cup final, with three different teams, was finally on the winning side, capturing his first Stanley Cup. John Madden also won his third Stanley Cup tonight. An amazing feat for the veteran forward.

More to follow...

Game Six On. Leighton Gets the Call

Game six is underway, so I thought I would give a quick two cents. This game is crazy. Penalties, hitting, scoring, everything you would expect in a game six of the Stanley Cup Finals. As I type right now, Chicago is up 3-2 with fourteen minutes left in the third period.

After the huge success of the Blackhawks new forward lines in game five, there were no changes heading into game six. By spreading out their offense over three lines, the Hawks were successful in frustrating the Flyers defense in game five. Quenneville has Kopecky and Hossa playing with Toews, Kane with Sharp and Ladd, and Byfuglien with Versteeg and Bolland. Defenseman, Nick Boynton, was also inserted into the lineup in game five, and has again earned a spot in the lineup for game six.

For Philadelphia, coach Peter Laviolette kept his cards close to his vest heading into game six, but has once again scratched enforcer, Dan Carcillo. By the end of game five, Laviolette shook up the top two lines to try to create some offense from Jeff Carter. Philadelphia is 9-1 at home heading into game six, and they will need the crowd to help carry them to a strong third period.

Series Lead Up for Grabs in Game Five

My 100th post on Over the Boards Hockey!

With the Philadelphia Flyers winning games three and four, we find the series all tied up at two games a piece, leaving people a little more unsure of who is going to win the Stanley Cup. Chicago was the odds on favorite heading into the series, and especially after games one and two, but the Philadelphia Flyers have shown that they are unwilling to go down without a fight. Now this series is for the taking.

Heading back to Chicago for game five tonight, Philadelphia clearly has some momentum after coming back from a 2-0 deficit. You can be sure that the Flyers are salivating at the opportunity to go back to the Wachovia Centre with a 3-2 series lead.

Neimi and Leighton will once again be in net for their teams, while Chicago might make some line changes to get Byfuglien and Toews going. TSN projects these lines for game five tonight:

Chicago Blackhawks
Kopecky - Toews - Ladd
Byfuglien - Sharp - Hossa
Versteeg - Bolland - Kane
Brouwer - Madden - Eager
Keith - Seabrook
Hjarmalsson - Sopel
Boynton - Campbell

Philadelphia Flyers
Gagne - Richards - Carter
Hartnell - Briere - Leino
Van Riemsdyk - Giroux - Asham
Powe - Betts - Laperriere
Pronger - Carle
Timonen - Coburn
Bartulis - Krajicek

Leafs Rumors Heating Up

The Stanley Cup Playoffs are not even over yet and trade rumors around the league seem to be picking up steam. Most of them seem to be swirling around the Toronto Maple Leafs, with the status of puck-moving defenseman, Tomas Kaberle as the main point of discussion. As I noted on Monday, Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch eluded to the availability of Tomas Kaberle, when he addressed a rumor that the Leafs would approach the Blue Jackets with a trade involving Columbus' first round pick.

Brian Burke further fueled speculation Tuesday in an interview on the Fan 590, when he commented that two teams had shown interest that were more than just 'nibbles.' Since then, many Toronto based sports writers have reported on the status of Tomas Kaberle. TSN's Darren Dreger reported that there were as many as five teams showing interest in Kaberle. All of this came after Burke admitted that he had sent an email to the other 29 teams briefing them on his intentions and Kaberle's contract.

In the Fan 590 interview, Burke also made it clear that acquiring a first round pick in this years draft was not his immediate priority, but that a big scoring forward was the target. However, it is still widely believed that Burke will target both on draft day.

Flyers Take Game Three, Series 2-1

Claude Giroux should enjoy this moment, as for now he is the hero among Philadelphia Flyers fans. Giroux of course, scored the overtime winning goal for the Flyers, turning the series 2-1, instead of the dreadful 3-0. In a game of incredible importance, the Flyers fought hard to stay with the Hawks throughout.

Danny Briere and Scott Hartnell scored singles, and the dependable Ville Leino also scored an important goal in the third. Flyers goalie, Michael Leighton made 24 saves on the night, and was as good as he needed to be.

Duncan Keith, Brent Sopel, and Patrick Kane all scored for Chicago. It was a back and forth game, but an entertaining one to say the least. The crucial game four takes place tomorrow night in Philadelphia at 8:00 EST on CBC.