Movin' and Shakin' Across the NHL

It’s hard to believe, but the 2010-2011 NHL regular season is winding down and the league wide trade deadline is right around the corner. Already the NHL has seen a flurry of trades in the last two-weeks, including some blockbuster deals that will surely shake up the final standings in a dramatic way. With only eight points separating the 3-11 seeds in the Western Conference and a large number of teams in the hunt for the final playoff spots in the Eastern Conference many pundits believe this year’s trade deadline will be one to remember as teams try to get the upper hand and make their way to the post-season.

There are a lot of interesting names on the trading block as the February 28 deadline approaches like Dallas Stars’ centre Brad Richards, Colorado Avalanche defenceman John Michael Liles and Edmonton Oilers’ Ales Hemsky. Typically the trade deadline is comprised of small deals where teams add playoff veterans to help with a strong push throughout the post-season, but the tight playoff races in each conference could persuade GM’s to make more ballsy moves at the deadline to acquire a true impact player.

One team likely to make a big splash is the Los Angeles Kings. The Kings have had known interest in all of the most recently available big-name players: Ilya Kovalchuk, Vincent Lecavalier and now rumours are swirling that they have thrown their hat in the Brad Richards and Ales Hemsky sweepstakes as the deadline approaches. The Kings are a team that have the talent to contend for a Stanley Cup for many years, and one of these guys could put them over the top.

Another team has already begun its predicted heavy activity in the trade market. The Ottawa Senators, in the last two weeks, have shipped out (female)fan favourite Mike Fisher to the Nashville Predators, where he will now be known as “Carrie Underwood’s husband”, second line centre Chris Kelly, starting goalie Brian Eliott and just yesterday, the highly talented, rarely motivated Alexei Kovalev. The Sens rebuild has just begun and there are many more names on their roster that are available and expected to be shipped out for prospects and/or draft picks. Sens fans can expect to see the likes of Chris Neil, Chris Phillips, Fillip Kuba and just about anybody not named Daniel Alfredsson, Jason Spezza or Erik Karlsson gone as the Sens collect a plethora of young talent and draft picks.

There will be some sellers at the deadline, teams who have come to the realization that they are not equipped to make a long run in the playoffs and have chosen to sell off their assets to the highest bidder in order to stock up on youth and potential through the draft. Ottawa, Colorado, the Islanders, Edmonton, St. Louis and Columbus fall into this category. The log jam in playoff standings, however, all but guarantee there will be many more buyers as teams try to leap-frog each other and better their position in the playoffs. It’s going to be a wild weekend of trades, and an even wilder end to the season and I, for one, cannot wait!