AJC > Sports > Thrashers > Blog > Archives > 2008 > February > 18
Monday, February 18, 2008
No practice, but plenty of rumors
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
No practice today, which to a NHL beat writer is kind of like a snow day.
So now the waiting game begins. Really, it’s only a matter of time until a trade is made, whether that’s Don Waddell strengthening the troops for a stretch run or a Hossa deal - or both - is up to Waddell. If the Thrashers weren’t on the road before and after the GM meetings, I’d be down there right now. But convincing my pregnant wife that I needed to be on the road for two straight weeks wasn’t a discussion I could win. So we chase rumors from home and not the beach. Oh well.
I know Scott Burnside is down there and I look forward to his reports on ESPN. I know he thinks a Hossa to San Jose deal for Marleau is the most logical. We’ll see.
To me, the most logical solution is trading Hoss for a huge bounty of draft picks and prospects, then making a second deal for a player who can help this year. I would say, it’d make sense for that second deal to center around a guy like Tomas Kaberle but reports from Toronto say that he isn’t necessarily eager to waive his no-trade clause. Same thing with Rob Blake. The L.A. Times is reporting that Blake wants to finish his career with the Kings and has no interest in waiving his no-trade clause.
I’m sure these players are being sincere, but as one player recently told me, it’s all one big negotiation when it comes to the no-trade clause.
Speaking of Marleau (we were, weren’t we?), Larry Brooks speculated in his Sunday column that Marleau might be used in a trade to lure Olli Jokinen away from Florida. If the Sharks pulled that off, it’d be pretty impressive. If you click on that link, you’ll also see that Brooks thinks the Rangers should make a play for Bobby Holik. That might go over like a lead balloon to Rangers fans, who enjoy booing Holik, but Holik would certainly help any contender. But I honestly can’t see Waddell dealing Holik right now. He’s playing as well as anyone, and is one of the few big bodies on the roster who goes into corners and comes out with the puck. And by few, I mean only.
Other things floating around today… Peter Forsberg decision expected by Tuesday at the latest (Philly Inquirer), Sergei Federov interested in going back to Detroit (News and Free Press)… Tampa Tribune shoots down the rumor that Dan Boyle gave the Lightning a list of ten teams he’d accept a trade to.
