IN SUMATION

I know what you are all thinking…and no they aren’t contacts.

So today Grandpa Fletch did what he could,and I believe, that he did a good job. I'm thinking of that Simpsons joke about the worlds smallest handcuffs..cos that was a problem today. I know this may make some of you vom in your mouth a little but Grandpa was completely handcuffed in this situation. And lets face it, it's a much sexier topic to talk about what wasn't moved as opposed to what was. But let's keep this above board. Moose...hands where I can see them!

Here is the breakdown: Kilger (who I hate to see go) we received Florida’s 3rd round pick this year. For Belak (who is such a great room guy) we received (also from the Panthers) a 5th round selection in this year’s draft. I think that’s great wheeling and dealing. I thought for sure Belak would fall into the future considerations morass. Which I have always felt was kind of like being told your blind date had a nice personality. I have always liked Belak and anybody willing to get punched in the face standing up for the Maple Leafs is okay in my books. Tomorrow night he has to face his former teammates. In typical Belak style in his interview about the trade I heard him say, “Ian White better watch his head.”
Our dressing room will miss him and so will the city.

Hall Gill. Again…I sort of hate to see him go (damn this Leafs team is confusing) Remember when you were a kid and you had those really long “family” sleds. One of those that looked like an upper case J on its back. That’s what Hall Gill reminds me of when he’s sprawled on the ice blocking shots. The Penguins rather adroitly parting with their 2nd in 08 and their 5th in the 09 draft for the services of the toboggan. The Pens look better and better…although Moose tell me about Ty Conklin cos, like almost every team in the East (the Leafs strangely enough being one of the exceptions) the Pens have shaky goaltending.

Grandpa also cleared nearly 3 million is cap space and did anyone else see his press conference? Besides looking awesome, his eye brow almost permanently cocked; (anyone else think he looked almost exactly like Roger Moore in A View to a Kill?) Talking about Phase One and trades involving preliminary discussions? (And just who is Fletch talking about there?) Correct me if I am wrong but is there not a window of opportunity to trade Kaberle in the summer? Hmmm….I know this re-build may take a few more years cause of the dreaded NTC, the worst acronym to happen to Toronto since SARS, but I believe, maybe for the first time, that its in the correct hands.

Speaking in summary of the rest of the trades. I like what the Caps did. And I know that Fedorov is 100 years old but I have a feeling we are going to see some Power Play 96 Fedorov paired with Semin and/or Ovechkin. And Huet has a ton to prove. I would be scared shitless to play the Caps in the playoffs. (Just like I would be scared to play the Avs in the West.) The Pens who I have already mentioned made some smart moves. They did give up a lot on paper for the rental of Hossa but this is a very shrewd move I think. First off it keeps him out of the two other teams in the East who were in the hunt…and that lets face it…Hossa is playing for a contract and nothing says 10 million a year like a very strong playoff. The line combination possibility is scary. But again…goaltending…just like Montreal and otwa. The Pens this year may be like the Dynasty era Edmonton Oilers. They may get 5 goals against but they're gonna score 8 on you.

Montreal surprised me and if you look at my live blogging this morning…I do mention Huet and the surprise of how cheap he cost. And as far as that other team is concerned…














The East’s only hope of winning the cup is all the teams in the West absolutely beating the shit out of each other in 7 game series which, we all know, they will do. And if the playoffs were to start today the Ducks and the Sharks would meet in the first round.

And finally Fletch said, in fact guaranteed that the face of the organization would be different next season. If Mats Sundin is the face of the organization and Fletch said...(you get it, I know)does he know something about Mats that we don't? And does anyone else see the idea of buy outs becoming the thing that the next GM will be handcuffed by?

LIVE COVERAGE OF TRADE DEADLINE DAY

So it's finally here: trade deadline day. Welcome to HS/HS first annual deadline day extravaganza. There's balloons and spelling mistakes and face painting for the kids.
I woke up early....actually setting an alarm...no...now I'm just lying. My son woke me up by repeating jumping on my fibula.

We here at HS/HS will be updating during the day....so did I mention that we will BE LIVE ALL DAY LONG.

Comrie re-signed (1 year worth 4 million) Jackman re-signed. Forsberg and his balsa-wood foot surprising everyone and signing with the AVS. (Philly losing 10 in a row mighta helped) Dan Boyle now the third big 3. Richards gonna go?

10 am (EST) - Prospal to the Flyers for Alexandre Picard and a conditional draft pick. 10 straight loses...you gotta do something.

4 hours 33 minutes left.
Montreal with 4.2 in cap space? Higgins, Ryder, Huet?

10:30 am - The Devils just picked up Bryce Salvador for Cam Jansen.

11 am - LEAFS NEWS!!!!!!!! Belak to Panthers for a 5th round pick.

11:30 Brian Campbell traded to the Sharks? Yup - Steve Bernier and a first round pick going back to Sabres. Wasn't Bernier who we lost when we traded for Owen Nolan?

11:40 Lightning and Star shave agreed to deal involving Richards. Just waiting on Richards approval. Which has just been confirmed. Richards and Holmqvist to Dallas for Mike Smith and Jokinen and Halpern.

11:43 Huet to Capitals for 2nd round pick (09)? This seems out of left field...there is no way that they are going with Price. This, to me, seems like something else is going to happen. I'm surprised by such a small return for Huet.

11:50 - Tampa Bay and Jay Feester doing what the Leafs needed (and clearly can't) do.

12:15 - Ruslan Salei to the Avs and the Blackhawks trade Tuomo Ruutu to Carolina for Andrew Ladd.

12:35 - Latest on Adam Foote...probably wont stay in Columbus. He has a no trade clause but he will waive it. But he will only waive to Colorado.

12:37 - Martin Lapointe on his way to otwa for 2008 6th round pick. Does it mean that they are out of the Hossa sweepstakes?

1:00 - Adam Foote back to the Avs. Amazing to see the moves they are making considering they aren't even a lock for the playoffs. This seems to be a move about not letting anyone else (re: Ducks) get him.

Man the West are stocking up. What are the East doing?

1:12 - Fedorov to Capitals. Fedorov, Semin, Ovechkin. How do you say Holy Shit in Russian?

1 Hour and 41 minutes remaining. Is Brian 'Mr Brian Burke' Burke gonna respond to the Stars or the Sharks?

1:30 - Matt Cooke to Washington from Vancouver for Matt Pettinger.

Interesting what the Caps are doing. Personally I don't believe Jokinen is on the move.

1:53: With an hour and 7 minutes remaining...I gotta say that someone in the East has to make a play for Hossa....the West is gonna stampede the East.

2:04 - Rumors: Kilger and Holik are going somewhere.

2:12: Is it me or does Dave Nonis have to do something? They need secondary scoring for sure.

45 minutes left...you know now that all of our players have said no to the NTC means that we can add 4 or 5 more years to that proper rebuild. It's a sad day in Leaf land.

2:40 - With Hossa still in play...I gotta believe that the teams in the East (you know who you are) have to be scrambling to make something happen. Atlanta are in Montreal tonight...is it even possible that at some point Hossa will just move his equiptment across the hall?


San Jose and Dallas looking really good for the run. The West in general is going to win. I believe Calgary and Detroit must respond to what the Sharks and Stars have done.

2:52 LEAFS NEWS!!!!!!!!!!!! Hall Gill traded to Penguins for a 2nd round and a 5th round pick.

2: 53 - Christian Backman to Rangers for 4th round pick.

3:00 - Holy Shitballs. Hossa and Pascal Dupuis to Penguins for Christensen, Armstrong, Esposito and a potential 1st round pick.
Is this just me or is this not a great deal for the Pens? For a rental? Holy balls.
Makes me even more ill when I think what Mats would've garnered.

Montreal and otwa have blown it. Wow. Time for Hossa to really step up this playoffs. He is playing for a contract so I believe Hossa/Crosby or Hossa/Malkin is scary.
after that gorgeous beating that we gave last night....if they think Martin Lapointe is their answer....well thats just fine.

3:08 - Chris Simon to the Wild for 6th round pick.

3:10 - The Kings have traded Brad Stuart to Detroit for a 2nd and a 4th round.

3:15 - LEAFS NEWS!!!!!!!!!!!Chad Kilger to the Panthers for a 3rd round pick.

3:16 - Rangers have traded Gratton, Sjostrom and Leneveu to Phoenix for Montoya and Hossa.

3:25 - The Ducks picks up Marc-Andre Bergeron from the Isles for a 3rd round pick and J.S Aubin to Ducks for 7th rounder.

Looking at Grandpa Cliff right now at his news conference. The Leafs are done friends. No more...nothing is gonna come out now. I guess this is the first step of the process and we all know that we were hoping for more and we didn't get it.

Cliff is talking about one of the 5 with a NTC and saying that before the game yesterday that that player agreed to be traded to a specific team and then after the game...changed their minds. He is also talking about the face of the Leafs being very different come the start of next season. Does that mean buy outs? Free agency?
Cliff is also telling us that the 5th round pick from the Pens is for the 09 draft.

Cliff looking very defiant. Talking about looking very different next year. DOes he know something we don't? Like Mats wont come back or that....dare I say it....he wont re-sign Mats????