The San Jose Sharks signed Brian Boucher as a free agent. They want experience in the backupposition and they got it. If Nabby goes down, Boucher will get a shot as the man in SJ. 

 

Brandon Bochenski has been traded to the Nashville Predators for future considerations. Once again – there is some upside here, but he needs to produce quickly. 

 

Marian Hossa does not have an extension in place for Pittsburgh. He truly is a rental unless the team can sign him to a one year deal and/or trade Malkin or Staal in the summer. They just can't afford him, plain and simple, beyond this year. 

 

Tampa Bay has traded Jan Hlavac to Nashville for a seventh round pick. Hlavac will do offensively what Gelinas was doing in Nashville. He lacks the grit and leadership, though. 

 

Atlanta trades Alexandre Giroux to Washington for Joe Motzko. 

 

Kings trade JS Aubin to Anahiem for a 7th round pick. Some insurance. Some depth for the Ducks. Good move, can't hurt. 

 

Marc-Andre Bergeron traded from the Isles to the Ducks for a third. Analysis to come on this as well. 

 

Fredrik Sjostrom, David Leneveu and Josh Gratton to the Rangers for Marcel Hossa and Al Montoya. Analysis to come on this.

 

Chad Kilger to Florida for a 3rd. 

 

Brad Stuart to Detroit for a 2nd and a 4th. 

 

Chris Simon has been traded to Minnesota for a 6th round pick. He joinis Boogaard and FedorukHmmm, the Anaheim theory…

 

Angelo Esposito, Colby Armstrong and Erik Christensen to Atlanta for Marian Hossa 

 

I like the Pens effectively replacing Mark Eaton with some size and defense in Hal Gill. 

 

Blues have traded Christian Backman to the Rangers for a 4th. 

 

Hal Gill has been traded to Pittsburgh for a 2nd and a 5th.

 

Chicago not done yet – look for a Jason Williams move. 

 

Brendan Morrison could be back in the lineup in 10 days. 

 

Bobby Holik will probably be moved soon. Stay tuned… 

 

We all know the Habs are doing something with Ryder. It's taking this long because Atlanta is trying to really run them through the grinder in a Hossa deal.

 

Ray Emery is not on the ice for Ottawa. 

 

Vancouver traded Matt Cooke to Washington for Matt Pettinger. 

 

San Jose moved Rob Davison to the Isles for '08 7th. With Campbell on board they did not need Davison.

 

Brad Stuart to Detroit? They could use him right now and that's the rumor. 

 

Sergei Fedorov has been traded to Washington – more info to come. The Caps are big players today!

 

Despite TRIPLING the RAM – the huge traffic is causing the site to slow down a little. Bear with me!

 

Detroit has been strangely quiet. I don't trust it and would not be surprised if they have something big up their sleeves. Stay tuned…

 

The Leafs are close to moving Chad Kilger and Pavel Kubina.

 

Columbus traded Adam Foote to Colorado for I believe a first round pick.

 

I don't know how much stock I put into this, but I am hearing that the Pens are actually considering trading Jordan Staal. 

 

Martin Lapointe has been traded to Ottawa for a sixth-round pick

 

Robert Lang has also been pulled off of the ice in practice. 

 

Adam Foote and the Jackets have failed to come to a contract agreement. He will likely be moved today.

 

Dobberhockey affiliate "The Fourth Period" has crashed. This happened last year too. Trade deadline excitement continues. Don't worry fellas – I beefed up the RAM for today.

 

Toronto has another deal done… hang on a minute… 

 

Tuomo Ruutu to Carolina for Andrew Ladd. Analysis to come. 

 

Ruslan Salei to Colorado for Karlis Skrastins and a third round pick.

 

Tuomo Ruutu is close to being dealt. Stay tuned.

 

Montreal has traded Huet to Washington for a 2nd round pick in 2009.

 

Brad Richards, Johan Holmqvist for Jussi Jokinen, Mike Smith and Jeff Halpern.

 

Brad Richards has apparently been traded to Dallas. More info to come… 

 

Brian Campbell has been traded to the San Jose Sharks for Steve Bernier and a first round pick.

 

Belak went to the Panthers for a fifth round pick. Do the Leafs need a tough guy now? 

 

Marian Hossa will not practice with the team in Montreal.

 

Ottawa is reportedly shopping Chris Kelly.

 

Detroit, Ottawa and Boston have reportedly dropped out of the Hossa race. 

 

Did the Habs pull the trigger? Michal Grabovski has been recalled.

 

New Jersey acquired Bryce Salvador from St. Louis. Cam Janssen went the other way. 

 

Besides Spector , of course, a great source for rumors is right here .

 

I will only be doing full trade analysis if I feel there is some kind of fantasy hockey impact. Otherwise, it will just get a mention here in the ramblings.

 

Gary Roberts was to have returned from his broken leg by now but recently discovered that he has a high ankle sprain as well. He will be out for another four weeks.

 

Take Mike Comrie off the market. He has signed a one-year extension with the Isles for $4 million. 

 

Alexander Radulov was back in practice yesterday.

 

Friday will be the end of Week 6 for Crosby's recovery and he will not return early as he had hoped. Personally, I think he just pushed it too hard two weeks ago and that's why he has been taking it easy lately. No timetable is set for his return.

 

The Pittsburgh Gazette is speculating that Fleury will get the start tonight.

 

Despite all the healthy scratches, Marc-Andre Bergeron is still tied for the league lead in PP goals by a defenseman. 

 

Sergei Fedorov missed practice yesterday and was downgraded to questionable by Hitchcock for Wednesday's game because of a charley horse.

 

Darren McCarty will remain with Grand Rapids for two weeks on a conditioning stint before joining the Red Wings. He signed with the team yesterday.

 

Nick Lidstrom might skate by week's end, though he remains 10-14 days away from playing. Contrary to rumors – he does not have a concussion.

 

Rafalski said his groin feels better and he remains day to day.

 

Chris Chelios (fibula) did not skate and won't be ready before the weekend at the earliest.

 

Dominik Hasek (hip flexor) said he had a good practice. "I didn't have any problems with my injury," he said, "and definitely I will be ready for Friday." (from the Detroit Free Press) 

 

Nikolai Khabibulin, who has missed the last two games with back spasms, underwent an MRI on Monday and the test didn't reveal further damage to his back. He is listed as day-to-day.

 

Ryan Smyth has gone nine games without a point and Hejduk seven games without a point.

 

Peter Forsberg will not be in the Colorado lineup until next week at the very earliest. That means 16 games at the most for Foppa, so put him down for 15 points. 

 

TSN is reporting that the Isles are close to signing Mike Comrie to a one-year extension. 

 

Ray Emery got the hook last night after giving up five goals on 21 shots.

 

Patrice Bergeron skated for 20 minutes yesterday.

 

Peter Schaefer, the laceration on his right shin finally healed sufficiently, skated in practice on a line with Milan Lucic and David Krejci.

 

Chuck Kobasew did not practice yesterday.

 

Jochen Hecht missed his second straight game with what he said was a groin pull suffered late in the third period Thursday in Toronto. He said he was getting better and could be skating again in a couple more days.

 

Dallas activated Philippe Boucher from the IR yesterday.

For yesterday's fantasy hockey ramblings – including some late-breaking news on Dan Boyle – click "Next" below.