Kotalik and Higgins for Jokinen and Prust. The deal frees up just $500K for the Flames, so not sure why they did that. If it’s faith in Higgins, then they have more of it than I do. And Kotalik would never last under Sutter. Jokinen gets another chance centering a superstar – the upside is tremendous. Then again – it was with Iginla, as well. Meanwhile, Stajan owners are smiling.

Angus popping in here – per Darren Dreger, the Rangers are set to deal Kotalik and either Higgins or Gilroy to the Flames for Jokinen.

Darren Dreger on Twitter – says it is Jason Blake going to Anaheim, so not Finger. Another forward spot freed up for Viktor Stalberg, Christian Hanson et al.

I’m hearing that Toskala for Giguere is a done deal, and that the Leafs will get a first rounder as well. The other player going to ANA will either be Jeff Finger or Jason Blake. I won’t have analysis for this one today, as I’m out the door. But obviously Giguere will be the new No.1 and Toskala will play out his contract as a back up.

Another deal for the Leafs is upcoming in about 30 minutes (12:30). Other team could be the Ducks, which may involve a goaltender given the recent Hiller news.

Looking at the top shooters in the league, I found some interesting things: Phil Kessel would be third in the league had he not been hurt; Radim Vrbata sits 14th in the category, and Patric Hornqvist sits 16th. If those two can start hitting nine percent of their shots instead of six percent they would have 35 or even 40-goal seasons in their futures.

Sorry Oilers fans, but nothing cures a big slump like a game against Edmonton. The same could be said for the Leafs, who cured Edmonton’s slump not two weeks ago. Both teams are at the bottom of the food chain. At least the Oilers can look forward to Eberle, MPS and either Hall or Seguin. As good as Nazem Kadri is, he just doesn’t match up to those three.

Sheldon Souray broke his wrist last night. I don’t have to worry about it because I refuse to allow someone so fragile on any of my teams. But if you were sucker enough to acquire Souray – I’m sorry. I’d like to say that this news helps Tom Gilbert (who I DO own), but that would just be wishful thinking. At this point, the only Oiler I would bother with is Patrick O’Sullivan, who was actually a healthy scratch Thursday when Mike Comrie returned.

O’Sullivan has 12 points in his last 15 games and has pretty good chemistry with Comrie, so it’s funny that when Comrie finally returns Pat Quinn scratches O’Sullivan one game and scratches Comrie the next.
David Booth is set to return today, which is great news. I had wondered if we would see him at all this season. With Frolik managing just one point in his last seven games, you could see Booth replace him on the top line.

Mike Cammalleri’s injury looked extremely serious. Let me put it this way, I wouldn’t want my ankle bending in that direction, nor would I want my knee to bend in quite that manner. It was painful to watch. So I can’t believe his news would actually be better than Nick Foligno’s news. Foligno, later in the game, suffered a broken leg in what didn’t look quite as bad. Anyway, Cammy will have an MRI on his knee, but I suspect that we won’t see him in February. Good thing for fantasy owners that he would get all that time off for the Olympics anyway.

Speaking of Leafs and “bad” – Brian Burke is holding a press conference in a half hour (11:30 ET). Apparently a big trade has gone down.

Boedker still isn’t getting the ice time, but he did manage to score last night in his first game of his latest recall. He played just under eight minutes. The Coyotes are right to ease him in. He should be a full-time player next year, but with the ice time kept to 12 minutes or so. Think Jiri Hudler in his first full season – that’s the result you can expect. It may be another three years yet before you see big fantasy-worthy numbers.

I say the same thing about Peter Mueller, except Mueller is one year further ahead. He’s going through that one season of 10-12 minutes of ice time and occasional scratches right now. It’s a tried, tested and true method of bringing the kids along successfully. Only a handful of kids are ready for more, and you hear me rant about them all the time (Filatov, Radulov, for example – Duchene and Tavares are other examples, but are actually getting the ice time)

Shane Doan is on fire. He has 12 points in his last seven games and is now on pace for 59. With 27 games left, I think he’ll get 25 and finish with 65.

PHO line combos last night with Upshall out: Korpikoski took Upshall’s spot with Doan and Lombardi; Hanzal, Prucah and Vrbata are together forever and always (I like that – consistency); Lang with Boedker and Pyatt.

Ron Wilson finally put Matt Stajan back with Phil Kessel and it resulted in two goals in two shifts to start the game. Unfortunately, the Leafs fell apart in the second half. But this line clicked for a few weeks, then it slumped for about five or six games and the two were split apart. It took a good month to put them back together. I would expect both Stajan and Kessel – and perhaps Ponikarovsky – to heat up now. That won’t necessarily translate into wins, but it will help.

I’m reading through some of the names in the Olympics pool and laughing my ass off. My favs, after a quick glance: “Tambellini Punches Lowe in the face Hard”, “Does DobberHockey Niederreiter”, “Golden Showers” (I’m immature, so any Grade 7 joke works with me – too bad I’m not the one picking the winner), “Crosby Laichs Boyes”, “That Really Grinds My Griers” (any Family Guy or Simpsons brings a smile – but again, I don’t pick the winner!), “eh oh this chant blows”, “The Slap Chops”, “Mary-Kate and Ashley Sedin”, “Kane’s Taxi Stand”.

The DobberHockey Olympics Pool is FREE to join and it’s simple – you just pick one player from each box. Sound complicated? Call my one-year-old daughter and she’ll walk you through it. And you could win prizes. Already 1300 have signed up. Prizes include an autographed Steve Yzerman jersey, an autographed Jaromir Jagr jersey and an autographed Eric Staal picture for the funniest team name.

I like how many media outlets are hailing the Ducks for their “great deal” in signing Jonas Hiller. I don’t disagree. However, I do recall that those same dummies were hailing the Ducks for their “great deal” with JSG a couple of years ago. Goaltending is a tricky thing, as the mental aspect is so big with them. The only goalies I would sign for five years or more and feel completely at ease are Luongo and Lundqvist. The rest carry varying degrees of risk from very very slim (like Ryan Miller) to very very risky (like Jonas Gustavsson).

I was slapping at the panic button late this week, trying to shop my Flames in my one keeper league that counts playoffs. I need a playoff team in the West and since CHI and SJ guys are so hard to get, CGY was my third pick. But they were doing so terrible they fell out of the Top 8. Iginla getting four points last night gets rid of some of that panic.

SJ rearguard Jason Demers has seen at least 20 minutes in each of his last four games and has three points in that span. Prior to that, he had seen 20 minutes just once. He is seeing Vlasic’s (LBI) ice time now.

It’s amazing – and surprising – but I’m still selling Midseason Guides 22 days after it was released. There is lots of helpful information in it – this year’s edition more than ever – but it would have REALLY helped you if you just bought it on January 9th. Remember that for next year!