Don’t shoot the messenger when you read this.
I’ve been receiving messages all night about a couple of major trade scenarios that could go down in the near future. However I stress that as of right now it is just talk, nothing more and nothing less.
Have you all learned today’s lesson yet? Draft picks are at a premium, and are very hard to pick up unless other draft picks are going back the other way. That is just a fact now. Trade deadline proved it. 1st round of the draft proved it. Player-for-pick deals are going to be extremely difficult to pull off, from here on out. In the words of Big Sugar, better get used it, baby.
Onto the hearsay …
Something big could be in the works with TB. And no, it would not be for Vinny. If he stays in TB (may just do that, no one wants his contract) they may move another player to acquire the pieces necessary to build. Keep hearing Malone could be a part of any deal as a salary dump (yet again). Not sure what Leafs would consider in terms of their own players. This one has the potential to be surprising though. Basically, TB has a contingency plan if they can’t move Vinny, and Burke is angling to be at the head of the line if that plan goes into action.
Multiple sources have been strongly suggesting today that Burke is still after Schenn. Lombardi knows how much BB wants Schenn and is dangling him in an effort to get Burke to overpay (same thing Burke is doing with Kaberle, basically). There is the potential for this to turn into a blockbuster, but for how long it plays out, no one is sure. Right now I am hearing Kaberle, White and next year’s 1st could be the asking price for Schenn and a prospect. Not so sure if I would move that much.
Minnesota is also thought to still be involved. They don’t particularly want to move Harding (unless the price is right), but could be willing to move Nick Schultz. Hearing names such as Stajan and White on the Leafs‘ end of such a deal. What we do know is that Chuck Fletcher loves Kaberle … Koivu is a name that some seem to think may be involved if a deal goes the Kabby route, although from what I’m hearing I’m not entirely sure it would.
Interestingly enough, there is talk that these might not actually be three separate deals Toronto is chasing, but rather one giant deal involving multiple teams. Keeping an eye on it anyway.
UPDATE: Don’t expect anything to happen right away. Source: “All the deals will have side deals with them, Brian knows he will need to get pieces from other teams for them.”
Now that Bouwmeester is gone, Burke is working his phone like mad to up the ante for Kaberle. It may not seem like the Flames paid a lot for JBo … but he is pending UFA so what they traded for were his negotiating rights. In essence, what they gave up was significant given the risk that JBo could walk. Also, the consensus is that JBo’s soon-to-be signing in Calgary means one of Phaneuf or Langkow will have to be moved in order to fit under the cap.
Got some clarification on the Atlanta deal. Waddell apparently wanted Kaberle, the 7th and a 2nd rdr for the 4th overall … not Kaberle and both 2nds. No wonder Burke asked for Little instead of Armstrong.
Note: Remember that THIS IS ALL JUST SPECULATION at this point. I cannot be more clear on that. What I’m putting out there is just what I am hearing from people with better connections than I do. I openly admit that I have no way of knowing for sure that any of this could or will even happen. Right now it is just talk … and I am putting it out there for the sake of just that, talk … please keep that in mind.
Jeebus. Getting killed in the draft. Been told Nonis is making the picks as of the 3rd round, not sure how true that is. Ugh. Hope a trade goes down this week, that would make up for everything.
