Stars Acquire Begin from Canadiens

The Dallas Stars announced on Thursday that they have acquired center Steve Begin from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for defenseman Doug Janik. Begin, who had been a healthy scratch in the Canadiens last five games, requested a trade and was promptly accommodated. In 42 games so far this season, Begin has six goals and four assists for 10 points. Janik has played in 13 games so far this season, scoring one assist. The Stars get a decent, gritty forward out of Begin who will make an excellent addition to their penalty kill. With injuries to Toby Petersen, Brad Richards, and Brendan Morrow, Begin's veteran experience will also help the Stars as they continue to hold onto a playoff spot. Janik gives the Canadiens plenty of toughness and depth on their blueline. He will likely be a sixth or seventh defenseman for the Canadiens as they fight to hold onto a playoff spot.

Ducks Acquire Defenseman Whitney from Penguins

The Anaheim Ducks announced on Thursday that they have acquired defenseman Ryan Whitney from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for left wing Chris Kunitz and prospect forward Eric Tangradi. The move comes after weeks of speculation that the Penguins were prepared to move Whitney, who has struggled since returning recently from a foot injury, and that they were seeking a scoring winger to play with Sidney Crosby. In 28 games so far this season, Whitney has two goals and 11 assists for 13 points. Kunitz, who has played the last four seasons in Anaheim, has 16 goals and 19 assists for 35 points in 62 games so far this season. Tangradi signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Ducks in December and has played all season with Belleville of the OHL, where he has 38 goals and 87 points in 52 games. This move is good for both teams. Whitney will bring plenty of speed and offensive skill to the Ducks' blueline, especially on the power play. The Ducks have been sliding through the standings in the Western Conference and are currently out of the playoffs. Rumors have been running rampant that the Ducks might trade Chris Pronger or Scott Niedermayer by the trade deadline to bring in some young talent to rebuild with. With Pronger and Whitney the only two defensemen signed through next season, excluding prospects Brendan Mikkelson and Brian Salcido, it would make little sense for the Ducks to trade Pronger. With the prospect that Niedermayer could retire and no certainty that Francois Beauchemin, and impending free agent, will be back, it would be a death blow at this point for the Ducks to move Pronger, unless they got a really sweet deal. Their best course of action is to wait until summer and see what happens with Niedermayer and Beauchemin before moving Pronger. As for the Penguins, Kunitz should provide plenty of offensive skill on their first line with Crosby and Malkin. In fact, Kunitz could see his numbers increase playing with those two. Tangradi gives the Penguins another skillful prospect forward from which they can use to retool their team in the future.

Rangers Claim Bell Off Waivers from Maple Leafs

The New York Rangers announced on Wednesday that they have claimed center Mark Bell off re-entry waivers from the Toronto Maple Leafs. Bell was placed on waivers by Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke in an attempt to give the forward another shot at getting back to the NHL. Bell was acquired along with Vesa Toskala in 2007, and afterward, served a month-long suspension and entered stage two of the NHL's substance abuse program after a drunk driving arrest in 2006 in California. Since then, Bell has been playing with the Maple Leafs' AHL affiliate in Toronto and has not seen any NHL action since the 2007-08 season. In 445 career games, Bell has 87 goals and 95 assists for 182 points with the Chicago Blackhawks, San Jose Sharks, and Toronto Maple Leafs. This move by the Rangers should pretty much kill any speculation of the team claiming Sean Avery off re-entry waivers from the Dallas Stars. Bell plays with a gritty style and has the potential to score goals and will not be a cancer to the team like Avery. Plus, the Rangers are close to the salary cap and would have to cut salary in order to bring Avery back to the team. With the Rangers currently in a free fall in the Eastern Conference and in danger of missing the playoffs, the last thing they need is a distraction like Avery.

Blue Jackets Claim Gratton Off Waivers from Lightning

The Columbus Blue Jackets announced on Saturday that they have acquired center Chris Gratton off re-entry waivers from the Tampa Bay Lightning. Gratton, who was re-signed as an unrestricted free agent last summer and in his third stint with the Lightning, had been playing with their AHL affiliate in Norfolk the last few months after clearing waivers in December. In only 18 games so far this season, he has two assists. In 1086 NHL games, Gratton has 214 goals and 353 assists for 567 points and 1636 penalty minutes with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Philadelphia Flyers, Buffalo Sabres, Phoenix Coyotes, Colorado Avalanche, and Florida Panthers. Gratton will bring plenty of veteran depth and toughness to the Blue Jackets' forward lines as they make a push for their first-ever playoff appearance. The team has been seeking scoring depth at center since last summer, and while Gratton doesn't fit that type of player, expect the Blue Jackets to still be in the market to acquire one between now and the trade deadline.

Senators Acquire Comrie from Islanders

The Ottawa Senators announced on Friday that they have acquired center Mike Comrie and defenseman Chris Campoli from the New York Islanders in exchange for center Dean McAmmond and the San Jose Shark's 1st round pick in the 2009 draft. The Senators originally acquired the draft pick from Tampa Bay in the Andrej Meszaros trade, who had originally acquired the pick in the Dan Boyle trade. Comrie, who is returning to the Senators for the second time, has seven goals and 13 assists for 20 points in 41 games, while Campoli has played in 51 games, scoring six goals and 11 assists for 17 points. McAmmond has three goals and four assists for seven points in 44 games so far this season. Despite their place in the standings, the Senators look like they are not ready to be sellers just yet. Comrie brings Ottawa the top-six forward they've been seeking for most of the season, though with just 20 points this season, he is just another underachieving Senators forward who never lived up to his lofty expectations. Since the loss of defensemen Wade Redden to the New York Rangers via free agency and Andrej Meszaros via trade to the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Senators have been seeking a puck-moving defenseman and have gotten that in Campoli. He is very mobile and will be a good fit to the team's power play. As for McAmmond, he will bring veteran experience to the relatively young Islanders team. However, he has suffered several injuries over the past few seasons, and given his offensive decline, his contributions to the Islanders will probably be minimal. Despite giving up one of the quality defensemen on their paper-thin blueline, the Islanders could use the 1st round pick some time over the next few months to acquire a defenseman, or, could just use it to draft one this summer.

Canadiens Acquire Defenseman Schneider from Thrashers

The Montreal Canadiens announced on Monday that they have acquired veteran defenseman Mathieu Schneider from the Atlanta Thrashers along with a conditional draft pick in 2009 for Anaheim's second round pick in 2009 (previously acquired) and also Montreal's third round pick in 2010. The conditional draft pick the Canadiens received will depend on their playoff success. If they miss the playoffs or get eliminated in the first round, they will receive a third round pick. If they win one round, they will receive a fourth round pick. If the Canadiens win two rounds of the playoffs or more, they receive a fifth round pick. This marks Schneider's second stint with the Canadiens, as he played with the team from 1989-90 to 1995 and winning a Stanley Cup with the team in 1993. This trade also marks the second time Schneider has been traded this season, as he was traded to the Thrashers by Anaheim in late September in a salary-dumping move by the Ducks. In 44 games so far this season, Schneider has four goals and 11 assists for 15 points. He missed five games in November with a hip flexor and eight games in December with an upper-body injury. Schneider has played in 1241 NHL games, scoring 216 goals and 501 assists for 717 points over 19 seasons with the Montreal Canadiens, New York Islanders, Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers, Los Angeles Kings, Detroit Red Wings, Anaheim Ducks, and Atlanta Thrashers. This is a decent trade for the Canadiens, as Schneider will bring a wealth of veteran depth and offensive experience to the team's blueline. The Canadiens have been seeking offensive depth for their defense since losing Mark Streit this past summer to the New York Islanders via free agency. While Schneider isn't the offensive threat he used to be, he still gives the Canadiens plenty of offensive firepower from the blueline, especially on the power play.

Penguins Fire Head Coach Michel Therrien

The Pittsburgh Penguins announced on Sunday that they have fired head coach Michel Therrien. He will be replaced on an interim by Dan Bylsma, the head coach of the AHL's Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Also, assistant coach Andre Savard was reassigned within the organization while assistant coach Mike Yeo and goaltending coach Gilles Meloche will remain on staff. Tom Fitzgerald, the Penguins' director of player development, will replace Savard as assistant coach. The Penguins are currently 27-25-6 and are just four points out of the playoffs after making it all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2008. Under Therrien, the Penguins have made the playoffs the past two seasons, but have been slumping the past couple of months and are in danger of falling out of contention. The firing of Therrien comes as no surprise as it was rumored some of the Penguins did not like his demanding coaching style and that some players clashed with him. Rather than shake-up the team with a trade, firing Therrien was the easiest option. Bylsma has stated that he wants to make the Penguins a more up-tempo team, which could help pull the Penguins out of their current slump as they have a lot of promising talent on the team. However, if the Penguins cannot pull out of their slump, a trade or two could be the only course of action to get them back into playoff contention.

McDonald Signs Four-Year Extension with Blues

The St. Louis Blues announced on Monday that they have signed center Andy McDonald to a four-year contract extension worth $18.8 million, which averages out to $4.7 million per season. He would have been an unrestricted free agent in July. In 17 games so far this season with the Blues, McDonald has seven goals and 13 assists for 20 points. He missed 35 games this season with a broken leg. The Blues acquired McDonald from the Anaheim Ducks via trade in exchange for Doug Weight, Michal Birner, and a 7th round pick in the 2008 Entry Draft during the 2007-08 season. In 457 career games, McDonald has 113 goals and 202 assists for 315 points with Anaheim and St. Louis. This is a great signing for the Blues and comes as no surprise, as McDonald has shown over the past few seasons that he is an outstanding scorer and passer. His offensive skills improve more and more every season and he could more than likely become the Blues number one center over the next four years.

Blues Demote Goaltender Legace to Minors

Manny Legace's tenure with the St. Louis Blues has apparently come to an end. On Saturday, the team assigned the veteran netminder to their AHL affiliate in Peoria after he went unclaimed off waivers. In 29 games this season, Legace has a 13-9-2 record, with a 3.18 goals-against average and a save percentage of .885. Scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent in July, he has struggled much of the season and recently lost the starter's position to Chris Mason. It's a shame to see Legace shuttled off to the minors, as he still has the skills to be a competitive goalie in the NHL despite his injury history and confidence issues. Perhaps if the Blues were to place him on re-entry waivers, a team may be willing to claim him, as they would only be responsible for half of his remaining salary this season. The Columbus Blue Jackets could consider acquiring Legace heading into the playoffs, as Pascal Leclaire is currently on injured reserve and rookie sensation Steve Mason was placed on injured reserve on Sunday with a viral infection. Legace could bring the Blue Jackets the goaltending experience they need to coast into the playoffs until their injured goaltenders return. Other teams who could use an upgrade in goal include the New York Islanders, Ottawa Senators, and Los Angeles Kings, who all currently lack a decent starting goaltender.

Hurricanes Acquire Jokinen from Lightning

The Carolina Hurricanes announced on Saturday that they have acquired left wing Jussi Jokinen from the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for left wing Wade Brookbank, defenseman Josef Melichar, and Carolina's 4th round pick in the 2009 Entry Draft. Jokinen had been placed on waivers by the Lightning the day before and went unclaimed, despite rumors that a team was interested in claiming him. In 46 games this season with the Lightning, Jokinen has six goals and 10 assists for 16 points. Brookbank has played in 27 games so far this season, scoring one goal, while Melichar has played in 15 games, scoring four assists. This is a good move by the Hurricanes, as Jokinen has plenty of offensive potential despite his low totals this season. Despite the fact that most of the Lightning players are struggling offensively this season, the team became too impatient and didn't give Jokinen much of a chance to prove his skills. He had recently fallen off their depth chart and therefore became expendable. Look for Jokinen's offense to improve playing with the likes of Eric Staal, Rod Brind'Amour, Ray Whitney, Justin Williams, and Sergei Samsonov. The only thing puzzling about this trade is that the Hurricanes actually traded for Jokinen when they could have grabbed him off waivers for nothing. As for the circus that is the Tampa Bay Lightning, Brookbank will provide toughness to the offense, while Melichar will bring veteran defensive depth to the young, anemic blueline.

Capitals Claim Staffan Kronwall Off Waivers from Maple Leafs

The Washington Capitals announced on Friday that they have claimed defenseman Staffan Kronwall off re-entry waivers from the Toronto Maple Leafs. He had been placed on waivers by the Maple Leafs on Thursday. Kronwall, who has yet to play an NHL game this season, has played in 42 games for the Maple Leafs AHL affiliate in Toronto this season, scoring seven goals and 18 assists for 25 points. He last played with the Maple Leafs in 2007-08, appearing in 18 games and scoring no points. With Capitals defenseman Chris Clark out for the rest of the season with a wrist injury, the team appears to be seeking depth on defense. They have also recalled defenseman Karl Alzner from their AHL affiliate in Hershey. More than likely, Alzner will remain with the team for the rest of the season given his strong play when he was first called up by the Capitals. While Kronwall could play the role of a seventh defenseman on the team's blueline for the next few months, he will probably be sent to Hershey to take Alzner's spot on that team seeing as how he has hardly any NHL experience and does not have much upside.

Canucks Acquire McIver from Ducks

The Vancouver Canucks announced on Wednesday that they have acquired defenseman Nathan McIver from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for right wing Mike Brown. This is the second trade for the Ducks in the last two days, having acquired defenseman Sheldon Brookbank from the Devils late Tuesday night. In 18 games so far this season, McIver has one assists and 36 penalty minutes. McIver, who was claimed off waivers by the Ducks this past October, will be assigned to the Canucks AHL affiliate in Manitoba. Brown, who has played in 20 games so far this season, has one assist and 85 penalty minutes. This is kind of a puzzling trade for the Ducks to make, as McIver has way more potential than recent acquisition Sheldon Brookbank. Brown gives the Ducks more toughness on offense and gain a third enforcer back to the team since trading Brad May to Toronto. With George Parros and Travis Moen already holding enforcer roles with the team, it make little sense for the Ducks to acquire a third enforcer when they need to boost their offense with a scoring forward. However, Moen is an unrestricted free agent this summer, and by acquiring Brown, the Ducks' management may be showing that they have no intention of resigning Moen. As for McIver, he brings plenty of defensive potential and toughness to the Canucks blueline. He could get a chance at a roster spot next season if the Canucks fail to resign Mattias Ohlund or Rob Davison this summer, as both are unrestricted free agents in July.

Ducks Acquire Brookbank from Devils

The Anaheim Ducks announced late Tuesday night that they have acquired defenseman Sheldon Brookbank from the New Jersey Devils in exchange for the rights to center David McIntyre. The Ducks had acquired the rights to McIntyre back in December from Dallas in exchange for Brian Sutherby. In 15 games so far this season, Brookbank has no points and 25 penalty minutes. McIntyre, who has to appear in an NHL game, has played in 26 games this season with Colgate University, scoring 13 goals and 17 assists for 30 points. The Ducks were likely looking for some physical depth on their blueline and got it in Brookbank. Given the experience on the Ducks' defense, he may not see much playing time, but could fill in for injuries. However, he is under contract through next season and could possibly get a spot on the team next season as Chris Pronger is the only mainstay on the Ducks' defense signed through next season. While there is no guarantee that impending free agent defensemen Scott Niedermayer, Francois Beauchemin, Bret Hedican, Steve Montador, or Kent Huskins will be retained this summer, there is no guarantee Brookbank will make the team next season either. He will have to fight for a spot at training camp.