Welcome to Puck Daddy's all-day trade deadline coverage. We're publishing fresh posts every hour with breaking news, fresh rumors and "live blog" analysis. Please share what you've heard and what you think will happen down in the comments. Check out Hour 5 here.
1:52 p.m. EST -- The focus is always so intense on UFAs, that it's good to remember that pending RFAs in the summer can also be in the crosshairs at the deadline. From Sportsnet.ca:
Teams have been inquiring about Phil Kessel with the Boston Bruins, and the B's are willing to listen. With Kessel scheduled to become a restricted free agent after this season, the Bruins fear the price to lock him up long-term may be too high.
Kessel has cooled off after the scorching start, and lord knows what his $2.2 million salary will look like in RFA negotiations. But is that enough to deal a player that's played a role in the Bruins' massive success this season?
TSN's Toronto Maple Leafs reporter just said that Dominic Moore to the Blackhawks is a "rumor." Dave Pagnotta said the deal isn't official, but it's still "supposed" to happen -- unless another trade the Hawks are working on monkeys with it. Bob McKenzie thinks the Hawks could be on the scent of Samuel Pahlsson of the Ducks.
McKenzie floated a Bill Guerin to the Pittsburgh Penguins rumor. Huh.
SportsWrap
The top sports headlines of the day
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1:40 p.m. EST -- The Jay Bouwmeester Derby is real, it's on and the focus has become the Vancouver Canucks (as it's been for the last 24 hours). Alanah on Canucks and Beyond is keeping an eye on the developments, and latches onto the Twitter feed (insert your "Brian Burke" joke here) of Jason Botchford of The Vancouver Province, who Tweets:
More on Bouwmeester rumour mill: Flordia wants Vancouver to add hodgson (no chance) or Bieksa to Raymond and a first offer #nhltrade (18 minutes ago)
Bouwmeester rumour mill: Flor and Canucks have agreed to Raymond and a first, but the Flor wants something significant added #nhltrade (8 minutes ago)
They must be making the foo-foo drinks pretty strong in Miami if Jacques Martin thought he was snagging Cody Hodgson in a Bouwmeester deal. Mason Raymond and a first, but the Florida Panthers want "something significant added." Kevin Bieksa? A blue-chip prospect?
Spector owes me a beer if Bouwmeester is traded. He never agreed to the bet, but I think it's fair considering I'm one of the only dudes who consistently said J-Bouw was toast in our rumors chats.
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1:26 p.m. EST -- The Boston Bruins have snagged Mark Recchi, which is a little redundant from a personnel perspective but who is also a guy that has more Stanley Cup playoffs experience than most of the Bruins forwards combined. Smart veteran move for a team that could actually use a few more of them. But what the hell must Glen Murray be thinking today?
It's Recchi and a second-round pick for defenseman Matt Lashoff and forward Martins Karsums from the Bruins.
Chris Botta over on NYI Point Blank believes that despite everyone assuming the Bill Guerin deals are dead for the New York Islanders, there's still hope for a trade. But he adds: "Now that Miro Satan has cleared waivers, you have to wonder about the value of Bill Guerin. Make no mistake: Guerin is more respected around the game. But tough to picture his value soaring right now."
Both Dave Pagnotta of TFP and the NHL Network are calling Dominic Moore to the Chicago Blackhawks.
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1 p.m. EST -- So the official tally was Olli Jokinen and a third-round pick trade that went to the Calgary Flames for Matthew Lombardi, Brandon Prust and a first-round pick that can be this season or next season at Calgary's choosing.
Jeez ... why don't we just hand Calgary the Cup already ...
I'm kidding. OK, half-kidding: This aggressive trade my GM Darryl Sutter demands that the Flames be mentioned among the few teams with a legitimate claim on the Cup. It's a hell of a move for this season, giving the Flames a center with 21 goals and 21 assists that will help the power play, too.
Matchsticks and Gasoline, a Flames blog, is not too pleased:
At first blush, I don't like this move for Calgary. Firstly, because I think the team needed to add to their forward depth (rather than swap one for two). Secondly, because I don't think Jokinen brings value for his relatively steep 5M+ contract (whereas Lombardi was outperforming his 1.8M deal) and thirdly, I hate giving up Lombo AND a first round draft pick for this guy.
On the scale:
Again, it's solid in the short term. The $5.25 million salary on the books for next season is huge. But it's all about the Cup, and he puts them in line for one.
