Official 2011 Trade Deadline Thread

[Phil The Thrill]

Just like clockwork, the rumors surrounding Colorado Avalanche defenseman John-Michael Liles pick up momentum every single trade deadline. This year is no exception.

With the acquisition of Erik Johnson from the St. Louis Blues, many clubs view Liles, 30, as available for the right price. Monday afternoon, Twitter was filled with false reports that Liles had been traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs -- a team that has been high on Liles' skillset for some time. Other sources have reported that Toronto has indeed asked about Liles, but deemed the cost too great.

Just this morning, Luke DeCock of the Raleigh News & Observer stated that the Carolina Hurricanes may be a possible destination for Liles.

He would likely bring in a first round pick plus a talented under-25 forward at the very minimum.

SB NATION - DENVER

The Toronto Maple Leafs have declared an intent to add another defenceman this week.

Sources say the Leafs have a list of five defencemen and trade offers have been made. But the Leafs may have to be patient and could very well be dealing right up to the deadline.

Colorado’s John-Michael Liles has been identified as a target, though the belief is that the Avalanche may not want to move anyone else – or will take the rest of the week to monitor where their team is before making a final decision

Dreger Report

Two things others say about the Avalanche: they are targeting a young goalie and they will trade John-Michael Liles. It's believed they like Jonathan Bernier and Cory Schneider, although I can't imagine the Canucks doing that. I had also heard Steve Mason, but that appears to be incorrect. As for Liles, every year, he must submit a list of 12 teams he will agree to be traded to. His best friend in the NHL is Ryan Miller and it sounds like Buffalo is interested. By now, you've heard Toronto is, too. It is believed both Buffalo and Toronto are on his list.

Friedman - CBC

 

[Phil The Thrill]

Liles to Toronto wouldn't be bad. Good replacement over Kaberle, I just hope we wouldn't overpay. I would still prefer us going after Bogosian.

 

[Phil The Thrill]

Leave it to Brian Burke to stir up trade talk during a fan Q&A session with a half-empty practice arena as his audience.

The Toronto Maple Leafs general manager added some intrigue to the team’s Family Day event on Monday when he revealed he was hoping to complete a trade for a defenceman soon, perhaps even before the Leafs play against the New York Islanders on Tuesday night.

“We’re trying to put a player in the lineup as soon as possible,” Burke said.

The deal would be his fifth in the past two weeks, a flurry of activity in which the Leafs have shipped out Tomas Kaberle, François Beauchemin and Kris Versteeg.

Burke, however, said the selloff was over.

“We’ve gone through now the selling part of this process,” he said. “We’re a buyer now.”

Burke also told the fans in attendance that the team’s leading scorer, Clarke MacArthur, will be moved by the trade deadline next Monday if his salary demands are too high.

The Leafs GM will sit down with MacArthur’s new agent, Don Meehan, for contract talks this week.

“If he doesn’t agree to something that makes sense, then we’re going to listen [to offers],” Burke said. “It’s not a guarantee that he’s not going to be here, but we’re certainly going to listen.”

MacArthur would give Burke another key trade chip to move, joining the two first-round picks and a third-round pick he acquired in the Versteeg and Kaberle trades.

There are just six days before the deadline and movement around the league continues to ramp up. The Dallas Stars and Pittsburgh Penguins were the latest teams to pull off a deal involving young talent on Monday afternoon, with Pittsburgh receiving winger James Neal and defenceman Matt Niskanen in exchange for defenceman Alex Goligoski.

Burke is looking for a puck-mover to join a group of mostly stay-at-home or two-way types on his back end. Without Kaberle on the roster, there’s a considerable hole to fill on defence.

Toronto was even using fourth-line centre Tim Brent as a power-play quarterback at practice Monday, a sign of how much it needs a top-four defenceman who can put up points on the man-advantage.

Colorado Avalanche defenceman John-Michael Liles is one name in the rumour mill who may fit the bill, although he is undersized and, at 30, is not entirely in keeping with the youth movement Burke has in place.

The Leafs have also shown some interest in 20-year-old Zach Bogosian, who went two spots ahead of Luke Schenn in the 2008 draft, but the Atlanta Thrashers’ asking price could be too high.

If Toronto is unable to find a fit in the next few days, it could also simply wait and add a blueliner via free agency come July 1.

Either way, an addition or two is coming at the position.

“We’ve done a major surgery as far as what we need to do, but we still have got a couple things we’d like to do,” Burke said. “We’ve had some discussions about forwards that we have to consider, but it’s not our priority. Our priority will be to add a defenceman.”

Meanwhile, Burke’s hardball stance with MacArthur shouldn’t come as a surprise, as he has steadfastly refused to overpay restricted free agents in the past.

Leafs winger Nikolai Kulemin, for one, was looking for a far larger raise than he ended up receiving last spring when he signed a two-year deal for $2.35-million (U.S.) a season, a contract that looks like a bargain given his breakout year.

Burke said Monday that MacArthur is a difficult player to evaluate given he has bettered his career highs by so much this season. MacArthur has 45 points in 59 games, a 63-point pace that is nearly double his previous high of 35.

“We haven’t quantified [MacArthur's value] yet,” Burke said. “I know he’s said he’d like to stay. I think he’d be crazy not to [want to] play in a city like this with linemates like that.”

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/leafs-beat/brian-burke-keeps-finger-on-trigger/article1915465/

 

[fletch]

I like Mcarthur, but if Burke can work out a good deal for him then it's not terrible for him to. As for Liles I'm not big on him, to best honest I don't want the leafs to get him.

 

[Mr.Baller]

*I am hearing more and more info that the Habs are closing their interests in on Phillips and the Rangers on McCabe...however San Jose and Chicago are still sniffing around in those waters..

*The Hawks are playing better of late, and there are people out there who do believe they are "toying with the idea" of a major defenseman swap.

*The Blues meanwhile are getting some interest in Barrett Jackman, which is kind of surprising, but he could add some depth to the right team. There are some who say a deal could go down with Jackman tonight...so far I don't believe this to be the case.

*The Flyers are also talking to a few teams about picking up a depth defender. Foote has been mentioned.

 

[Phil The Thrill]

Sources say Dallas Stars general manager Joe Nieuwendyk is exploring interest in Brad Richards.

The New York Rangers are believed to be among as many as six teams who have recently discussed the star centre's potential availability.

This news doesn't mean Nieuwendyk has decided to trade Richards, who remains sidelined with concussion symptoms, but given the Stars' five-game losing skid and drop to 11th in the conference, trading Richards has become a strong possibility.

The Stars will face the Red Wings in Detroit on Thursday before hosting the Nashville Predators on Saturday.

The outcome of these two games could have significant impact on Nieuwendyk's decision.

On Tuesday, Nieuwendyk said it was "possible" Richards could resume skating in the next few days.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/dregerreport/

 

[Phil The Thrill]

Really hoping we can flip our two picks for RIchards and sign him to extension. With him centring Kessel, Kessel would easily scored 40.

 

[LeafsFan4Life]

I'll be fucken pissed if the Leafs trade their 1st round picks for Richards.

 

[Phil The Thrill]

Why, they are going to be bottom 25 picks. Richards would make us a playoff team.

 

[LeafsFan4Life]

I'd rather keep the picks and try to sign him the summer. There are a lot of players I want the Leafs to draft with those picks. And the Leafs are supposed to be rebuilding. Trading those picks is going completely against that.

 

[Phil The Thrill]

Well if we don't want to risk Richards, I at least want them to go towards a young stud defenceman like Zach Bogosian.

 

[LeafsFan4Life]

I'd rather keep the picks.

 

[Phil The Thrill]

I just don't see significant players coming from those picks. If it was the 2012 draft I would have a different opinion.

 

[fletch]

I'd like the picks to go Boggs if anyone, but I agree with leafsfan we could make an attempt to sign Richards in the off-season or another big named forward.

 

[Phil The Thrill]

Weiss could be on his way out..... But he has a NTC

I am told FLA's Stephen Weiss has not waived his NTC to go anywhere at this point in time. If that changes, will let you know.

 

[Phil The Thrill]

Apparently Liles' asking price is a second rounder

Darren Dreger
It's been suggested, the asking price for Liles is a 2nd round draft pick. Avs may get that, but I doubt the Leafs will pay it.

 

[fletch]

I heard there's rumors are Booth or Weiss heading to Toronto.

 

[Phil The Thrill]

Yeah, I have heard the same too.

 

[Mr.Baller]

Brad Richards and Stephan Weiss they have 2 teams in mind ! Habs and Leafs ! All the rumors are sayin that ! But Booth is only interested into the leafs

Lots of interest in Brad Richards "and increasing"
I am hearing LA, NY, Montreal, Buffalo, Toronto, and Minnesota all have interest...Vancouver is another team to watch here

Montreal still Interested In Phillips (as he talks to Sens)
despite picking up Sopel... However, there is word tonight that phillips may be working on an extension.

Rangers Still Trying to Land McCabe
Rumors are that McCabe and the Rangers may be happening early Friday

 

[Phil The Thrill]

Minor trade

#NHL trade. Hearing Nashville D Alex Sulzer dealt to FLA for conditional pick. Done deal. about 7 hours ago via Twitter for BlackBerry®

RealKyper