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. Read Hour 1 here.
9:45 p.m. EST -- TSN reported on its TradeCentre show that the Buffalo Sabres have a two-year deal at over $4 million per season on the table for center Tim Connolly.
The prevailing wisdom this morning is that he's going to remain with the Sabres; and that $4 million is going to come in handy when he goes on Long-Term Injured Reserve over the next two seasons.
Meanwhile... there's no chance the Tampa Bay Lightning are asking for a 2nd round pick AND a prospect for Mark Recchi, is there? Seriously?
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9:28 EST a.m. -- Couple of interesting nuggets from a couple of insiders.
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On ESPN, Pierre Lebrun reports that the New York Islanders are giving the Bill Guerin trade another try, but that a "Plan B" might be in order if things don't move on it this morning. But here's the juicy rumor:
ESPN colleague E.J. Hradek e-mailed us tonight with a rumor he heard involving a bigger deal between the Flyers and Coyotes - [Derek] Morris and goalie Ilya Bryzgalov going to Philly in exchange for Joffrey Lupul, Scottie Upshall and [Marty] Biron.
Upshall is a pending RFA, Lupul is about to enter a four-year deal with a $4.25 million hit annually (and, evidently, needs yet another change of scenery), and Biron has that pesky no-trade clause mucking up the works.
But Ilya Bryzgalov would be a game-changer for the Flyers. He's not the goalie he was last season; but the Coyotes aren't exactly the Flyers in front of him either.
Meanwhile, our buddy David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period checks in with two very interesting nuggets: The Los Angeles Kings extend Sean O'Donnell, and that Ryan Malone was offered to the Pittsburgh Penguins last night. Knowing the Lightning, it was for Malkin.
By the way: Don't read too much into the Montreal Canadiens recalling Marc Denis from the AHL -- Jaroslav Halak has the flu. The real flu, not the deadline flu.
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9 a.m. EST -- A few of the teams that we're strangely obsessed with today:
Columbus Blue Jackets: They won a game last night against the Los Angeles Kings, 5-4, that was a total playoff atmosphere. They're sixth in the conference, they've hit the 70-point mark. It's time to make the leap for this franchise. They were in the Brad Richards Derby last season but refused to trade Pascal Leclaire to make it happen. (D'oh!) This team could use a stud puck-moving defenseman and that elusive top-two center; it's time for GM Scott Howson to get aggressive.
Florida Panthers: What do they buy? What do they sell? And with the winds blowing toward Jay Bouwmeester remaining a Panther (and then leaving for nothing in the offseason), will GM Jacques Martin get the kind of deal he's looking for and trade his best defensemen in the middle of a playoff race? The Philadelphia Flyers remain in hunt; keep an eye on Vancouver.
Boston Bruins: The best team in the East (in the standings at least) could use another veteran on the blue line and has a ton of assets it can move without breaking up the band. GM Peter Chiarelli showed an ability to swing for the fences when he was in the Marian Hossa Derby until the end; is this going to be a tweak, a big move or a stand-pat today for the B's?
Tampa Bay Lightning: C'mon, we haven't seen nearly enough crazy from these guys lately ...
