Preds acquire D Hnidy from Sens, deal D Neckar to Lightning


March 9, 2004
NASHVILLE, Tennessee (Ticker) - The Nashville Predators continued to adjust their roster at Tuesday's trade deadline, acquiring defenseman Shane Hnidy from the Ottawa Senators and sending defenseman Stan Neckar to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

To get Hnidy, the Predators sent a 2004 third-round draft pick to the Senators. Nashville returned Neckar to the Lightning for a 2004 sixth-round pick.

Hnidy, 28, has five assists, 72 penalty minutes and a plus-2 rating in 37 games. He missed 11 games early this season due to a right foot injury but was a healthy scratch in seven of the nine contests before the trade.

Neckar missed all but one game this season due to a groin injury. He returns to Tampa Bay, where he spent parts of the previous three seasons and totaled two goals, 13 assists and 75 penalty minutes in 163 games.

"Stan is a veteran defenseman who knows our system, knows our expectations, understands the demands of the coaching staff and was a key contributor to our team success last season," Lightning general manager Jay Feaster said.

In recent weeks, the Predators have added right wing Steve Sullivan from the Chicago Blackhawks and center Sergei Zholtok and defenseman Brad Bombardir from the Minnesota Wild. They are tied for sixth place in the Western Conference and are three points ahead of Los Angeles for the final playoff berth.

Sharks get C Brown in three-team trade with Sabres, Bruins


March 9, 2004
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA (TICKER) -- The San Jose Sharks moved Tuesday to fill the vacancy left by Marco Sturm's injury, obtaining center Curtis Brown as part of a three-team trade involving the Buffalo Sabres and Boston Bruins.

San Jose re-acquired defenseman Jeff Jillson from the Bruins for center Brad Boyes, then shipped Jillson and a 2005 ninth-round draft pick to Buffalo for Brown and defenseman Andy Delmore, who was sent to Boston to complete the deal.

Sturm, the Sharks' second-leading scorer, suffered season-ending left leg and ankle injuries Friday in a loss at Colorado.

In Brown, San Jose gets a two-time 20-goal scorer who spent his entire eight-year career with Buffalo. The 6-foot, 196-pound pivot has nine goals and 12 assists in 68 games this season and is a plus-2 on a team that has given up 11 more goals than it has scored.

"Curtis Brown epitomizes the type of player we want around here," Sharks general manager Doug Wilson said. "He possesses speed, versatility and character and can play any style of hockey."

The Sabres end up with Jillson, a former first-round pick who has yet to establish himself in the NHL. Also traded at last year's deadline, he scored two goals in Boston's season opener but had just two and 10 assists in 49 games the rest of the campaign.

Like Jillson, Boyes is a former first-round pick who was traded at the 2003 trade deadline. The 21-year-old spent most of this season in the American Hockey League with Cleveland, where he was second on the team in scoring with 25 goals and 35 assists in 60 points.

"Brad is a young player with a real offensive upside, and this move give us additional depth at the center position," Bruins general manager Mike O'Connell said. "He was a proven scorer in junior hockey and has translated that scoring touch to the AHL over the last two seasons."

Boyes was assigned to Providence of the AHL while Delmore will join the Bruins when they arrive in Buffalo for Thursday night's game against the Sabres.

A power-play specialist, Delmore struggled in his only season with Buffalo and had two goals and five assists in 37 games. The 27-year-old combined for 34 goals, including 25 on the power play, the previous two seasons with the Nashville Predators.

"Andy gives us more depth on defense with a player who has a good amount of NHL experience," O'Connell said. "He gives us an additional threat from the point on the power play and we feel he will fit in well with our team."

Canucks add LWs Sanderson, Rucinsky, D Bergevin at deadline


March 9, 2004
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (Ticker) -- Facing the prospect of a lengthy suspension for All-Star Todd Bertuzzi, the Vancouver Canucks obtained left wings Geoff Sanderson and Martin Rucinsky at Tuesday's NHL trade deadline.

Already suspended indefinitely, Bertuzzi will attend a hearing on Wednesday at the NHL offices in Toronto. He received a match penalty in Monday night's 9-2 loss to Colorado after jumping rookie Steve Moore from behind and throwing him face-first to the ice.

Moore suffered a concussion and a neck fracture and will miss the rest of the season.

Sanderson was acquired from the Columbus Blue Jackets for a third-round pick in this year's draft. He returns to Vancouver, where he played nine games during the 1997-98 season.

The speedy 32-year-old spent the last four seasons with Columbus and twice reached the 30-goal mark. He had just 13 goals and 16 assists in 67 games this season.

The Canucks sent defenseman Martin Grenier and the rights to unsigned center R.J. Umberger to the New York Rangers for Rucinsky, who has 13 goals and 29 assists in 69 games.

The last of nine players shipped out as part of the Rangers' housecleaning, Rucinsky is a four-time 20-goal scorer who turns 33 on Thursday. He broke into the NHL with Edmonton in 1991 and also has played for Quebec-Colorado, Montreal, Dallas and St. Louis.

Grenier, 23, brings size to New York's new-look defense. The 6-4, 245-pounder had one goal in seven games with Vancouver, spending most of this season in the American Hockey League with Manitoba, where he had five goals, four assists and 145 penalty minutes in 38 games. Umberger was the 16th overall pick in the 2001 draft out of Ohio State, where he collected 58 goals and 71 assists in 112 games.

In two minor deals, the Canucks acquired defenseman Marc Bergevin from the Pittsburgh Penguins for a 2004 seventh-round pick and rugged left wing Sylvain Blouin from the Montreal Canadiens for defenseman Rene Vydareny.

Rangers deal de Vries and Rucinsky, claim McCarthy, Green off waivers


March 9, 2004
NEW YORK (AP) -- The New York Rangers traded Greg de Vries to Ottawa, and Martin Rucinsky to Vancouver on Tuesday and claimed veteran forward Sandy McCarthy off waivers from the Boston Bruins.

The Rangers also claimed center Mike Green off waivers from Florida, and traded right wing Paul Healey to the Panthers for defenseman Jeff Paul.

New York received defenseman Karel Rachunek and prospect Alexandre Giroux from the Senators for de Vries, who has three years and $8.8 million left on his contract signed last summer.

In exchange for Rucinsky, the Rangers acquired prospect defenseman Martin Grenier and a second-round draft pick this year.

New York has the NHL's highest payroll but is on the verge of missing the playoffs for a seventh straight season. The Rangers are dismantling their team, stockpiling younger players and draft choices.

Rangers general manager Glen Sather also made two trades Monday, and has completed eight deals in the eight days leading up to Tuesday's NHL trading deadline.

Since last Tuesday, Sather has dealt de Vries, Rucinsky, Vladimir Malakhov, Matthew Barnaby, Brian Leetch, Alex Kovalev, Petr Nedved, Jussi Markkanen and Chris Simon.

In the nine deals, New York has acquired one first-round pick and six second-round choices in the next two drafts.

The 31-year-old McCarthy has three goals and one assist in 37 games with the Bruins this season. In 723 career games with Boston, Calgary, Tampa Bay, Philadelphia, Carolina and the Rangers, 71 goals, 76 assists and 1,532 penalty minutes.

McCarthy played in 245 games with the Rangers from 2000-03 and had 27 goals and 32 assists.

Green had one assist in 11 games with the Panthers.

Healey, 28, did not have a point in four games with the Rangers this season. In 75 career games with New York, Toronto and Philadelphia, Healey has six goals and 14 assists.

Blues obtain LW Savage from Coyotes


March 9, 2004
ST. LOUIS (Ticker) - The St. Louis Blues, trying to keep alive the longest active playoff streak in professional sports, acquired left wing Brian Savage from the Phoenix Coyotes at Tuesday's NHL trade deadline for future considerations.

Savage, 33, has 12 goals and 13 assists in 61 games this season, his third in Phoenix after parts of nine with the Montreal Canadiens. A notorious early-season scorer, Savage had three straight 20-goal seasons from 1996-98 but has appeared in only five playoff games since 1998.

In two minor deals, the Blues traded left wing Sergei Varlamov to the Vancouver Canucks for left wing Ryan Ready and sent defenseman Tom Koivisto to the Phoenix Coyotes for future considerations.

St. Louis has reached the playoffs each year since 1979 but is tied with Los Angeles for the final Western Conference postseason berth with 14 games remaining. The Kings have played one fewer game but have six fewer wins, which is the first tiebreaker.

Deadline 2004 Overview

By Michael Farber
March 9, 2004

Sports Illustrated's Michael Farber keeps his eye on the NHL trade movement during Tuesday's deadline and offers his thoughts along the way.

Vancouver Canucks
Get: LW Geoff Sanderson

What's in it for them
Sanderson has had a disappointing season but he has been a proven goal scorer in the NHL and secondary scoring is a continuing issue with the top-heavy Canucks. Sanderson might fit in on the top line with the Sedin twins.

Columbus Blue Jackets
Get: 3rd round draft choice, 2005

What's in it for them
The Blue Jackets overreached with veterans such as Sanderson and Andrew Cassells and Todd Marchant. Clearly, after a promising start last year, the partnership fizzled on a team that needs to get younger.







The Bottom Line: With the coming suspension to Todd Bertuzzi, Vancouver needs scoring.



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Vancouver Canucks
Get: LW Martin Racinsky

What's in it for them
Rucinsky can be a good player but he is remarkably inconsistent and often overrated. Some of his best moments have occurred playing for the Czech national team when his passion seems to bubble to the surface. He was basically invisible in New York. He's the type of player for whom lots of teams were kicking the tires.

New York Rangers
Get: D Martin Grenier, C R.J. Umberger

What's in it for them
Don't stand outside a window by the Rangers' office on 33rd street and seventh avenue or you might get hit by an overpriced veteran getting thrown out the window.

The Bottom Line: This is not a knee-jerk reaction to the Bertuzzi suspension. Vancouver was looking for more diverse scoring even before the Bertuzzi-Steve Moore incident.



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New York Islanders
Get: D Alexander Karpovtsev

What's in it for them
Karpovtsev is a quality defenseman when he plays, which is when there's a blue moon and Jupiter aligns with Mars. He is constantly injured. Assuming that he can stay healthy for 20 minutes, he should fit in nicely on the Islanders' third pair.

Chicago Blackhawks
Get: 4th round draft choice, 2005

What's in it for them
The Blackhawks had done most of their housecleaning early. This is just one last contract to get rid of. Chicago will have only $5 million in contracts committed for next season.

The Bottom Line: Karpovtsev, if he's in the lineup, is a marginal help for the Islanders. But remember, Karpovtsev used to be traded for players like Mathieu Schneider and Brian McCabe, not fourth-round draft choices.



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San Jose Sharks
Get: C Curtis Brown

What's in it for them
With the season-ending injury to Marco Sturm, the Sharks needed help. Brown won't score much but he improved the Sharks' indifferent team speed and will play a solid checking role.

Buffalo Sabres
Get: D Jeff Jillson

What's in it for them
Jillson has moved far too much this early in his pro career for a player with this much talent. He is a big defenseman but not terribly physical. He provides Buffalo some backup in case it moves Alexei Zhitnik.

Boston Bruins
Get: C Brad Boyes

What's in it for them
Boyes was a once-promising junior and first-round draft pick who didn't work out in Toronto but has had a good season in the AHL.

The Bottom Line: San Jose probably should have looked for more scoring but Brown is a solid professional who offers some short-term defensive help.



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Toronto Maple Leafs
Get: C Ron Francis

What's in it for them
A venerable centerman who can still win draws and kill penalties and is an excellent addition for an already aging team. Given Joe Nieuwendyk's bad back and the number of rounds the loaded Leafs expect to play in the postsaeson, Toronto could not have found a better center.

Carolina Hurricanes
Get: 4th round pick, 2005

What's in it for them
They get to feel good about giving Francis a shot at the playoffs in what should be his final season.

The Bottom Line: Toronto picked up what could be a piece of their Stanley Cup puzzle for next to nothing.



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St. Louis Blues
Get: LW Brian Savage

What's in it for them
Savage has been more Mr. October than Mr. June in his NHL career, but he is a streaky scorer off the left wing who might be able to help a team trying to keep the streak of most consecutive playoff appearances alive.

Phoenix Coyotes
Get: Future considerations

What's in it for them
Yet to start drawing for weekday games in its fabulous new rink and is beginning to shuffle the deck chairs.

The Bottom Line: Savage is a talented left wing but talent does not seem to be the issue right now in St. Louis. The Blues have to continue to pull it all together as they have shown some small signs of doing under Mike Kitchen.



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Ottawa Senators
Get: D Greg De Vries

What's in it for them
Superb deal. De Vries is a tough defenseman who can step inside along with Wade Redden and play important minutes. De Vries was an important component of the Avalanche's Stanley Cup run in 2001.

New York Rangers
Get: D Karel Rachunek, C Alexandre Giroux

What's in it for them
They dumped the three years remaining on De Vries' contract as they start a serious rebuilding effort. Rachunek has been in the Ottawa doghouse most of the year. Giroux does not project as a big-time scorer in the NHL.

The Bottom Line: Ottawa got tougher along the blue line, which is an absolute necessity as the high-end Eastern Conference teams become more formidable.



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Colorado Avalanche
Get: G Tommy Salo, 6th-round pick in 2005

What's in it for them
Tommy Salo gives the Avs a dependable backup, although I suspect David Aebischer is not going to need one. Salo has had moments of some terrific play but he still is living down the Belarus goal in the 2002 Olympics and played indifferently in Edmonton's first-round loss to Dallas last season.

Edmonton Oilers
Get: unsigned D Tom Gilbert

What's in it for them
Edmonton planned to turn the goaltending over to Ty Conklin when he returns from his injury at some point. Now it's perhaps a little sooner than they thought. They picked up future depth on defense

The Bottom Line: Colorado repaired its goaltending without making the huge financial commitment necessary to trade for Washington's Olaf Kolzig. This is also a vote of confidence for Aebischer, who has had a strong, if underappreciated, season.

Whew! That should be about everything! :snore:

Francis traded, very interesting. Leafs are the winners IMO. Leetch and Francis.

T-Monay820 Wrote:Carolina captain Ron Francis traded to Toronto

...

Francis said he will always have fond memories of the Hurricanes' 2002 run to the finals.

"I don't think I've ever seen such a passionate display by sports fans for this team,'' he said.

makes me want to take off the Canes flag from my sig


I just have no interstest anymore

I dont even keep up with them in the paper. that was the last straw

Laettner's Legacy Wrote:makes me want to take off the Canes flag from my sig


I just have no interstest anymore

I dont even keep up with them in the paper. that was the last straw

Francis deserved this. If this is his last season, the least thing the Cane's owe him is a true shot at the Cup. He's paid his dues for us, and this is just our way of saying thank you and goodbye. This is no reason for you to stop following or supporting the Canes. Besides, things could be much worse. Just look over at Chicago with their $5 million team salary.

another big problem with Pro sports

players leaving in midseason to play for another team

that is just pathetic and shows no loyalty to your former team.


in college when you transfer you have to sit out a year-the least you should do is sit out the rest of this current year

the Canes are dumping or getting dumped by all of their fans favirote players. like I said Ron turning traitor was the last straw

Laettner's Legacy Wrote:the Canes are dumping or getting dumped by all of their fans favirote players. like I said Ron turning traitor was the last straw

TRAITOR!?!? Hardly! The Cane's weren't required to trade him, but they offered him the chance. If you blame anyone, blame the owners. Ron was in his last year, so its not like he alienated future fans cause he wouldn't be here next year. Also, he's gonna be gone for barely 14 games.

I blame the owners for many such trades and dumpin Irbe to minor leagues

I blame pro sports for that dumb****** rule

given the chance, he leaves. so HE made the decision. that is traitor-stick with your team.