Trade gossip is a five-ring circus

Sporting News, The, Feb 25, 2002 by Larry Wigge

You would think that because Salt Lake City does not have an NHL team, it would be a safe haven for players from the trade-rumor mill. It isn't.

While players began filtering in late last week for the Olympics, Boston's Bill Guerin, Colorado's Chris Drury and Edmonton's Tom Poti, all members of Team USA, playfully joked about having their names linked in trade gossip.

"What do you hear?" Guerin asked Drury.

"I read where I'm going to the Bruins for you," Drury said. "But I always seem to find myself in those rumors. I remember when I was supposed to go to Chicago for Chris Chelios, to Boston for Ray Bourque and to Tampa Bay for Vincent Lecavalier."

"I've got you beat," Poti said. "I've been rumored going to Boston for Kyle McLaren, to Florida for Viktor Kozlov, to the Rangers for Petr Nedved, to Ottawa for Radek Bonk, to ..."

"OK, I get the picture," Guerin said, interrupting.

With the NHL's March 19 trade deadline approaching and general managers gathered at the Games, the rumors are flying, though a trade freeze is in effect until the Games are over.

Bruins G.M. Mike O'Connell says he chatted with Colorado G.M. Pierre Lacroix, but not about trades. Guerin isn't so sure, and neither are other G.M.s who have talked to O'Connell and heard the winger's name come up.

"If we're going to trade Bill or Byron (Dafoe), it will have to be a very good deal," O'Connell told the Boston Herald. "They're an important part of our team, and we want to keep them.

"Are they untradeable? Of course not. If something comes along that makes sense to us, we'll do it. But right now there's nothing out there."

O'Connell is still stick-handling around comments he made that he wasn't sure he would offer goalie Dafoe and Guerin new contracts before they become unrestricted free agents this summer.

Guerin has been a key cog in the team's success. After being obtained from Edmonton early last season in a deal for holdout Anson Carter, he not only has established himself as one of the elite goal scorers in the NHL, he has turned into a leader in the Bruins locker room.

Lacroix, of course, is the man everyone watches before the trade deadline. In the past three years, he has acquired high-profile players Theo Fleury, Ray Bourque and Rob Blake. Guerin would give the Avs the power forward and second-line goal scorer they gave up when they dealt Adam Deadmarsh to Los Angeles in the Blake deal last year.

Drury, who played college hockey at Boston University, has struggled this season. But the difference in salary is huge, which would make Bruins ownership happy--Guerin makes $5.1 million and must be re-signed, while Drury makes $2.3 million and is signed. Still, Lacroix likely would jump at a chance to make this trade.

To his credit, Guerin has not spoken out about leaving the Bruins, even though he might have a shot at going to the defending Stanley Cup champions.

"Hey, I just rooted for the Patriots to win the Super Bowl with the same kind of one-for-all attitude as we have shown this season. So sure, I would like to finish what we've started with the Bruins," he says. "But I've been traded from New Jersey to Edmonton and then to Boston, so I don't really have a say if another team wants me."

Lacroix and O'Connell have plenty of company working the phones. General managers Doug MacLean of Columbus, Larry Pleau of St. Louis, Michael Barnett of Phoenix and Dave Taylor of Los Angeles all say trade talks have heated up early.

"It will be a challenge," Taylor told the Orange County (Calif.) Register in talking about making upgrades. "We're looking to add a forward who can play on our first two lines, but there are a number of teams looking to add. Right now, this is the most competitive I've ever seen the NHL." At the Olympic break, 24 of the NHL's 30 teams were within eight points of a playoff spot. That makes for many buyers and few sellers.

A year ago, Blake, Teemu Selanne and Keith Tkachuk were moved before the deadline because of contract concerns. This year, potential unrestricted free agents Dafoe, Chicago's Tony Amonte and Pittsburgh's Darius Kasparaitis are less likely to be dealt because their teams are still in the playoff race.

But several other players could be dealt. Poti is one. The Rangers, who could offer right winger Radek Dvorak, are one possible destination. Kozlov and fellow Florida forward Valeri Bure are on coach Mike Keenan's get-rid-of list, so Taylor could be a trading partner for either of them, most likely for Bure. Kozlov? He could be headed to Edmonton for Poti.

If Ottawa can't obtain center Andrew Cassels from Vancouver, Edmonton's Todd Marchant is a possibility, as is Washington's Adam Oates.

The Red Wings, Islanders and Panthers have let it be known they are looking for a defenseman--with Columbus' Lyle Odelein, Anaheim's Keith Carney and Jason York, Atlanta's Jiri Slegr and Florida's Robert Svehla high on those lists.

Islanders winger Oleg Kvasha, like Poti, is being booed unmercifully by his home fans and might be dealt.

And Pleau will be looking to address his goaltending, perhaps with the Rangers' Mike Richter, Carolina's Arturs Irbe or Washington's Olie Kolzig, among others.