Rumor Roundup: Deadline leftovers

Pending UFA Alexander Frolov was rumored to be heading out of Los Angeles, but in the end he stayed put. (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NHLI via Getty Images)

Lyle Richardson
2010-03-04 12:50:00

With the NHL’s 2010 trade deadline now history, there are a considerable number of notable players who had been mentioned as trade deadline bait, but didn’t move – and several teams expected to be major dealers at the deadline that did little or nothing.

Florida Panthers goaltender Tomas Vokoun was considered a potential trade target of the Chicago Blackhawks and Philadelphia Flyers, but he remains with the Panthers.

A combination of his no-movement clause, his expensive $5.7 million cap hit and the Panthers’ asking price were the main stumbling blocks. Still, it’s believed Vokoun will be shopped during the June draft.

• Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman continued to defend his goaltending tandem of Cristobal Huet and Antti Niemi, despite rumors he was unhappy with Huet’s performance and was attempting to trade him.

If this year’s deadline proved anything, it was the fact the Blackhawks couldn’t move the expensive Huet this season – even if they wanted to – and had no intention of shipping him and his $5.625 million salary to the minors.

• Atlanta Thrashers veteran left winger Slava Kozlov expressed a willingness to be dealt to a playoff contender and it was rumored the Boston Bruins were interested in reuniting him with former Thrasher Marc Savard.

Despite the rumors, Kozlov remains in Atlanta and the Bruins failed to add a scoring forward to their lineup.

However, it wasn’t for a lack of trying on the part of GM Peter Chiarelli, who was reportedly interested in Carolina’s Ray Whitney or St. Louis’ Keith Tkachuk.

The asking price for Whitney (believed to be a first-rounder and a top prospect or young player) was too expensive, while Tkachuk was reluctant to leave the Blues.

• Speaking of St. Louis, they were reportedly shopping right winger Brad Boyes and defenseman Carlo Colaiacovo, but couldn’t find any takers.

Boyes’ $4 million cap hit made it difficult to move him this season and with two more years left on the contract it’s too much for most teams to take on.

• The Philadelphia Flyers cleared nearly $2.6 million in salary cap space leading up to the deadline, but were unable to get anything done for a goalie, defenseman or forward, as was speculated.

Erroneous reports had the Flyers acquiring goalie Dwayne Roloson from the New York Islanders and defenseman Dan Hamhuis from the Nashville Predators.

The Flyers were also believed to be interested in a second or third line forward like Atlanta right winger Colby Armstrong, Los Angeles left winger Alex Frolov or Columbus left winger Raffi Torres, who ended up being traded from the Blue Jackets to the Sabres.

Philadelphia either lacked sufficient cap space or the necessary assets to swing a deal. That’s what happens when you’ve got four players with no-movement clauses and a payroll bumping against the cap ceiling.

• The New York Post cited a source claiming the Washington Capitals were looking to move goalie Jose Theodore and a forward to Boston for 2009 Vezina winner Tim Thomas.

As the deadline unfolded it was clear that wasn’t what Capitals GM George McPhee had in mind, instead obtaining forwards Scott Walker and Eric Belanger to bolster the penalty kill, while adding depth to the defense with Joe Corvo and Milan Jurcina.

Rumor Roundup appears Mondays and Thursdays only on thehockeynews.com. Lyle Richardson has been an NHL commentator since 1998 on his website, spectorshockey.net, and is a contributing writer for Foxsports.com and Eishockey Magazine.