Two months remain for National Hockey League clubs to make trades and the excitement leading to the deadline on March 4 already may be in question.
Cueing the cricket chirping for those wall-to-wall trade shows on deadline day is a bit premature, but a couple of big names who could have been on the move might not be going anywhere.
Marian Gaborik will have left hip surgery on Monday and is not expected to resume skating for at least six weeks afterward. The fleet Minnesota Wild forward is destined to be an unrestricted free agent this summer and it's all but certain he will leave the Wild. With news of the imminent surgery -- an actual return to games might not happen for 10 weeks -- the chances that Wild general manager Doug Risebrough can trade Gaborik will plummet. Gaborik turned his nose up at an offer from the Wild last year that would have paid him in excess of $8 million US a season.
"It's complicated, there's no doubt about that," Risebrough said. "He played the majority of the season last year. He had a productive year. Ultimately, we were counting on that type of a year. It hasn't translated.
"And then we were thinking, 'Well, if we can get it the second half, we'll be happy.' "
A healthy Gaborik probably would have fetched the Wild a nice package of players and picks in a trade.
Meanwhile, Doug Weight has been enjoying a mini-resurgence with the New York Islanders and would be an attractive commodity to a contender. But Weight has taken a "been there, done that" attitude to the idea of being traded again.
"I'm done renting myself out," said Weight, who entered last night's game at Phoenix with 30 points and was tied for the Islanders scoring lead. "It's not that you don't want to win a Stanley Cup. But it's like, 'Who? Where? What do they want from me?' I don't believe you just jump off and take a chance anywhere."
Weight, who is in a one-year contract with the Islanders, has seen both sides of being a rental for a Cup run. Three years ago, he was dealt to the Carolina Hurricanes from the St. Louis Blues and helped Carolina win the Cup that spring. Last season, he was back with the Blues and initially resisted a trade to the Anaheim Ducks before consenting. The Ducks lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Dallas Stars.
Even with salary- cap issues making it harder for teams to get in on the wheeling and dealing, moves will be made. But with Gaborik, and to a lesser extent, Weight, possibly out of the picture, some air is let out of the trade balloon.
Inability to fly
Things are not good in Pittsburgh, but the Penguins might want to remember they have been a combined 59-15-11 in games after New Year's Day the past two seasons.
The Penguins are 5-9 in the past month and quickly are sliding out of contender status in the Eastern Conference. Coach Michel Therrien has taken to questioning the club's leadership, which could be construed as a hit at captain Sidney Crosby.
"We have to start thinking about the team concept, not personal agenda," Therrien said. "The team concept is the most important thing for any hockey team. The personal agenda on the list of priorities for players should be the last one.
"Right now, the priority is not at the right place."
Those in Pittsburgh say the Penguins' dressing room is not a fun place to be. Crosby is said to still be miffed that Marian Hossa was not re-signed last summer, instead going to the Detroit Red Wings, the team that beat the Penguins in the Cup final.
Speaking of trades, there is speculation that the Penguins might move Jordan Staal, through no fault of his own. But the thinking is a big shakeup is needed in the room, and Staal could be the one to go. For now, GM Ray Shero and Therrien should be safe. But if the Penguins miss the playoffs, that could change.
Ice chips
Bryan McCabe returns to the Air Canada Centre in Toronto on Tuesday for the first time as a member of the Florida Panthers, but it's hard to imagine a big love-in for him. McCabe produced offensively in seven seasons as a Leaf but defensively was weak and while he was in Toronto, helped the Leafs win nothing ... If and when Claude Lemieux skates with the San Jose Sharks at the age of 43, expect to see the same guy who used to drive opponents nuts. "Being hated by other teams is because of what you do on the ice and how you play the game. I intend to play the game the same way," Lemieux said ... Four times in December the St. Louis Blues allowed the go-ahead goal with less than 71/2 minutes to play, losing all four games.
Tootoo or tutu?
The opinion on the Nashville Predators pest Jordin Tootoo can change on a daily basis.
Ask the Edmonton Oilers and the Colorado Avalanche.
On Sunday, Tootoo nailed the Oilers' Ales Hemsky with a clean hit and then fought Ethan Moreau when Moreau went to avenge the check.
"The thing I like about Tootoo is he sticks up for himself," Moreau said. "We need more of that in the league."
Apparently they needed more of it the next night in Denver. Tootoo tried to hit the Avs' Cody McLeod and when Darcy Tucker tried to get Tootoo to fight, it was not happening. Earlier this season, Tootoo refused to fight Colorado's Ian Laperriere.
"I would expect a guy that runs around that much, finishing his check and stirring the pot as much as he does, to be able to answer the bell," Avalanche coach Tony Granato said. "Instead, he went down and covered up."
