Put Kings GM Dean Lombardi in the same backward-thinking group, one that includes Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke and CBC mouthpiece Don Cherry, that thinks fighting belongs in the NHL.
Lombardi doesn't buy the idea that the majority of fighters in the NHL are capable of nothing but dropping the gloves.
"I'm absolutely, positively against taking fighting out of the game," Lombardi said. "What's a one-dimensional player? Ivan (Raitis Ivanans) can play a little. (Derek) Boogaard can play a little. (Zach) Stortini runs around and he's physical. I don't consider him to be just an idiot. So who is it? Donald Brashear is a pretty good player. So who's the one-dimensional player? (Andre) Roy from Calgary, maybe. They dressed him the other night. He's a battleship. He played, what, two minutes? So, okay, there's one, but I'd like to know how many of those guys there really are."
Quite a few, actually. Of the 10 players who were leading the NHL in majors, only two, Blues rookie B.J. Crombeen and the Flyers' Arron Asham, had cracked the elusive 10-point barrier.
With 10 goals, Crombeen was the only one with more than five.
Trade winds
Penguins D Ryan Whitney is almost certain to be traded before the March 4 deadline ... Though he has never appeared in a playoff game in an NHL career that began in 1997-98, it's expected Coyotes C Olli Jokinen will be dealt. And look for the Coyotes to try to peddle D Derek Morris, who can become an unrestricted free agent this summer. Morris wants a multi-year pact, but the Coyotes are offering one year ... The names of Tampa Bay Fs Vincent Lecavalier, Martin St. Louis and even rookie Steven Stamkos have been involved in trade rumours, but the player most likely to be on the move is W Mark Recchi ... Earlier this week, Detroit GM Ken Holland said he would not be "looking outside the organization" for goaltending help. But with the struggling Chris Osgood staying home for a mental break and the recall of Jimmy Howard, stay tuned to whether Holland changes his mind ... Predators D Ville Koistinen, fed up with no playing time, has requested a trade.
Ice chips
There was some hand-wringing last year in Columbus prior to the trade deadline when D Adam Foote made it clear he wanted out and the Blue Jackets granted his wish, trading him to the Avalanche. The swap has worked rather nicely for the Jackets -- they traded the first-round pick they got from the Avs to Philadelphia for R.J. Umberger, who has matched his career high with 20 goals ... Don't count the Lightning out of the John Tavares/Victor Hedman race yet. Though 10 points up on the Islanders going into last night, Tampa Bay's defence corps was light to begin with and has been decimated by injuries.
TERRY.KOSHAN@SUNMEDIA.CA
