Deadline Day

NHL fans know spring is right around the corner when Trade Deadline Day comes around. I actually completely forgot about it today (I've had a lot on my mind lately) until I looked at my calendar to see whether the Flames play tonight.

Doesn't look like there were any 'huge' moves made today- definitely some big names- but nothing that I'd consider "jaw-dropping" (like the Theoren Fleury trade of '99). I honestly expected Toronto to make a big move- like sending Mr. Sundin elsewhere in exchange for some young blood to build from, but it wasn't to be. I'm a little surprized Calgary didn't make a move to bolster it's Stanley Cup chances- but really, they've been playing very well throughout February, so if it ain't broke- why fix it??

Some of the 'bigger' moves today, however, were:

• ex-Flame, Chris Simon (most famous for a slash on NY Ranger Ryan Hollweg almost a year ago) goes to the Minnesota Wild.


• Brad Stuart leaves L.A. to play in 'HockeyTown'


• The defending Stanley Cup champion Anaheim Ducks add to their roster of players with French hyphenated names by signing both Marc-Andre Bergeron and Jean-Sebastien Aubin.


• Adam Foote returns to his old stomping grounds (no pun intended... or was it??) in Denver.


• Sergei Fedorov goes to D.C. to play with up-and-coming superstar Alexander Ovechkin.


• Brad Richards, who was instrumental in the Tampa Bay Lightning Stanley Cup win in '04 (we're not bitter- really), goes to Dallas.

• Marian Hossa leaves Atlanta to become the newest cast member in "The Crosby Show"- now playing in the Steel City

And the one that didn't happen today, that I only found out about today (again, I've had a lot on my mind lately), is Cory Stillman and Mike Commodore- both of which played in the '04 Stanley Cup finals (Stillman, a former Flame, played for Tampa Bay in '04, and Commodore played for Calgary) both went to the Ottawa Senators! Oh grief- they want that cup BAD don't they??

I expected the Oilers to make some changes today too- though I personally feel the changes that need to be made in Edmonton are more of the upper-management type. Sometimes it's amazing what a drastic change in leadership can do for a club.
*Looks at Calgary*
*Looks at Vancouver*
I rest my case.