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From the official NHL release:

FINAL RANKINGS RELEASED FOR 2012 NHL DRAFT Nail Yakupov Ranked No. 1 In North America; Filip Forsberg No. 1 in Europe

TORONTO (April 9, 2012) – Right wing Nail Yakupov of the Ontario Hockey League’s Sarnia Sting and center Filip Forsberg of Sweden’s Leksand have been named the top 2012 draft-eligible skaters from North America and Europe, respectively, by the National Hockey League Central Scouting Bureau.

The 2012 NHL Draft" will be held at CONSOL Energy Center in Pittsburgh. The first round will take place Friday, June 22, starting at 7 p.m. ET and the subsequent rounds (two through seven) will begin at 10 a.m.
ET Saturday, June 23. The Scotiabank NHL Draft Lottery, a weighted system to determine the order of selection for the first 14 picks of the Draft, will take place tomorrow, April 10, at 8 p.m. ET on TSN in Canada and on NBC Sports Network in the United States.

Yakupov, a native of Nizhnekamsk, Russia, recorded 69 points
(31-38--69) in 42 games for Sarnia during an injury-shortened 2011-12 season. Last season, he finished tied for fourth in the OHL with 101 points
(49-52--101) in 65 games as a rookie. He aims to be the fifth OHL player selected No. 1 overall in the last six drafts, joining Patrick Kane (London, 2007), Steven Stamkos (Sarnia, 2008), John Tavares (London, 2009) and Taylor Hall (Windsor, 2010).

Forsberg, a 6’2” center from Ostervala, Sweden, split the 2011-12 season between Leksand and its junior team, totaling 17 points (8-9--17) in
43 games in the second division of Sweden’s senior league. He won gold for Team Sweden at the 2012 World Junior Championships and is looking to become the first Swedish-born player to be selected first overall since Mats Sundin in 1989.

The debate over who should be selected with the first overall pick figures to include defenseman Ryan Murray (Regina, Saskatchewan) of the Western Hockey League’s Everett Silvertips and center Mikhail Grigorenko (Khabarovsk, Russia) of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League’s Quebec Remparts. They are ranked second and third, respectively, among North American skaters. Following closely are No. 4-ranked defenseman Morgan Rielly (Vancouver, British Columbia) of the WHL’s Moose Jaw Warriors and No. 5-ranked Alex Galchenyuk (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) of the OHL’s Sarnia Sting.

Left wing Teuvo Teravainen (Helsinki, Finland) and right wing Sebastien Collberg (Mariestad, Sweden) are the second- and third-ranked European skaters. Teravainen compiled 18 points (11-7--18) in 40 games this season with Jokerit of the Finnish Elite League, while Collberg skated in
41 games with Frolunda of the Swedish Elite League.

Malcolm Subban, brother of Montreal Canadiens defenseman P.K. Subban, remains the top-rated North American goaltender. Subban (Toronto, Ontario) compiled 25 wins (25-14-0) with a 2.50 goals-against average and .923 save percentage in 39 appearances for the OHL’s Belleville Bulls this season.
Andrei Vasilevski (Russia) also remained the top-ranked European goalie. He posted a 2.23 goals-against average and .931 save percentage in 27 games for Ufa 2, competing in the top-tier junior league in Russia.

The final rankings feature the top 210 skaters and 35 goaltenders in North America as well as the top 120 skaters and 11 goaltenders from Europe.

In its 37th year of operation, NHL Central Scouting provides scouting and evaluation of draft-eligible players to NHL member clubs. Headed by Director of Central Scouting Dan Marr, NHL Central Scouting employs eight full-time and 16 part-time scouts throughout North America. To report on prospects playing in Europe, the NHL employs the services of Goran Stubb and his staff of five scouts at European Scouting Services based in Finland. Combined, NHL Central Scouting and the European Scouting Service will see more than 3,000 games this season.

The hunt is on.

Or should we say, la chasse est ouverte.

One of hockey’s most prestigious jobs is open after Montreal Canadiens president Geoff Molson fired Pierre Gauthier on Thursday and announced the process of replacing him has officially commenced.

Molson stopped short of saying the next GM must speak French, saying the most important criteria is to hire the best possible man for the job, although he said all things being equal, speaking French would be important.

In other words, unless a giant in the GM world like Ken Holland becomes available -- and that ain’t happening -- it appears being bilingual in French and English will be part of the equation, to no one’s surprise.

With that in mind, in no particular order, the candidates I believe make the most sense for Molson and his new advisor Serge Savard to interview:

• Julien BriseBois: The assistant GM of the Tampa Bay Lightning is considered a bright, up-and-coming star in the industry. The knock against him is that he isn’t a former NHL player, but those who have worked with him will tell you he’s not just a CBA/cap expert but also has a keen eye for talent. Given that he previously worked in the Habs’ front office, he’s a pretty obvious choice to get a serious look, and I consider him the top candidate at this point very early in the search process.
• Marc Bergevin: The Chicago Blackhawks assistant GM will one day be a GM in the NHL. To be able to do it in his native province would be a blast for him. He’s picked up important front-office experience in Chicago and those who know him believe he has a terrific eye for talent. Some may feel he needs more front-office seasoning, but he’s certainly one to watch.
• Francois Giguere: Currently out of hockey, the former Colorado Avalanche GM and Boston Bruins scout is well-respected in hockey front-office circles and is seen by some as a darkhorse candidate in this race. Some industry sources believe he got a raw deal in Colorado and would do a good job if given another GM chance.
• Vincent Damphousse: The former Habs captain has a relationship with Savard from his playing days when Savard was GM of the Habs. They won a Cup together there in 1993. Damphousse has always been a cerebral type, active as a player within the NHLPA and post-playing career as a short-lived executive within the players’ union. The knock against him is that he doesn’t have any management experience on an NHL team. If hired, he would need some sort of senior advisor or mentor to help him navigate. Did we mention his relationship with Savard? Not to be lost in Damphousse’s candidancy is also the fact that he’s good friends with Patrick Roy, whom no doubt he would consider as Habs coach.
• Claude Loiselle: As assistant to the GM in Toronto, the hard-working Loiselle negotiates player contracts for the Maple Leafs, and he also has important experience at the league head office. He’s going to be a GM one day and the Habs should give him a look if they’re smart.
• Patrick Roy: He’s told people he’d rather just be a coach when he makes the jump to the NHL, but other people I spoke with Thursday also believe that if Roy figures this is his only chance at getting a foot in the door in Montreal, it’s not totally inconceivable he might try to eye both jobs in Montreal.
• Pat Brisson: The mega agent, who represents the likes of Sidney Crosby and Jonathan Toews, is a native Quebecer and has been seen by some as a possible GM one day. Still, given how successful his business is and the fact his kids’ roots are in Los Angeles, where he’s based out of, it would be a long shot.
• Pierre McGuire: The well-known TV analyst and former NHL assistant coach has been interviewed in the past for GM jobs but hasn’t left the screen yet. Obviously the allure of running the team in his former town would be appealing to him. He knows the game inside out and he’s bilingual.
• Andre Savard: He was GM of the Habs from 2000-01 through 2002-03, replaced by Bob Gainey. Currently a pro scout with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Savard has a keen hockey mind and some people believe he deserves a second shot at management.
• Doug Risebrough: The former Minnesota Wild and Calgary Flames GM isn’t French-Canadian, but he is a former Habs player from their ’70s heyday. He’s currently a consultant for the New York Rangers.
• Pierre Lacroix: He's certainly the most accomplished on this list GM-wise, but the Colorado Avalanche president told me during All-Star Weekend in Ottawa that he wasn't up to the day-to-day rigors of being a GM again. The 64-year-old has battled health issues over the past few years.

Jackets' offseason questions

The 30th-place Blue Jackets have an incredibly busy offseason staring at them, from trading Rick Nash to finding a No. 1 goalie and plugging other obvious holes in their lineup.

First and foremost, they’re going to be drafting either first or second overall, depending on the April 10 lottery.

Already there’s been talk the Jackets might want to move their pick because the top-rated players in this year’s draft -- Nail Yakupov and Mikhail Grigorenko -- are Russians, and the Jackets misfired on former high draft picks from Russia in Nikolai Zherdev and Nikita Filatov.

Hogwash, says Jackets GM Scott Howson.

"What I will say to that speculation is that I think it would be close-minded of us, I think it would border on stupidity to not include any player just because they’re from Russia," Howson told ESPN.com this week. "I think everybody is different. The fact that Zherdev and Filatov didn’t work out here will have no bearing on who we select in this upcoming draft."

The No. 1 priority for the NHL roster is pretty obvious.

"We know we’ve got to get better goaltending and that’s going to be an area we’re going to look very hard at to try and be active in that area," said Howson.

He likes his blue line with Jack Johnson joining the likes of James Wisniewski, Marc Methot, Fedor Tyutin and Nikita Nikitin, but up front there will be work to be done especially depending on Rick Nash’s future.

"I’ll have a conversation with Rick after the year ends and see where he’s at, see where we’re at, and make a game plan moving forward," said Howson.

It’s clear Howson hopes to work with Nash in making a deal that helps both the franchise and the player. Of course, with Nash having a no-movement clause, he really has no choice in the matter.

Given the fact a star forward like Zach Parise could be available July 1 via free agency to the same teams who may covet Nash, you must question if that puts pressure on the Jackets to trade Nash before July 1 so as to not compete with those same teams.

"If we’re in fact going to trade him, it’s going to take as long as it takes for us to get the right deal," Howson said. "That’s just the way it has to be, that’s how we’re going to operate. If it takes until June 22, or July 22, or August 22, or December 22, we’ll do it until we get the right deal."

Wild's entry-level addition

A reader earlier this week asked me during my weekly chat why the Minnesota Wild decided to sign University of Denver forward Jason Zucker to an entry-level contract with the plan of using him in the remaining regular-season games. What the reader wanted to know is, why burn the first year of an entry-level contract for less than two weeks of regular-season hockey?

Great question, which I posed to the Wild GM himself.

"We simply wanted him to get some NHL experience this season to better prepare him for next year," Chuck Fletcher told ESPN.com via email. "We aren't too concerned about burning a year of his contract. It is a fairly common practice these days. And since nobody has a crystal ball, it is difficult to predict what impact this decision will have on Zucker's free agency rights. We are comfortable with the decision obviously."

The crystal ball comment refers to the expiry of the current collective bargaining agreement in September, and Fletcher is right -- who knows what kind of rules and system awaits the hockey world once the NHLPA and NHL hammer out a new CBA?

• Blue Jackets goaltender Allen York recorded the first win of his NHL career with a 4–2 victory over the Red Wings on Wednesday. York is only the fifth goaltender in the last 20 seasons to post his first NHL win in a game against the Red Wings. The other goaltenders to do that since 1991–92 were Robert Esche (Jan. 4, 2000), Marc-Andre Fleury (Oct. 18, 2003), Rastislav Sana (Nov. 24, 2003) and Devan Dubnyk (Mar. 19, 2010).

• The Rangers overcame a 2–0 deficit to post a 4–2 win over the Jets in Winnipeg. Defenseman Michael Del Zotto began the Rangers’ comeback with a shorthanded goal in the second period. It was the first shorthanded goal of Del Zotto’s NHL career and the first SHG by a Rangers backliner this season. The Rangers had two shorthanded goals from defenseman last season, both by Marc Staal.

We watch the games, so you don't have to. And then we write stuff down about them. So you don't have to.

Sunday
--Alex Ovechkin tapes his stick one strand at a time, like the rest of us. He has scored nine goals in his last seven games and dates a Russian tennis player, not like the rest of us.
--Say it with me now: Malkin-wins! Malkin-wins! (To the tune of "Malkovich! Malkovich!" from "Being John Malkovich.")
--Panthers fans showed their excitement at potentially having the No. 3 seed in the playoffs by staying away in droves from a loss to the Islanders. Rats!
--Edmonton beat Columbus in a battle of the league's two most brutal teams. It's OK for a man to cry, Nail Yakupov.
--How about those Predators! Nashville-New York Stanley Cup finals. "I'm a little bit country..." "...and I'm a little bit rock 'n' roll." No one appreciates a good Donnie and Marie Osmond reference anymore.
--Tiger Woods. There, that ought to help our Google results.
--What would the playoffs look like if they started today? Glad you asked. Click it.
--Solidifying: Ottawa. Fading: Calgary, Winnipeg. Too close to call: Buffalo, Washington, Chicago, Phoenix, Los Angeles, San Jose, Colorado, margarine vs. butter.

Saturday
--The Rangers beat the Leafs in a shootout to take first overall in the NHL for one night (yes, technically, smarty pants, they were tied in points with St. Louis). Needing the shootout to beat the Leafs and their beachball goaltending should be of grave concern to Rangers fans the world over.
--Hey, you are Tim Thomas. That commercial provides endless material. Anyway, Thomas stood on his head, his arm, his legs, etc., while helping his Bruins continue their rebound with a big win in Los Angeles. Zdeno Chara played in game No. 1,000. Boy, you've got to think Mike Milbury is satisfied with how that trade worked out.
--So, I'm working Saturday night, getting ready to write the headline that the Wings stink after a loss to the Hurricanes. Next thing I know, they've scored four straight goals and have ended their six-game losing streak. It was Nicklas Lidstrom's first game back from injury. Considering Lidstrom's pending retirement, sell your Wings stock.
--Let's play word association. Antti Niemi -- a stone wall. Joe Thornton -- a tall man with curly hair who likes to help others. San Jose Sharks -- improving their playoff chances while making sportswriters stay up so late that they miss the all-you-can-eat breakfast bar at IHOP. For example.

• Erik Cole single-handedly gave the Canadiens a 3-0 lead in the first 5:41 of their game against the Senators. It was the fastest hat trick from the start of an NHL game since Jan. 14, 1990, when Calgary’s Brian MacLellan had three goals by the 5:21 mark of the first period in a game at Chicago Stadium.

Cole’s three goals gave him a total of 30 for the season and tied him with fellow American Max Pacioretty for the Canadiens’ team lead. Montreal is the first NHL team to have two U.S.-born players each score 30 or more goals in the same season since 2005-06, when Brian Gionta (48) and Scott Gomez (33) did so for the Devils.

• The Jets overcame a 3-0 deficit to record a 4-3 overtime victory against the Capitals in Washington. It was the fifth time in Thrashers/Jets franchise history that they won a road game in which they trailed by three goals. The four previous instances came when the team was located in Atlanta, with the most recent of those comeback wins coming against the Flyers in Philadelphia on March 12, 2011.

• Drew Stafford scored two goals in the Sabres’ 4-1 win over the Rangers in New York. Stafford has only two multiple-goal games this season and they’ve both come at Madison Square Garden. He scored both Buffalo goals in the Sabres’ 3-2 loss at MSG on Feb. 25. Stafford is only the second player in Sabres history with two multi-goal games in one season at the “World’s Most Famous Arena.” Rick Martin had a pair of two-goal games at the Garden for Buffalo in 1974-75.

• The Maple Leafs scored on all three of their shootout attempts against Martin Brodeur, enabling them to leave Newark with a 4-3 win over the Devils after blowing a 3-1 lead in the third period. Brodeur has participated in 62 shootouts during the seven seasons that the NHL has used the tiebreaker. Friday’s game marked only the fourth time that Brodeur allowed three or more goals in one shootout and it was the first time that a team scored on its first three attempts against him.

• R.J. Umberger scored three goals to lead the Blue Jackets to a 5-1 win over the Hurricanes. It was the third hat trick of Umberger’s NHL career and his second for Columbus. (His first three-goal game was for the Flyers in 2007.) Umberger is one of only five players in Blue Jackets history with more than one hat trick. The others are Rick Nash (5), Tyler Wright (3), Geoff Sanderson (2) and Jeff Carter (2).

• Oilers goaltender Devan Dubnyk was unscored upon in a four-round shootout that earned him a 2-1 win against the Panthers. Dubnyk is 11-6-1 in 18 games since the All-Star break, after posting a 7-11-1 mark in 23 games this season before the break.

COLUMBUS -- The Columbus Blue Jackets ran a promotion on Thursday night for the poor fans who sunk a bunch of money into a Jeff Carter Blue Jackets jersey. Bring it to the game and they’d swap out the nameplate with Jack Johnson’s for free. It was an easy switch since the defenseman acquired in the Carter trade shared Carter’s No. 7.

Avi Stein was one of the fans who took advantage, though his jersey was autographed by Carter. An autograph he was about to lose in the swap.

“That’s fine,” he said. “I don’t want that autograph.”

The fans in Columbus have moved on. Mostly. Carter was back in Columbus for the first time since being traded to the Kings two weeks ago and he was booed loudly every time he touched the puck. But the cheers for Johnson were much louder. Especially when he scored his 10th goal of the season in the second period, his second in the past two games for Columbus. He leapt high into the glass in celebration.

Thursday night’s 3-1 win over the Kings clearly meant a little something extra to Johnson.

"He was jacked up to play tonight," said his defensive partner James Wisniewski. "He kept telling me, 'Let’s win this one for me. Please.' I’m like, 'Yeah, let’s do it.'"

"This one felt good," Johnson admitted. "It’s the first time I’ve gone on the ice and looked over and saw where I know every single guy on the other team really well. It was a little weird."

The win was the fourth consecutive for the Blue Jackets, who are feeding off Johnson’s playmaking ability along with his positive attitude. Carter, who was held without a point and was a minus-1, made it clear this past summer that he wasn’t thrilled at the prospect of being traded to Columbus. Then at the trade deadline, we learned that captain Rick Nash wants out.

Johnson’s attitude had been quite the opposite and it started with the first phone call he had with general manager Scott Howson. Howson wasn’t sure what to expect from Johnson when he first let him know he was leaving a playoff race and coming to Columbus.

"His genuine excitement came over the phone. It was so nice to hear. It was so refreshing to hear," Howson told ESPN The Magazine. "It made me feel like, 'OK, this has a real chance to be successful. It starts right there with the attitude of wanting to be a part of this."

Johnson now has four points in his past three games and is a plus-6 during that stretch. The Blue Jackets improved to 4-2 since the trade.

In the win over the Kings, they got two goals from Mark Letestu and solid goaltending from the tandem of Steve Mason and Curtis Stanford, who combined to stop 29 of 30 Los Angeles shots. Mason left the game after teammate John Moore’s skate accidentally cut Mason’s hand, requiring 18-20 stitches. Mason said it’s not an injury he expects to keep him out too long.

The wins in Columbus don’t mean a thing in the big scheme of the NHL playoff race, but they mean something to interim coach Todd Richards who is trying to earn a permanent job behind the bench. They mean something to a guy like Letestu, still trying to establish his place in the NHL. They mean something to Johnson. Especially this one.

"You can’t let yourself get wrapped up into it, let your emotions carry over," Johnson said. "For sure, I wanted to get this one."

Scott Burnside and Craig Custance preview a full night of action in the NHL and discuss the playoff implications surrounding the games.

BURNSIDE: Good day, my friend. How is Columbus? Is the city abuzz over Thursday's Jeff Carter homecoming as the suddenly smoking-hot Blue Jackets entertain the L.A. Kings? Interesting tilt to say the least, but that's the great thing about this time of the season: Every night seems to have at least one "statement" game on the docket.

For me, I like to see how teams under extreme pressure respond, not just to setbacks, but to success too. Take Buffalo. The Sabres were bounced in a big game Monday in Winnipeg that could have moved them back into the playoff bracket but rebounded Wednesday to beat Carolina in overtime at home. The power play managed to score twice in one game for the first time since Dec. 26. The Sabres are 7-1-2 in their past 10, but they head to Boston on Thursday to play a Bruins team that is more than a little ornery given their tepid play of late. The two teams have lots of bad blood between them thanks in large part to Milan Lucic steamrolling Sabres netminder Ryan Miller earlier this season. For me this is one of those "show me" games. Buffalo is just two points out of eighth once again and a win in Boston would go a long way to suggesting their renaissance is more fire than smoke. What say you -- are you a Buffalo believer or not? My prediction, by the way: Boston 5, Buffalo 2.

CUSTANCE: Columbus is fantastic, especially the sweet potato fries from Tip Top, but part of me does wish I could be in Boston to watch what should be an intense game. I have to admit that I thought it was a bit puzzling the Sabres weren't more active in selling off pieces at the deadline, but maybe GM Darcy Regier had a better feel for how close his team was to getting back in the race. Since the deadline, in which Regier landed the ultra-talented Cody Hodgson, the Sabres are 4-1. Now, if you're looking at the Eastern Conference playoff race and you're betting on goalies, who better than Ryan Miller? Since the All-Star break, he's 11-3-3 with a 1.84 goals-against average and .939 save percentage. And not to oversimplify the race, but if you look at the teams fighting for the No. 8 spot -- Winnipeg, Buffalo, Washington, Tampa Bay, Toronto -- not one of them has a winning record on the road, and that's being kind. It could just come down to who plays at home the most. But I'll pick the Sabres in Boston. Miller is 2-1 against the Bruins this season with a 1.45 goals-against average. He'll keep it going.

What about your favorite division, the Southeast? Big one Thursday in Washington, where the Lightning can actually catch the Capitals in the standings with a regulation win. Can they pull it off?

BURNSIDE: The Lightning remain an enigma wrapped up inside a paradox covered by a layer of "huh?" And the questions keep coming for a team that stayed in the playoff hunt in spite of unloading three everyday players before the deadline in Dominic Moore, Pavel Kubina and Steve Downie and now have no No. 1 goaltender with the surprising Mathieu Garon gone long-term with a groin injury. Last year’s playoff hero, Dwayne Roloson, has been, well, awful, and that leads me to believe that Guy Boucher will give AHL call-up Dustin Tokarski every chance to keep the Lightning’s modest playoff hopes alive. The 22-year-old has been on a tear for the Lightning’s AHL squad in Norfolk, but this will truly be a baptism by fire as the Lightning are just four points out of eighth with a game in hand. They have to leap over three teams to get to the playoffs, including their opponent Thursday, the puzzling Washington Capitals.

The Caps continue to suggest they are a team without a clue as they blew a 2-0 lead against Carolina the other night and lost in overtime. I know this isn’t all about Alex Ovechkin; it’s never about one guy, but if there ever was a time for Ovechkin to prove he’s "the man," that he’s a leader and that this is his team, now would be it. Honestly, though, I don’t see it. With Steven Stamkos making a late bid for a Hart Trophy a la Corey Perry of last season, I think the Bolts keep it interesting and the Caps keep floundering. You?

CUSTANCE: Well, if Brad Thiessen can all but end Toronto's playoff hopes, I guess Tokarski can extend Tampa's. The Lightning are proving to be a stubborn group, which shouldn't be surprising considering Martin St. Louis is the heart and soul of that group. And Stamkos has certainly propelled himself into Hart Trophy consideration, but boy, games like the other night scare me. Ottawa put up seven on Tampa, and I know two were empty-net goals, but still, five goals is a lot to surrender in the midst of a playoff race. I realize Tokarski was down in the AHL setting records with his eight-game winning streak, but now he's in the middle of an NHL playoff race. That's a lot to ask of a 22-year-old. I guess the bottom line is, all these teams fighting for that No. 8 spot in the East have serious flaws and it's hard to get really excited about any of them.

Can we talk about the West instead? Big one in Dallas on Thursday between the Sharks and Stars. San Jose is reeling and struggling to score goals, but the Sharks have owned Dallas this season. The Stars are playing great and coming off an impressive 5-2 win in Vancouver and absolutely killed it during a Western Canadian road trip. But I see an opportunity for the Sharks to come out of their slumber. We've seen them struggle for long stretches in the past before putting it together in time for the playoffs. It needs to happen soon for the Sharks, and I say they come out on top 4-2. What about you?

BURNSIDE: The Sharks remind me of the Washington Capitals both historically and in their current state. So much talent. So much promise. And yet they seem to be missing some key ingredient. The Sharks have managed to win just twice in their past 11 games. Given the mediocrity of the Pacific Division, they should have been running away with the division lead. Instead, they appear aimless. We’ve asked all season (and beyond, really) about the leadership abilities of Ovechkin. OK, so where is Joe Thornton in all of this? Dan Boyle? Patrick Marleau? When GM Doug Wilson struck out on the Rick Nash front at the deadline, he seemed to have settled on an acceptable Plan B by beefing up his offensive corps with Daniel Winnik and T.J. Galiardi, whom he acquired from Colorado for Jamie McGinn. Now it’s McGinn lighting it up for the Avs and Colorado is now tied in points with the Sharks (although the Avs have played three more games).

Whether the Sharks have owned the Stars or not, I am becoming a believer in Glen Gulutzan and, yes, even Kari Lehtonen, whom you and I have both seen wilt under the pressure of being "the man," so I see the misery continuing for the Sharks on Thursday. In fact, I’ll be a bit surprised if we don’t wake up tomorrow to find that the Sharks are outside the playoff bubble altogether.

But before I leave you to the city of Columbus, I want your prediction for Thursday’s homecoming ball at Nationwide Arena.

CUSTANCE: The Kings are going to keep things rolling in Columbus. We've seen nearly every other Western Conference team go on a long winning streak, except for Los Angeles. The Kings have now won three games in a row, and they're actually scoring goals, which wasn't the case earlier this season.

"We're playing well, we're getting pucks to the net -- couple lucky breaks," center Mike Richards said when we chatted following practice Wednesday. "We're giving up a little too much defensively right now, but we're winning hockey games."

Jeff Carter is proving to be a good fit with the Kings and has clearly sparked the team offensively, but just as importantly, Los Angeles is excited about the ability of defenseman Slava Voynov, who is helping fill the void created by Jack Johnson's departure.

"You look at how [Dean Lombardi] built his team -- you don't weaken one to strengthen another," Darryl Sutter said. "Voynov for his age is a pretty good player. And he's going to be a really good player."

Columbus is playing well right now under Todd Richards, but the Kings are just three points out of first in the Pacific and fighting for their lives in the playoff race. They need this one.

Well, Scott, it's been fun. Enjoy the games!

If there’s a GM who knows what Columbus' Scott Howson is going through right now, it’s certainly Bryan Murray.

The veteran GM of the Ottawa Senators was faced with an all-too-familiar plight when two-time 50-goal scorer Dany Heatley sprung a trade demand on him at the end of the 2008-09 season.

So when the Rick Nash situation came to light a couple of weeks ago in Columbus, Murray could certainly relate.

"The first thing that came to mind is that [Heatley and agent J.P. Barry] didn’t ask for a trade until the year was over," Murray told ESPN.com. "And the reason they gave their reason is that the coach [then Cory Clouston] didn’t treat Dany right, there was a specific person they had an issue with. At least they gave me a legitimate reason. I don’t know what Rick gave Scott other than, 'The team’s no good, I want out of here.' I don’t know that. But it’s tough to live it. It’s tough to be put on the spot like that. It puts a lot of pressure on management to filter through the demands, the offers, or whatever it may be."

Frankly, when it comes to the Columbus situation, I believe it’s more of a mutual understanding. Yes, Nash wants out. But let’s be honest here and realize the team also wants to move Nash to kick-start the rebuilding process.

Still, because Nash has a no-movement clause, just like Heatley did, the player has tremendous control over the proceedings. A trade will only happen if the player accepts the team he’s going to.

"We got a list as well, it narrows the field and it puts a lot of pressure on the franchise," Murray said.

San Jose was Heatley’s top preference, and Sharks GM Doug Wilson played it brilliantly because of that knowledge. He had all the leverage.

"There was a real preference on their part of where to go," Murray said. "Doug Wilson knew that in the end. He didn’t want to do it before July 1 when the money [a $4 million bonus] kicked in. No. 2, it limited me in what I could demand because of a lack of options. If Scott [Howson] is put in that spot, it does make it really difficult on the organization."

Murray even tried to make a trade with Edmonton but Heatley shot it down, as was his right within the realm of the no-movement clause. I don’t recommend Howson trying that with Nash.

In the end, Murray had to accept an offer from the Sharks he wasn’t overly thrilled with at the time (Milan Michalek, Jonathan Cheechoo and a second-round pick) because the whole saga dragged into September. As it turns out, Michalek has been a terrific player for the Senators and is having a career year. But at the time, it felt like Ottawa was being dictated to. Murray could have let it drag on into the 2009-10 season to perhaps have Heatley give him more options, but once he saw the disgruntled star show up to camp, Murray felt he had to cut bait.

"I just felt we couldn’t go through any further," Murray said. "It would poison the situation. It wouldn’t help us. That’s what I told ownership, that keeping him around and having a sour person hurts you and hurts what you’re trying to do. Again, I don’t know the Columbus situation enough but I would think if he went back to camp next year, it’s an awfully tough way to start a season."

Murray said he agrees with Howson's decision to not deal Nash before Monday’s trade deadline because he didn’t get the price he was asking for (I disagree. I think Howson should have just grabbed the best deal and got it over with instead of letting this drag on.)

"I would say that the more opportunity Howson has to talk to other teams, the better chance both parties have of getting a deal done," Murray said.

"The friendly advice is, get together with the agent and the player. Work with them. Allow the manager to extend the field of teams. That will allow him to complete a trade that on some level is satisfactory to the franchise as well. [Nash and his agent] at least owe him that."

I’m not sure Nash owes anything to the Jackets. He’s played his tail off for them for a decade and hasn’t gotten much support in the form of proper talent surrounding him in return. Having said that, it might behoove Nash, as Murray suggested, to extend his list just a little come June to facilitate his exit. After all, that’s what Nash wants: to get out.

In the end, the trades that weren’t pulled off had sexier overtones than the ones that were actually registered Monday.

And unless there are dramatic changes in the next collective bargaining agreement, we’re going to have to get used to that.

The current system has produced bigger-than-ever parity, which has clogged the standings and minimized the true sellers. And because teams cannot retain salary in trades in this CBA, eating up part of a player contract like in other sports, it makes it that much more difficult to move big salaries.

It certainly wasn’t for a lack of trying Monday.

The San Jose Sharks like their team, especially with Douglas Murray and Martin Havlat coming back before the playoffs, plus Monday’s solid acquisitions of forwards Daniel Winnik and T.J. Galiardi, but, oh, there could have been a bigger move.

Sources tell ESPN.com there was renewed dialogue between the Sharks and Columbus Blue Jackets regarding our favorite headline-grabbing, non-traded player, Rick Nash. And why not? Nash has listed San Jose as go-to team for him, based on the desire to play with his buddy Joe Thornton.

But the talks hit the same roadblock they did over the past weeks: Logan Couture. The Jackets demanded him in any deal right to the end. The Sharks were never, ever, going to pay that price.

Another player the Sharks inquired about was winger James van Riemsdyk in Philadelphia. Like the Jackets, the Flyers wanted a lot for JVR, and the two sides could not find a fit.

Still, it’s why Doug Wilson is one of my favorite GMs in the NHL. He ain’t scared of the big deal. But it doesn’t mean he’s going to do something stupid. The price has to be right.

Rick Nash was the most talented player on the market, but wasn’t the most sought-after player. That would be Steve Ott, who, when the clock struck 3 p.m. ET, was still where it all began for him in his NHL career. The Dallas Stars, a source told ESPN.com, fielded calls from "12 to 14 teams" over the past few weeks, including several on Monday. The Vancouver Canucks were hot and heavy for the agitator, but offering Mason Raymond wasn’t good enough for Dallas. And I don’t think Cody Hodgson was ever offered to the Stars, even though he ended up in the biggest trade of the day between the Canucks and Sabres.

For the Stars, despite the massive interest in Ott, all along it needed to be a home run deal. They needed to help themselves this season and beyond in any deal. Sitting in a playoff spot in the Western Conference, the Stars were not going to sell off Ott for picks or prospects. They wanted a hockey deal that made them a better team. They wanted a young top-six forward in return who would have upgraded their skill. It didn’t materialize.

They also held on to veteran blueliner Sheldon Souray, slated to be a UFA July 1. There was much debate about whether or not to move him, but the Stars balanced the fact they were possibly playoff-bound with the knowledge that Souray was a tremendously popular player in the room.

The Toronto Maple Leafs also stayed clear of any major NHL trade, although I like the acquisition of prospect Carter Ashton from Tampa.

In the end, the Leafs didn’t get the top-six forward (they were never that close on Nash) or goalie upgrade (no, thanks, was the answer to the offer to Edmonton for Nikolai Khabibulin) they had hoped for, refusing to overpay in young assets they had worked so hard to stockpile over the past few years. They also refused to sell off assets from their NHL roster, despite attractive offers. Notably, a Leafs source told ESPN.com that they were offered first-round draft picks for each of Luke Schenn, Nikolai Kulemin, Clarke MacArthur and Mikhail Grabovski. GM Brian Burke said no, not wanting to send a message to his dressing room that the Leafs were giving up at all on their struggling playoff chase. I give Burke a ton of credit. The easy thing here would have been to make a panic move that would destroy your long-term chances. Yes, Leafs fans would love to make the playoffs for the first time in eight years, but Burke has a high standard he’s trying to get to: building a contender.

Similarly, kudos to Washington Capitals GM George McPhee. I know what you’re saying, why exactly? Because he took a knee. That’s why. This just isn’t their year. One big trade isn’t going to put the Caps over the top and make them contenders. One big trade isn’t going to clear star center Nicklas Backstrom of his concussion symptoms. McPhee did the hardest thing of all, resist the short-term fix. That takes guts.

Sure, McPhee took calls on veteran blueliner Roman Hamrlik, but couldn’t find the right fit. He wanted a young forward in return. The teams that were interested in Hamrlik couldn’t afford him that. He wasn’t interested in just getting futures for Hamrlik because he didn’t want to just get rid of a salary. He was trying to make a hockey deal, player for player. He toed the line of a team that hasn’t given up on the season because the playoffs are a possibility, and that of a team that wasn’t a move or two away from winning the Cup.

In other words, McPhee made the right call to stay quiet.

The Detroit Red Wings are a big-time Cup contender. Again. They added defenseman Kyle Quincey last week in what was a solid addition, but weren’t able to fill their other need, bottom-six forward size and grit. They tried on Paul Gaustad but didn’t have what it took to make the deal: a first-round pick, which they dealt for Quincey. They checked on Samuel Pahlsson but didn’t have the pair of fourth-round picks the Jackets wanted. Such is life. I’m not too concerned for the Wings, they’re still a big-time powerhouse and now have all kinds of cap room ($20 million-plus) for the offseason.

Did I really just write 1,000 words on trades that didn’t happen? Heck, it was more interesting than the alternative.

With the Rangers bowing out of the Rick Nash sweepstakes on Sunday night, it was a pretty underwhelming trade deadline day for New York.

The Eastern Conference-leading Blueshirts made one minor move on the last day of transactions, acquiring hulking 6-foot-8, 258-pound defenseman John Scott from Chicago in exchange for a 2012 fifth-round draft pick.

As ESPNNewYork.com reported Sunday, the Rangers pulled out of the running for Nash on the eve of the deadline. It is believed that the asking price for the Blue Jackets’ coveted captain was too high.

And not just for the Rangers.

Despite a clear statement from Nash’s agent, Joe Resnick, on Saturday that his client wanted a deal done before the deadline, the former first overall pick will stay put with last-place Columbus.

It now appears likely that Nash will be shopped again by Blue Jackets GM Scott Howson leading up to the draft this June. However, Resnick told TSN on Saturday that the list of teams to which Nash would waive his no-movement clause and accept a trade would not change regardless of the timing.

The Rangers were one of a few teams on Nash’s approved list. It is believed the Rangers kept in touch throughout the day with Columbus, but Howson was never willing to budge from the steep asking price.

The potential acquisition of Nash was polarizing. Some feared that adding Nash at the cost of valuable young assets could disrupt an already-strong team chemistry. Others felt it could be the piece that could boost the Rangers to be Stanley Cup contenders.

Brandon Dubinsky, whose name surfaced in recent weeks as a potential trading chip to acquire Nash, said he didn't think he’d be dealt during the team’s morning skate at Madison Square Garden on Monday.

"I know this team wants me. I know how much I want to be here. I’m pretty confident that at 3:01 p.m. Eastern Standard Time that I’ll be a New York Ranger,” Dubinsky said Monday morning, about four and a half hours before the 3 p.m. trade deadline.

Coach John Tortorella also expressed confidence in his team as currently composed.

“I like our team,” Tortorella said.

The Islanders made one late move, sending veterans Brian Rolston and defenseman Mike Mottau to Boston in the final minutes before the clock struck 3 ET. They received prospects Yannick Riendeau and Marc Cantin from the Bruins in the deal.

In addition to the last-minute swap, GM Garth Snow extended an offer to goaltender Evgeni Nabokov, who is slated to become an unrestricted free agent July 1. Nabokov is mulling the deal, one source confirmed to ESPNNewYork.com.

The Devils did not make any moves Monday, although GM Lou Lamoriello got an early start on activity back in January. The Devils acquired defenseman Marek Zidlicky from Minnesota on Friday and winger Alexei Ponikarovsky from Carolina last month.

--Mike Mazzeo contributed to this report

The Columbus Blue Jackets have traded veteran forward Sami Pahlsson to the Vancouver Canucks, a source confirmed to ESPNNewYork.com, for two fourth-round picks in 2012.

The 34-year-old Pahlsson, a key member of the Anaheim Ducks Stanley Cup-winning team in 2007, has two goals and nine assists in 61 games for Columbus this season.

From Barry Melrose: "It gives them depth. He is very similar to Manny Malhotra, but he has won a Stanley Cup. Can certainly play a checking role against the other team's best forwards, and you never have enough guys in your dressing room that have won the Cup."

From Barry Melrose: "The Jeff Carter trade might end up being the best deal of the trade deadline. Columbus gets an underachieving guy who doesn't want to be there, with an albatross of a contract, out of their organization for a good young defenseman and a first-round pick. This might be the turnaround move of a terrible year.

"I think Columbus is crazy to trade Rick Nash. Whoever moves a star player, in the history of the NHL, has never won the deal. Who did the Bruins get for Joe Thornton? Who did Atlanta get for Ilya Kovalchuk? Who did Atlanta get for Marian Hossa? See, you don't know."

The high-stakes game of poker that is trade deadline day begins with many NHL general managers with lots of chips on the table but unsure where to place their bets.

GMs who spoke to ESPN.com in recent days describe this as one of the most curious trade periods in recent memories. So many teams would like to add pieces but there are so few teams that are actually out of contention. Seven points separate seventh and 13th in the Western Conference, and teams like as Dallas and Colorado have assets they’d like to move including Steve Ott, Mike Ribeiro, David Jones, T.J.Galiardi and/or Daniel Winnik, but they would like to make a hockey trade and bring back every-day players.

In the Eastern Conference, there remains a furious battle for the Southeast Division lead and the last playoff berth in the conference.

Much of the attention Monday will be focused on whether the Columbus Blue Jackets will move captain Rick Nash, but as of Sunday evening it appeared that the top suitor, the New York Rangers, were unprepared to meet the demand for top assets in return. Will the asking price drop as the day progresses?

Will Toronto GM Brian Burke, looking to make a move for an impact forward and perhaps a goaltender, find a deal that works for the slumping Leafs? And what kind of Plan B exists for the many teams looking for offensive help? Andrei Kostitsyn in Montreal, Paul Gaustad and Derek Roy in Buffalo will be players whose names are bandied about.

Defensemen are always at a premium on deadline day and this year is no different, with Jaroslav Spacek and Bryan Allen in Carolina likely to be on the move to teams looking to shore up their defensive lineup. Will there be a trade out of left field? Given the strange dynamics of this year, it’s entirely within the realm of possibility. Stay tuned.

As of Sunday night, the New York Rangers appear to be out of the running for Columbus Blue Jackets captain Rick Nash.

Barring a drastic change, a deal to bring the prized winger to New York looks unlikely, a source told ESPNNewYork.com.

The Rangers were believed to be the front-runners for the former No. 1 pick whose availability has dominated trade talks in the days leading up to the deadline, but New York does not appear to be willing to concede to Columbus' demands.

Blue Jackets GM Scott Howson's asking price for the franchise player is reportedly significant; according to multiple reports he is asking for a roster player, a top prospect and a first-round pick, if not more.

Howson's trading partners, however, are slim. The Rangers are among a few teams on Nash's approved list of clubs for which he'd waive his no-movement clause and accept a trade. San Jose and Toronto have also talked to Howson this week.

In the first statement from Nash's camp since his availability surfaced, that list will not expand should Howson wait until the draft to make a deal.

"If a deal is not reached, then the list of acceptable teams will not change at a later date," Nash's agent Joe Resnick told TSN on Saturday.

Resnick made it clear that his client wanted to see a deal completed before Monday's 3 p.m. ET deadline.

"We're hopeful a deal can get done prior to the trade deadline that is fair and equitable to the Blue Jackets," Resnick said.

Some quick thoughts on this Friday morning as the trade deadline approaches:

• A source told me late Thursday night that the Kings in fact made a huge offer at one point in the process for both Rick Nash and Jeff Carter. Can you imagine? But the Kings eventually dropped out of the Nash talks (he likely wasn’t going to accept a deal to go to L.A.) and focused on Carter only. The feeling in the Kings front office was that Carter’s lower cap hit -- $5.27 million compared to $7.8 million for Nash -- would allow them greater flexibility when it comes time to re-sign star goalie Jonathan Quick. His deal runs out after next season and he’ll command a huge raise over his current $1.8 million salary.
• The Kings are getting lots of interest in captain Dustin Brown. They may not move him in the end but are seeing what’s out there for him. Toronto, Boston, Philadelphia and the New York Rangers are among a long list of teams that have interest in the Team USA Olympian. One source told ESPN.com that the Kings would like to get defenseman Luke Schenn and highly touted forward prospect Matt Frattin from the Leafs in a Brown deal. My sense is that Toronto would find that price too rich, but GM Brian Burke -- who had Brown on Team USA in 2010 -- really loves Brown.
• Steve Ott of the Dallas Stars has lots of teams interested in him, too. It’s certainly not a given that Dallas will move him considering where they sit in the Western Conference standings -- in eighth place Friday morning. But they’re listening. Vancouver likes Ott a lot, and Toronto and Philadelphia also likes him. It just so happens that the Stars also like Flyers winger James van Riemsdyk, but it’s going to take a lot more than Ott to pry him out of Philly.
• One NHL GM we spoke to Friday morning was stunned the Kings dealt blueliner Jack Johnson. Turns out he’s been in play for quite a while. One source told ESPN.com that the Flyers and Kings talked about a van Riemsdyk for Johnson swap a few weeks ago but it fizzled out.

OK, back to the phones ...