ESPN NHL

Bruins 4, Maple Leafs 1 (Bruins lead series, 1-0)
* Bruins: 4-1-0 vs Maple Leafs this season (including regular season); outshot Maple Leafs 40-20
* David Krejci (Kray-chee) (BOS): Goal, 2 assists; 5th career playoff game with at least 3 points
* Bruins: 1-3 on power play; scored PP goal in 3 of last 4 playoff games
* Maple Leafs: 1st playoff appearance since 2004 postseason
* Maple Leafs: winless in last 6 games at Bruins (including regular season)
FROM ELIAS: David Krejci, who recorded only one goal and two assists over his final 13 games during the regular season, matched those totals with one goal and two assists in the Bruins’ 4–1 win in Game 1. It was the fifth career postseason game of three or more points for Krejci, who registered only one goal and two assists for Boston in its seven-game first-round series loss to the Capitals in last year’s playoffs. Krejci’s five postseason games of at least three points have all come in the last four years; no other NHL player has more than four such games over that span.

Penguins 5, Islanders 0 (Penguins lead series, 1-0)
* Marc-Andre Fleury (PIT): 6th career playoff shutout; 26 saves
* Pascal Dupuis (PIT): 2 goals; did not have a goal in final 7 games of regular season
* Jarome Iginla (PIT): 2 assists; 1st playoff point since April 22, 2009
* NYI: Most goals allowed in 19 games (since allowing 5 to Montreal on March 21st)
FROM ELIAS: Marc-Andre Fleury recorded the sixth shutout of his NHL postseason career as the Penguins opened the 2013 playoffs with a 5–0 win against the Islanders. Fleury, whose six postseason shutouts tie him with Tom Barrasso for the Penguins team record, has notched three of those shutouts in Pittsburgh’s first game of a playoff year. (He blanked Ottawa in the Penguins’ first game in the 2008 playoffs and Tampa Bay in Pittsburgh’s 2011 opener.) No other active NHL goaltender has more than one shutout in a team’s first game of a playoff year.

Sharks 3, Canucks 1 (Sharks lead series 1-0)
* Sharks: won all 4 meetings with Canucks this season including playoffs (1 win in shootout)
* 1st time home team lost in this year's Stanley Cup Playoffs
* Canucks: 3-5-1 in last 9 games dating back to regular season
* Canucks: lost despite outshooting Sharks 30-28

We're not privy to the NHL's marketing slogan for the 2013-14 season, but it might be something like "Go Big or Go Home, but Definitely Go Outdoors."

Of course, if you read much of the negative commentary surrounding the NHL's decision to multiply its successful outdoor game model like so many bunnies next season -- with six in-the-elements events on the docket -- you'd think the league was determined to bring back the glowing puck and make all its players wear uniforms with blinking lights.

The NHL announced Wednesday the first plank in its ambitious stadium series of outdoor games for the 2013-14 season, a March 1 date at Soldier Field in Chicago between the Blackhawks and the Pittsburgh Penguins, set for 8 p.m. ET.

Over the next week or so, the league will unveil its plans for two outdoor games during Super Bowl at Yankee Stadium involving all three New York-area teams; one at Dodger Stadium between the Anaheim Ducks and the Los Angeles Kings on Jan. 25; and another installment of the Heritage Classic in Vancouver between the Canucks and the Ottawa Senators to be held the same weekend as the Soldier Field event.

These games are in addition to the previously announced Winter Classic to be held Jan. 1, 2014, in Ann Arbor, Mich., between Original Six rivals, the Detroit Red Wings and the Toronto Maple Leafs.

When news first broke last month that the NHL was going to take its product outdoors for a total of six games next season, it was interesting to note the instant boo-hooing that arose, mostly from the media.

Oh, too many outdoor games.

Oh, it'll turn the Winter Classic into a cheap dime-store version of its former self.

Oh, it'll rain.

Oh, it'll be too hot.

Oh, the league just wants to make money.

Funny how it works, but the NHL has long been criticized -- and rightly so -- for being too timid, too parochial, too unwilling to seize the moment and work at becoming more than just a niche sport in the United States.

Outdoor games aren't a panacea for all that ails the NHL, but when the league does think outside the box, it is flayed in some quarters.

Yes, these outdoor games are financially successful. Is that a reason not to do more of them?

Funny how much of the criticism of the league has come from the media, and yet we haven't heard much carping from the fans themselves.

Are people in California upset with the opportunity to take in an evening of hockey at Dodger Stadium? Don't think so. And unless we are completely off base (get it, a baseball reference for this game?) the tickets to the first regular-season outdoor game on the West Coast will go in a heartbeat.

Assuming the event is well-received, it will also open the door to more outdoor opportunities in nontraditional markets.

Are the fans in the New York area -- where the NHL estimates there will be 1,000 accredited media members for the Super Bowl festivities leading up to the game in New Jersey on Feb. 2 -- barking at the fact that the New York Rangers will play the New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils in twin games at Yankee Stadium?

Uh, no.

Think fans in Chicago will turn away from a chance to see their beloved Blackhawks and the Penguins at Soldier Field because they already hosted a Winter Classic in 2009?

That game between the Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings, the second Winter Classic ever, is considered by Chicago officials to be a seminal event in that team's renaissance after years of being the butt of jokes throughout the sporting world.

The 2013-14 season provides an interesting opportunity for the NHL to try to write itself back into the good news department after another potentially catastrophic labor stoppage scuttled almost half the 2012-13 season.

In a matter of weeks, the NHL will formalize its relationship with the Olympics and agree to take part in the Sochi Games in February.

Two of the outdoor games, including the Soldier Field game, will take place the first weekend after the end of the Olympics and should provide a terrific lead-in to the stretch run of the regular season and be a nice reminder that the NHL is back in business after being shut down for the Olympic break (something that not all owners agree is a good thing).

As for the notion that introducing other outdoor events to the NHL landscape somehow cheapens the Winter Classic, which has evolved into the NHL's most important regular-season date, the schedule of events surrounding the Winter Classic in Michigan promises to make it the most successful iteration yet.

Each year the Winter Classic has grown in scope, and the net it has cast around the hockey community has grown. The event next year involving the Red Wings, postponed this season because of the lockout, calls for multiple alumni games to be played at Comerica Park in downtown Detroit, along with games at various levels, including the major junior and college ranks.

NHL COO John Collins suggested in an interview that the Detroit Winter Classic will be the “granddaddy” of Winter Classics given the surrounding events, including those at Comerica Park, and the game itself at the Big House in Ann Arbor.

Whether it's been Boston or Philadelphia or Chicago, the Winter Classic games have captured the imagination of the local markets and become a touchstone for the casual fan, an elusive group the NHL has been courting for decades.

The fact that more fans than ever will be able to take part in these kinds of events next season can hardly diminish that dynamic.

"It's not just one lens you're looking at this through,” Collins told ESPN.com on the eve of the Soldier Field announcement. "You have to be at these events to understand how the game becomes a gathering point for a community, the way a community lights up around hockey."

"That local impact is incredibly powerful," Collins said.

Would the fans in California likely have a chance to take in a Winter Classic if the league stayed within some self-imposed limit of having one or two outdoor games a season? Not likely.

Is it important to return to big markets like Chicago, where the game continues to grow in importance? Absolutely.

But next season allows the NHL to broaden its appeal while still promoting its biggest markets, and its biggest stars, on the outdoor stage.

Are there risks with taking the NHL into the elements six times next season? Of course.

The league will purchase a new portable ice-making unit that will be used for the Dodger Stadium game, then transported up the coast to Vancouver for the Heritage Classic. But even as technology has evolved and given the league more opportunity to create pristine ice surfaces outdoors in different locales, there will always be concerns about the integrity of the game when you expose it to the natural elements.

Any time the league puts on one of these events, it courts disaster as it relates to how Mother Nature will react. It rained in Pittsburgh in 2011 and the Winter Classic had to be postponed a day.

There have been issues with sun and snow, and the potential for precipitation in Vancouver or in New York next season will always be there. But the league has contingency plans, and what might happen with the weather has become part of the fabric of the events themselves.

What happens moving forward will depend largely on how next season’s outdoor experiment works out.

"I think it’s fluid but we are working on a three-year plan," Collins said.

Added deputy commissioner Bill Daly, "Next year represents opportunities that aren't going to be there every year."

There is nothing to suggest the NHL will go outside five or six times every year, but if these events unfold as planned, you can bet the number of teams clamoring to host an outdoor game will only increase.

In the end, is that such a bad thing?

Ducks 3, Oilers 0
* Ducks: win Pacific Division title
* Ducks: 2nd division title in franchise history; 1st since 2006-07 season (won Stanley Cup that season)
* Ducks: Won last 2 games, both vs Oilers (lost previous 4 games)
* Oilers: lost 8 of last 9 games overall

Canucks 3, Blackhawks 1
* Canucks: clinch Northwest Division title; 5th straight division title, longest active streak in NHL; 2nd is Boston with 2 (could be extended to 3 this season)
* Canucks: 8th straight home win
* Daniel Sedin (VAN): Goal (12), assist; 5 points in last 2 games vs Blackhawks (2 G, 3 A)
* Blackhawks: 1st regulation loss in last 12 games (9-1-2)

Red Wings 4, Coyotes 0
* Red Wings: 3 power play goals; 2-22 on power play in previous 6 games
* Red Wings: currently in 9th place in West, 1 point behind Wild and Blue Jackets
* Jimmy Howard (DET): 34 saves, 4th shutout this season (15th of career)
* Johan Franzen (DET): 2 goals, 1st multi-goal game since April 4th of last season

Penguins 3, Senators 1
* Penguins: 3-0-0 vs Senators this season, outscoring them 9-4 (one win was in shootout)
* Penguins: won 7 straight overall and 5 straight on the road
* Senators: loss + Jets win means Senators just 1 point ahead of Jets for 8th and final East playoff spot

Jets 2, Sabres 1
* Antti Miettinen (AN-tee mih-EHT-tih-nehn)(WPG): Go-ahead goal (3) with 7:36 left in 3rd period (1st goal in his last 12 games)
* Jets: 1st win in last 5 ROAD games
* Jets: 6-0-1 in last 7 games overall
* Jets: move within 1 point of 8th playoff spot in Eastern Conference AND within 1 point of Capitals for Southeast Division lead (Jets play at Capitals Tuesday)

So, maybe we were a bit hasty in assuming the Minnesota Wild were locks to make the playoffs.

After a lackluster 4-1 loss Sunday night to the lowly Calgary Flames, the Wild woke up Monday to find that they'd sunk into a tie with the Columbus Blue Jackets for the final two playoff berths in the Western Conference, with the Detroit Red Wings just three points back with a game in hand.

Now, credit Joey MacDonald, who was stellar for the Flames, stopping 34 of 35 shots. But, come on, these are the Flames -- a team long banished from playoff contention. The Wild's offense, never the team's strong suit and less so with Dany Heatley out with injury, continues to sputter. Minnesota has only three wins in its past 11 games and has gone from battling the Vancouver Canucks for the top spot in the Northwest Division to fighting for its playoff life, a fall that is mindful of the Wild's great descent from the top of the standings midway through last season to a 12th-place finish in the conference.

During this 11-game span, the Wild have been outscored 33-19. Sorry, that won't cut it.

Even though Zach Parise and linemate Mikko Koivu combined for 15 shots Sunday, the Wild are going to need more finish or this season is going to end quickly, whether they make the playoffs or not.

The Wild still control their destiny in the race against the surging Blue Jackets (who came up with a huge 4-3 road win Sunday against the San Jose Sharks) and with the Red Wings, Dallas Stars and Phoenix Coyotes lurking in the weeds. The fact that the Wild play the Edmonton Oilers and Colorado Avalanche down the stretch (along with the Los Angeles Kings) should help pave the way to their first postseason berth in five years.

Of course, we would have thought that heading into Sunday's game, too.

In the end, they circled back, as the whole hockey world knew they would. The standoff that began months ago came down to one last hour of dramatic back and forth.

The Vancouver Canucks lowered their demands in a Roberto Luongo deal in the final 60 minutes before Wednesday’s 3 p.m. ET trade deadline, but apparently not enough to persuade the Toronto Maple Leafs to swallow the star goalie’s massive contract.

Sources tell ESPN.com that the Canucks were willing to unload Luongo on Toronto for goalie Ben Scrivens and a pair of second-round picks in their final, final offer before the minutes ticked away.

The answer was still no by Toronto, which thought all along that no other team in the NHL was even remotely interested in Luongo and, because of that, the Canucks essentially should be giving him away.

Not that Vancouver’s last offer wasn’t close. I suspect that if the Canucks had been willing to retain a bit of Luongo’s salary in the trade -- a new feature in this collective bargaining agreement -- the Leafs might have pulled the trigger.

So they were somewhat close to a trade, which is why the Canucks pulled Luongo off the ice in Vancouver before the end of practice just in case they got a deal done and needed the netminder to sign off on waiving his no-trade clause.

But there was no deal.

And now both franchises have a gamble in front of them:

• Toronto, because it heads into the playoffs without experience in goal.

• Vancouver, because now it must figure out what to do with Luongo in the offseason, when there will be more competition on the goalie market. Ryan Miller most likely will be on the trade block, ditto for Jonathan Bernier and perhaps Mike Smith will hit free agency.

The failure of the Canucks and the Leafs to reach a Luongo deal, however, will no doubt fuel bigger-picture conclusions and storylines from many.

Let’s face it, Leafs GM Dave Nonis and Canucks GM Mike Gillis don’t like each other, the latter replacing the former as GM in Vancouver.

Which no doubt will lead some people to wonder whether Nonis always wanted to string the Canucks along, only to leave them holding the bag on deadline day. Leafs sources vehemently denied that.

After all, it was pointed out by a Leafs source, they actually had a tentative deal in place with the Calgary Flames to get Miikka Kiprusoff, only to have the veteran netminder decide he just wasn’t up to moving to Toronto. The Leafs found out from the goalie Wednesday morning. The Leafs will tell you that they really believed "Kipper" would have been the perfect solution, a veteran who could have come in and helped bring James Reimer and Scrivens along.

Luongo just wasn’t Plan A, Toronto says.

And we got this far into this story without touching on Luongo himself. I feel for this guy. He’s a fierce competitor. The hurt in his eyes and his voice was obvious to anyone watching his news conference Wednesday. When he said he wished he could rip up his huge contract, I can tell you that he meant it.

He asked for a move last summer because he respects Cory Schneider and felt it was time for his younger teammate to take over in net for Vancouver.

Now Luongo has to hang in for the rest of the season, way longer than he probably ever anticipated his stay in Vancouver to last when he asked the Canucks to try to move him last summer. And he faces an uncertain future that no doubt worries him greatly.

So, in the end, not a whole lot of people happy in this equation on this day:

• The Leafs didn’t get a veteran goalie.

• The Canucks still have too many goalies.

• And Luongo, who has been nothing but the pro throughout all this, has to show a brave face for the rest of the season while dying inside.

Oh, and this story is far from over. See you in June.

Other nuggets from deadline day:

• Ben Bishop generated a ton of interest, with a half-dozen teams calling Ottawa on Wednesday. The final three contestants, sources say, were Edmonton, Philadelphia and Tampa Bay.

The Oilers, I’m told, offered Ryan Jones and a draft pick -- not good enough for the Senators. The Flyers? They balked when the Sens asked for young center Sean Couturier straight-up for Bishop. When Philly said no thanks (and somewhat surprisingly later dealt for Steve Mason instead), the Senators had their deal -- and a good one -- in Cory Conacher and a fourth-round pick from the Lightning. This is a win-win for both clubs. The Sens get a promising top-six rookie forward, and the Bolts add another potential No. 1 goalie to go along with Anders Lindback. Tampa doubled its chances of finding at least one No. 1 goalie between them. Brilliant move by Tampa GM Steve Yzerman.

• Raffi Torres generated sizable interest on this day. The Canucks and Montreal Canadiens were among several clubs that made offers on the gritty checking winger, both hoping to add his physical presence in their bottom-six forward group. But the Phoenix Coyotes liked San Jose’s offer best, a third-round pick that is actually Florida’s pick (sent to San Jose in the Ryane Clowe deal from the Rangers the previous day).

• People will be perplexed by the Marian Gaborik deal from a Rangers angle but I think it’s a good move. By taking Gaborik’s $7.5 million salary off the books for next season, the Rangers gained payroll flexibility to not only help re-sign some of their key restricted free agents (such as Derek Stepan, Ryan McDonagh and Carl Hagelin), but also give themselves a better shot at affording a re-signing opportunity with pending unrestricted free agent Clowe.

And, let’s face it, Gaborik might very well become a dangerous goal scorer in Columbus again, but it wasn’t going to happen under John Tortorella in New York. Those two could no longer share a bench.

Finally, as it turns out, quite a busy day in the final two hours. Whenever we think it’s going to be a quiet deadline day, NHL GMs still find a way to make it interesting.

A trade deadline day that began at a snail’s pace and finished with a great flurry of activity has, like all trade deadlines, the potential to alter the playoff grids in both conferences and perhaps even who hoists the Stanley Cup in late June. Lots of road to travel before that time and every year the best-laid trade-deadline plans often go awry. So, herein a look at the teams that, at least for a few minutes anyway, seized the moment to make themselves better and will walk away feeling that they made the most of the opportunity.

Got better

Columbus Blue Jackets
Who’da thunk it? The sad-sack Columbus Blue Jackets, perennial sellers of good players, shocking the hockey world by acquiring three-time 40-goal scorer Marian Gaborik from the New York Rangers. In giving up Derek Dorsett (currently injured), Derick Brassard and John Moore, the Blue Jackets gave up three everyday players. But for a team that has qualified for the playoffs just once (and were swept by Detroit in that lone playoff visit) but suddenly finds itself in the hunt for a surprise postseason berth, Gaborik is a definite impact player -- when he’s himself. Gaborik has suffered through a miserable season in New York with obvious friction existing between him and head coach John Tortorella. But he’ll renew acquaintances with former Ranger teammates Artem Anisimov and Brandon Dubinsky, who went to Columbus in the Rick Nash deal last summer, and he’ll get a fresh start on a team desperate for scoring help (they rank 29th in goals per game and 27th on the power play). The Blue Jackets still possess three first-round draft picks in the coming draft and they have Gaborik under contract for one more season at a $7.5 million cap hit. In order to clear room, new GM Jarmo Kekalainen also managed to unload netminder Steve Mason to Philadelphia. Mason can become an unrestricted free agent this summer. The Blue Jackets also acquired forward depth in the form of Blake Comeau, who came over from Calgary for a fifth-round pick.

New York Rangers
In the space of 24 hours, the Rangers have dramatically altered the make-up of their team. Whether it brings them closer to their identity of a year ago, when they were the top team in the Eastern Conference during the regular season and advanced to the Eastern Conference finals or not, we’ll find out. But by bringing in Ryane Clowe, Derick Brassard and John Moore, the Rangers hope they have filled in some of the spaces created when Artem Anisimov and Brandon Dubinsky were dealt to Columbus in the Rick Nash deal and Brandon Prust signed in Montreal. Derek Dorsett will also contribute when he gets back to full health. The Rangers are still the lowest-scoring team in the NHL so they need someone, whether it’s Brad Richards or Nash or any of the newcomers -- including Clowe (who has yet to score this season) -- to step up. Still, the relationship between Tortorella and Gaborik wasn’t healthy, and having new faces in the lineup might be enough to push the Rangers back into the top eight and after that, who knows? The Rangers also received a sixth-round pick in 2013 for Gaborik.

Minnesota Wild
The Wild continue to shoulder themselves into discussion as a Stanley Cup contender and that discussion will continue with the acquisition Wednesday of Buffalo Sabres captain Jason Pominville. The Wild had to give up highly regarded prospect Johan Larsson, the 56th pick in the 2010 draft, as well as goaltending prospect Matt Hackett, who has played a handful of NHL games, along with a first-round pick in 2013 and a second-round pick in 2014. The Wild also obtained Buffalo’s fourth-round pick in 2014. But Pominville, who has twice reached the 30-goal plateau and recorded at least 20 goals in six straight years heading into this season, will add the kind of scoring depth that all Cup-contending teams possess. Pominville is also a character guy who can play at both ends of the ice. The Wild are going toe-to-toe with the Vancouver Canucks at the top of the Northwest Division standings and this is a move that could prove to be the tipping point when it comes to gaining home-ice advantage in the first round or beyond.

Pittsburgh Penguins
Just when you assumed that Ray Shero would be sitting in his office at Consol Energy Center with his feet up drinking banana daiquiris, the Penguins GM added another piece to the arsenal, picking up forward Jussi Jokinen from Carolina. The 30-year-old will likely start at center as the Penguins were looking for someone to bridge the gap while captain Sidney Crosby recovers from a broken jaw. Beyond that, Jokinen, who had a strong playoff for Carolina in 2009 when the Canes advanced to the Eastern Conference finals, is simply another depth piece that is mindful of players such as Miroslav Satan and Petr Sykora, who were in and out of the Penguins' lineup in 2009 when they won the Stanley Cup but who periodically made key contributions. Although the actual numbers weren’t revealed, the Hurrricanes agreed to take on some of Jokinen’s salary next season when he is slated to earn $3 million. If the Pens win the Cup, they will also send a sixth-round pick to Carolina; it becomes a later pick if they fall short.

Ottawa Senators
GM Bryan Murray continues to work magic as he dealt lanky netminder Ben Bishop to Tampa for Cory Conacher, the second-leading rookie point-producer, and a fourth-round pick. The Sens, of course, have defied skeptics by staying in the thick of the playoff hunt in spite of the absence of Jason Spezza, Erik Karlsson and netminder Craig Anderson. Conacher, an undrafted collegiate player, was terrific in the AHL last season where he was the AHL MVP as Norfolk won the Calder Cup. He will fit in with a young Ottawa club that has blossomed under head coach Paul MacLean and in fact steps into a lineup as the leading scorer with 24 points.

Tampa Bay Lightning
It initially seemed as though Tampa GM Steve Yzerman had given up a lot to bring in 6-foot-7 netminder Bishop with Conacher going with a fourth-round pick. But the Lightning need to stabilize their goaltending situation (they rank 21st in goals allowed per game) and Bishop was terrific for the Senators in a limited role, going 8-5 with a .922 save percentage. The Bolts were also dealing from a position of strength, having top young collegiate players Matt Peca and big center Alex Killorn, who has impressed in recent games with the big club. Now, last summer we were saying the same thing about the Lightning as they acquired Anders Lindback from Nashville in the hopes of finding a new No. 1. Will Bishop be any better? The Lightning paid a steep price to find out. But if Yzerman is right this time, the expense will have been worth it.

Buffalo Sabres
GM Darcy Regier might not be able to ice a winning hockey team but he sure knows how to handle himself on trade deadline day. A year ago he obtained Cody Hodgson and a first-round draft pick in various deals. This year he dealt captain Pominville to Minnesota for a top forward prospect in Larsson and a promising young goaltender in Hackett and another first-round pick in this June’s draft, along with a second round pick in 2014. Earlier, he had shipped veteran defenseman Robyn Regehr to Los Angeles for a pair of second-round picks. Will Regier be around next season to see what some of these assets might become? That’s a completely different story.

Washington Capitals
You can argue the rationale of keeping Mike Ribeiro, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, but given the Caps’ recent surge -- they were just two points out of the Southeast Division lead with two games in hand on Winnipeg as of Wednesday afternoon -- GM George McPhee showed his team the organization is all in for the playoffs. McPhee gave up a top prospect in Filip Forsberg, selected 11th overall in last June’s draft, for proven scorer Martin Erat of the Nashville Predators. Although Erat has just four goals this season, he will play in a much more offensive system with more skilled players and it’s easy to imagine he will play an important role, not just in getting the Caps into the playoffs for a sixth straight year but in perhaps making some noise once they get there. Beyond that, Erat has two years left on his deal at a $4.5 million cap hit (the actual dollar amount is less) and so provides some form of protection if the Caps cannot re-sign Ribeiro, who can become an unrestricted free agent this summer. Now, Ribeiro is a center and Erat is a winger but still, having talent under contract is never -- or at least not usually -- a bad thing. The Caps also acquired Michael Latta, a center playing at the AHL level.

Not everyone wanted to make a deal although any GM worth his salt was working the phones until the last minute. Here are some teams that were either unusually quiet or failed to plug in some obvious holes in their lineup.

Not so much

Winnipeg Jets
The Jets once looked like they were going to put a stranglehold on the Southeast Division lead; instead, they have unraveled and look very much like every other Atlanta Thrashers/Winnipeg Jets team in that they are not built for the postseason. And while GM Kevin Cheveldayoff has promised from the start to be conservative in how they build this team, some sort of addition aimed at arresting their current slide might have been psychologically beneficial to the prairie team. It didn’t happen, as the Jets’ only move was to pick up Mike Santorelli off waivers from the Florida Panthers.

Vancouver Canucks
Yes, the Canucks did address their need down the middle by nabbing Derek Roy from Dallas, although Roy has not had the greatest year thus far. But the fact that GM Mike Gillis could not unload netminder Roberto Luongo will continue to be a cloud over the team until he is finally traded. Luongo reacted emotionally to not being traded, telling reporters in Vancouver his contract “sucks” and that if he could, he would tear it up. Now, maybe things settle back down for the Canucks and they proceed to the playoffs as planned. But there’s no doubt Luongo is in a different frame of mind now that the deadline has passed than before, and whether that has an impact on the psyche of the team remains to be seen.

Toronto Maple Leafs
The Leafs added 6-foot-5 defenseman Ryan O’Byrne from Colorado for a fourth-round pick in 2014 but they did not add a veteran goaltender. Will it matter? We’ll find out in less than a month, assuming the Leafs don’t go completely sideways and miss the playoffs entirely. We don’t expect that to happen, but the tandem of James Reimer and Ben Scrivens is untested when it comes to playoff action, and given the mediocrity in the Eastern Conference, it’s not unreasonable to suggest the Leafs could be in a position to win at least one round. If the goaltending holds up, of course.

New York Islanders
On the verge of making the playoffs for only the second time since the last lockout, the Islanders were silent on trade deadline day. Credit GM Garth Snow for not trading Mark Streit, who can become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, but wasn’t there something this team needed that Snow could have provided in terms of depth?

Boston Bruins
A little unfair to put the Bruins in this list perhaps, but after obtaining Jaromir Jagr on Tuesday, GM Peter Chiarelli did not add the grit and sand many expected he would bring in to his forward corps. And while he did add Wade Redden, reuniting Redden with former Ottawa teammate and B's captain Zdeno Chara, Redden is mindful of Tomas Kaberle, whom the Bruins added in 2011. The Bruins, of course, won the Cup. But Kaberle became less and less a factor as time went on during those playoffs. Redden, buried in the depth chart in St. Louis, especially after the acquisition Tuesday of Jay Bouwmeester, will be well down the Bruins’ depth chart, especially when there had been earlier talk the Bruins were looking to add Ryan Whitney. The lack of a gritty forward was exacerbated with the news Wednesday that Patrice Bergeron has a concussion.

Nashville Predators
A year ago, the Predators were among the busiest teams at the trade deadline, adding Paul Gaustad, Hal Gill and Andrei Kostitsyn along with repatriating Alexander Radulov. This season, they traded one of their top offensive players in Martin Erat to Washington and defenseman Scott Hannan to San Jose. Now, GM David Poile did get one of the Caps’ top prospects back, Filip Forsberg, who was selected 11th overall in 2012, but the Preds’ strategy illustrates just how quickly things can turn in the NHL, just how quickly one can go from buyer with Stanley Cup dreams to seller with different visions, at least in the short-term.

Philadelphia Flyers
This has been the season from hell for the Flyers vis-a-vis injuries, and so the expectations for GM Paul Holmgren at the deadline were modest. Still, the deal that saw the Flyers acquire former rookie of the year Steve Mason from Columbus for Michael Leighton and a third-round draft pick suggests more goaltending mayhem is ahead in Philly. Mason had been eclipsed by Sergei Bobrovsky, ironically a former Flyer netminder sent to Columbus last offseason, and can become a restricted free agent this summer. Perhaps this is a chance for the Flyers to see if Mason can regain his form and then try to sign him this summer while buying out Ilya Bryzgalov. Either way, it is a move that reflects continued uncertainty at the game’s most important position in one of the league’s most established markets.

Scott Burnside discusses Stars GM Joe Nieuwendyk's decision to trade Jaromir Jagr to the Bruins and Derek Roy to the Canucks.

On the Jaromir Jagr front, it was still unclear as of Monday afternoon what will transpire. The Dallas Stars approached the Jagr camp three weeks ago about a contract extension, and the two sides have gone back and forth since. But still no contract extension.

Why? I'm hearing the Stars' front office is debating whether the team should sign or trade Jagr. And that decision had not been made as of Monday afternoon.

Other teams are absolutely calling with interest on Jagr. No surprise there, as he'd be a perfect rental. Hello, Boston Bruins?

But the Stars, who already dealt pending UFA Brenden Morrow, have to figure out if they should cash in on pending UFA Jagr or keep him around for another season. After all, the Stars were only two points out of a playoff spot Monday morning.

Sign him or trade him? To be determined.

Sens fielding calls on Bishop

A source told ESPN.com Monday that the Ottawa Senators have received "several calls" regarding goalie Ben Bishop the past day or so.

The Senators, I don't think, feel pressed in moving Bishop before Wednesday's deadline. They're more than happy to wait until the summer to figure out their three-goalie situation with Bishop, Craig Anderson and Robin Lehner.

However, if a team made a strong enough push on Bishop (hint, hint: top-six forward), then he could certainly be moved over the next few days.

Meanwhile, pending UFA blue-liner Sergei Gonchar is more than likely staying put. The Senators need him for the playoff run.

McBain's name comes up

One new name popped up Monday as potential trade bait: defenseman Jamie McBain.

I'm told the Carolina Hurricanes would be willing to move him if the offer was right. McBain is not a rental; he has one more year on his deal at $1.9 million in salary and $1.8 million on the cap. He's an intriguing name, to be sure, a guy who can provide some offense from the back end.

Speaking of the Hurricanes, I'm also hearing that, despite clearing waivers last week, forward Jussi Jokinen continues to generate interest from other teams that want Carolina to take a player back in return. So he could definitely move before Wednesday's deadline.

Jokinen is a player the Vancouver Canucks have on their radar, although I would say he's not at the top of their list.

All quiet for Clarkson, Devils

A source told ESPN.com Monday that the New Jersey Devils and David Clarkson's camp have still not held any talks regarding the pending UFA. Again, not entirely surprising. Veteran Devils GM Lou Lamoriello traditionally doesn't view the trade deadline as any kind of pressure point when it comes to his UFAs.

Jackets willing to trade a first-round pick

My TSN colleague Darren Dreger was first to report this, but I can also confirm that the Columbus Blue Jackets, suddenly in a playoff spot, are willing to move one of their three first-round picks in the June 30 draft if they can get a scoring forward in return. (In today's edition, the Columbus Post Dispatch also reported that the Jackets would be willing to move one of their picks.) Mind you, they wouldn't do that for a rental player; it has to be a player with term past this season, a source told ESPN.com.

Still, that's a shift in thinking from when new GM Jarmo Kekalainen took over earlier this season and had only the long-term view in mind. It seems the incredible run the Jackets have been on over the past month-plus has forced him to try to throw his team a bone.

It also wouldn't surprise me if Columbus was willing to move a defenseman to get that top-six, scoring forward.

Well you knew this story would get revisited before Wednesday’s trade deadline.

The Toronto Maple Leafs and Vancouver Canucks have renewed trade talks on Roberto Luongo.

My TSN colleague Darren Dreger reported as much Friday; Damien Cox of the Toronto Star also had a story about it in Friday’s edition.

I gathered some of my own intel on Friday and here’s what I came up with:

Last week in Phoenix when the Canucks were in town there, Vancouver assistant GM Laurence Gilman met with his old pal and mentor Cliff Fletcher, senior adviser with the Leafs. Those two guys talk all the time but, on this occasion, Fletcher revisited the Luongo dialogue with Gilman.

That conversation between Gilman and Fletcher sparked Vancouver GM Mike Gillis to follow up and phone Toronto GM Dave Nonis this past week to further explore those talks.

This in itself is a story because Gillis and Nonis, I don’t believe, have ever spoken to each other regarding any trade, as some ill will existed after the former replaced the latter as GM in Vancouver. Usually it’s been other members of each front office communicating on Luongo, not Gillis and Nonis straight on. So that’s perhaps an important shift in this story.

Gillis and Nonis spoke this week and, while there’s no deal that’s imminent and there may never be a deal, it certainly appears there’s groundwork built here for the two teams to keep tabs on this until Wednesday.

Nonis has always kept interest in Luongo, whom he traded for in Vancouver when he was GM, but talks went silent between both clubs for quite a while until last week.

It was predictable both clubs would eventually circle back to each other, the Leafs always being the most obvious fit for Luongo.

One source told ESPN.com Friday that two other NHL teams have also called on Luongo over the past week. Though how serious that interest is remains difficult to ascertain.

As we touched on earlier this week, Calgary’s Miikka Kiprusoff is also of interest to the Leafs. What’s unclear is whether the Flames netminder would want a trade or not. The Flames need to figure that out with him before Wednesday. If "Kipper" is up for it, I think the Leafs would explore that. He’s got only one year left on his deal compared to Luongo’s monster contract which runs through 2021-22.

Still, if the Canucks are willing to lower the price tag somewhat on Luongo, it could make for an interesting decision for the Leafs.

Luongo, 33, remains a topflight netminder and should be for another four or five years.

The Canucks, of course, continue the search for a No. 3 center. Whether they can find that from the Leafs or use whatever they get from Toronto in a possible Luongo deal to get that No. 3 center, remains to be seen.

It’s a good thing for the Colorado Avalanche that the Calgary Flames are around to deflect some of what should be a mountain of criticism given their nightly ineptitude. But the Flames, because they are a Canadian market in the midst of trying to move iconic players Jarome Iginla and Miikka Kiprusoff, have become a symbol for organizational dithering and dysfunction.

But just because everyone’s pointing a bony finger at the Flames these days does not excuse the embarrassment the Avs have become. Seems like a million years ago that the Colorado Avalanche were perennial Stanley Cup contenders and the benchmark for organizational success. They were a power in the boardroom, at the ticket window and on the ice. Now? The Avs quietly lost another one Thursday night, this time 4-1 to the Vancouver Canucks. They have lost four straight and have won just once in their past nine games and four times in their past 18, a stretch of futility that has seen them settle into a tie in points with Florida for last place overall in the NHL and an inside track on a franchise player at the draft. That’s quite an accomplishment for a team that at the beginning of this shortened season looked like it might have a shot at becoming a dark-horse playoff team. Ha, ha, ha.

Not that having high picks has helped the Avs in recent years. In spite of picking second overall in 2011 and nabbing eventual rookie of the year Gabriel Landeskog and third overall two years earlier with Matt Duchene, the team has managed to take zero steps forward and will miss the playoffs for the third straight season.

While all of the attention has been on the Flames’ potential fire sale leading up to Wednesday's trade deadline, there has been little discussion about what GM Greg Sherman needs to do to get his forgotten squad back on track. Given the colossal mess that was the Ryan O’Reilly offer sheet, one wonders what kind of plan exists for changing the culture in Denver and whether ownership has even noticed what’s going on under its collective noses.

As for the Canucks, a shifting of the sands there as well, as they have now won six in a row, all with Cory Schneider between the pipes. The Canucks are embroiled in a great to-and-fro battle with the Minnesota Wild, winners of seven straight, for the top spot in the Northwest Division and what will be home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs. The re-emergence of Schneider as The Man in goal for Vancouver has also heightened discussion about whether there might be a taker for the erstwhile Roberto Luongo before Wednesday's deadline.

Never a dull moment in the Northwest Division.

Here’s something important to keep in mind as the Ryane Clowe situation plays itself out before next Wednesday’s trade deadline.

Clowe has a full no-trade clause. The San Jose Sharks have to run this thing by him in order to get a deal done.

Which means if, for whatever reason, Clowe doesn’t believe a certain team is a good fit, he can nix it. Although, in the same vein, Sharks GM Doug Wilson did well by Douglas Murray in the move to Pittsburgh, and the sense is that Wilson and Clowe have a good line of communication on what’s transpiring.

A solid playoff performance on a top contender would augment Clowe’s UFA market value this summer, so he’s not against a trade if it makes sense for him.

Of interest is where Montreal fits into all this. Boston is tracking Clowe, among other players on its short list, as a possibility in case it strikes out on Jarome Iginla.

Clowe, though, is exactly what the Habs need, a power forward to complement the skill they have up front. But GM Marc Bergevin isn’t terribly keen, I think, about the idea of giving up prime, future assets for a rental player. He knows his team, despite its success this season, isn’t in the all-in mentality of Boston and Pittsburgh when it comes to the trade deadline. And the Canadiens don’t have the same depth of prospects in the organization as the Bruins and Penguins do.

The early price on Clowe, I’m told, is a first-round pick and another young asset. There’s zero chance the Canadiens trade a first-round pick. Bergevin wants to continue to build his base. He’s got the long-term view in mind.

So my sense is that the Canadiens keep tabs on the Clowe situation but, unless the price comes down, they’re not getting him.

The Rangers are also interested in Clowe.

One more interesting twist here on the Clowe situation: Don’t just assume he’s 100 percent headed to an Eastern Conference team. I’m told there are Western Conference teams, the Vancouver Canucks among them, that also covet Clowe.

Given that the Sharks may make the playoffs, you wouldn’t think Wilson would want Clowe in his own conference come playoff time, but I guess it all comes down to who steps up the most in trade talks.

I know this: Clowe is a warrior. Despite his struggles this season, he would be a big-time addition to any contender. The games become more of a grind in the playoffs and he's the type of guy who excels in that context.

Jokinen clears waivers

Jussi Jokinen cleared waivers Wednesday and that seemed to come as a surprise to many given the reaction on Twitter.

Certainly there are teams out there looking to add a top-nine forward, no question.

But as one NHL GM told ESPN.com Wednesday morning, he would have loved Jokinen more if he were an unrestricted free agent after the season. That extra $3 million left on his deal for next season made him hesitate, so he didn’t put in a claim for the player.

What’s at play here is that the salary cap next season goes down to $64.3 million from this season’s $70.2 million maximum. Teams will be careful and picky in the kind of dollars they add to next season’s payroll over the next week.

It’s not over on the Jokinen front though. There are teams interested in him but they want Carolina either to eat some of his salary or take a player back in return.

Meanwhile, how about Boston claiming Kaspars Daugavins off waivers from Ottawa on Wednesday? He’s the same player, of course, who had Bruins players raising their eyebrows earlier this month with a shootout move heard around the world. Now he brings his shootout skills to Beantown. Go figure.

Extension talk with Visnovsky

New York Islanders GM Garth Snow, I’m told, reached out to Lubomir Visnovsky’s camp Tuesday to see if there was any interest on the player’s part in talking extension.

It’s not clear whether it will lead to a deal, but agent Neil Sheehy’s answer was sure, let’s talk.

Visnovsky, 36, is slated for UFA status this summer, a five-year, $28 million deal expiring ($5.6 million cap hit).

If contract talks don’t produce a deal, you can bet Snow’s phone will ring April 3. As a rental, Visnovsky is the kind of puck-moving blueliner that many playoff-bound clubs covet and, in fact, other teams have already been calling on him.

Of course, the Islanders themselves aren’t out of the playoff running -- they pulled off a huge win Tuesday night in Washington -- so Snow might not have any inclination in moving Visnovsky even if he’s not signed.

Cowen on the mend?

The Ottawa Senators might make their best late-season addition from within.

Local media were stunned Wednesday when they arrived at the rink and saw Jared Cowen practicing with teammates.

The top-four blueliner originally was expected to be out for the season after undergoing hip surgery in mid-November.

Sens GM Bryan Murray, while watching Cowen skate Wednesday, told ESPN.com over the phone that there’s a possibility of a late April return, although truthfully he said it wasn’t clear at this point if/when the player could return.

Still, a welcome sight for the Senators on Wednesday; Cowen has been missed this year.

Tell you what, if the Senators can get Cowen, goalie Craig Anderson and star center Jason Spezza all back in time for the playoffs, hold on to your seats.

Hemsky, again

It wouldn’t be a trade deadline without banter about Ales Hemsky’s availability. A year ago the rumors were put to bed when Hemsky signed a two-year, $10 million extension. Now his name is surfacing, although almost it seems out of habit in media commentary as opposed to actual signs that the Oilers are shopping him.

I don’t think Edmonton is actually going out of its way to shop him, but I do think they’re taking phone calls on him and at this point, they have to be receptive to many things because the rebuild is lasting a bit longer than the ticket buyers had hoped in Edmonton.

The Oilers want to get tougher/grittier in their top-six forward group and they also need more help on defense. They’ve got lots of skill in their top-six forward group, but a little more room to skate for Jordan Eberle and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins would go a long way. Acquiring a power forward, however, is easier said than done.

I suspect you’ll hear Hemsky’s name out there right up to the deadline. He’s got one more year left on his deal at $5 million and he does not have a no-trade clause, so Edmonton is free to do what it wants with him.

No guarantee he moves, though.

Meanwhile, there have been contract talks between the Ladislav Smid camp and Oilers brass. Smid is UFA after the season. He’s a dependable blueliner, but if they can’t sign him before April 3 and the Oilers remain out of a playoff spot, he could be a trade target. But the hope with the Oilers right now is to sign him and keep him.

Ribeiro's future

So what do you do if you’re the Washington Capitals?

Mike Ribeiro is a pending UFA who also happens to be leading your team in scoring.

The 33-year-old center told Washington reporters earlier this week that he’d like a long-term deal, whether that’s staying put or hitting the free-agent market.

There has been a conversation between the Caps and Ribeiro’s camp and word is veteran agent Don Meehan is slated to circle back to GM George McPhee before the end of the week.

The decision here isn’t just intriguing from the Caps’ point of view, in terms of whether they want to invest long-term in a 33-year-old Ribeiro. The player has a call to make here, too. The free-agent market isn’t terribly deep this summer and he might enter the marketplace as the top-scoring player available.

It all depends, in the end, on how far Washington is willing to go with him.

Vancouver Canucks defenseman Alexander Edler was suspended for two games without pay for charging Phoenix Coyotes goaltender Mike Smith during Thursday night's game, the National Hockey League’s Department of Player Safety announced Friday.

The incident occurred at 18:17 of the second period. Edler was assessed a five-minute major for charging (Rule 42).

Under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and based on his average annual salary, Edler will forfeit $35,135.14. The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.

We all thought that Roberto Luongo and Cory Schneider were great friends, but TSN shows us that there might be a whole different side to this story. Watch this hilarious parody.

Keep an eye on the Los Angeles Kings if and when the Calgary Flames and Jarome Iginla decide to begin divorce proceedings.

While it’s been widely (and accurately) reported that Boston and Pittsburgh have interest in the Flames captain should he become available, I believe the Kings would be right there in the mix as well and could be willing to dangle young backup netminder Jonathan Bernier.

One would imagine that would interest the Flames since life after Mikka Kiprusoff isn’t far off. But then again, who knows with the Flames?

It should surprise no one that the Kings have interest in Iginla. For starters, L.A. inquired about his ability a few years back only to be told he wasn’t going anywhere. More to the heart of the matter though is Kings head coach Darryl Sutter and his relationship with Iginla from their days together in Calgary.

I think the Kings would want at least a draft pick to go along with Iginla -- whose contract expires after the season -- in return for a future franchise goalie like Bernier.

It’s not clear if Iginla has any interest in moving, his no-trade clause gives him the hammer to decide his future, but you have to think the Kings might be an intriguing fit for him.

Another team that I believe has some level of interest in Iginla is Detroit, but the Red Wings have to figure out if they’re actually buyers come April 3 depending on where they are in the standings.

Canucks trade search

Sources around the league tell ESPN.com that Canucks GM Mike Gillis has been very active making phone calls over the past 7-10 days, checking in with nearly every team in the league to see if there’s any fit for a trade.

As we’ve seen with the lack of trades around the league, easier said than done.

Vancouver desperately wants to find help at center. The Canucks haven’t had a No. 3 center all year and No. 2 center Ryan Kesler is out for the second time this season because of injury.

Had Stephen Weiss not gone down with a season-ending wrist surgery in Florida, I believe the Canucks would have gotten into the bidding for the Panthers center.

I’m also told the Canucks checked in with the Buffalo Sabres recently. Steve Ott would be a perfect fit as the No. 3 center in Vancouver, and the Canucks had conversations with the Dallas Stars last season about him. But at this point, it doesn’t appear as though the Sabres are making Ott available.

Gaborik's future

The New York Rangers aren’t necessarily shopping winger Marian Gaborik, but he’s indeed available if it helps them achieve some of their targets on the trade market.

The Blueshirts covet a right-handed, top-four blueliner and would also like to add a couple of bottom-six, grinding type forwards.

If Gaborik can be flipped in any trade to get those assets, I believe the Rangers would move him.

Gaborik is a natural right winger and plays better when he’s there, but Rick Nash and Ryan Callahan are also both at their best on right wing.

Thing is, with one more year left on Gaborik’s deal next season at $7.5 million, I’m not sure how easy it would be to move his contract with the salary cap going down next season, although he still remains an electrifying player when he’s on his game.

Olympic Meetings

Hockey Canada and USA Hockey are taking advantage of the fact the NHL’s 30 GMs are gathering in Toronto next week to hold Olympic meetings.

USA Hockey will have a meeting Tuesday in Toronto with its national team advisory group, which consists of Brian Burke, Don Waddell, David Poile, Paul Holmgren, Ray Shero, Dean Lombardi, Dale Tallon and Stan Bowman. The group will touch on preparations for the upcoming men’s IIHF world championships plus, of course, the Sochi Olympics.

Team USA actually hasn’t yet named its GM for the Olympics and is waiting until the NHL officially signs off on Sochi participation.

Team Canada GM Steve Yzerman will assemble with his Olympic management staff -- Ken Holland, Doug Armstrong, Kevin Lowe -- along with Hockey Canada president Bob Nicholson and Hockey Canada senior director Brad Pascall on Thursday in Toronto.

Yzerman’s group will update their player evaluation list after the games they’ve been watching/scouting since the beginning of the season.

Canada hasn’t announced its coaching staff yet, waiting for the NHL to officially sign off on Olympic participation, but you can bet Mike Babcock will be back as head coach.