ESPN NHL

Another week full of terrific rants. Let’s take a look:

strummerdood: LeBrun, can Ilya Bryzgalov finally get some respect? Everyone from fans to the media have been relentless with their attacks against the eccentric goaltender, going so far as prophesying that Holmgren would actually try to trade away Ilya's contract before the deadline. Yes, he's been inconsistent this season, but half a season shouldn't erase a Vezina nomination, along with a handful of statistically-great seasons. Since January, he's been more on point, and during Philly's recent road trip, he's kept the team alive despite a bad break here and there. He's showing why Holmgren signed him long-term, but with everyone scrutinizing every single goal he lets up, I don't think he's getting the respect he deserves.

My take: I take it you mean his Vezina nomination from a few years ago in Phoenix, not that you believe he should be nominated this year. If that was the case, I’d be very concerned for you. I do think Bryz has settled down in the second half and I think he’ll be fine in the long run. The adjustment period was always going to be tricky for him. He’d never played in a big NHL market.

hawkzfan19: My rant begins and ends with the current point system in the NHL. All of these three-point games that bunch up the standings are hurting the league when it comes toward the end of the season. Look at the trade deadline. There were what, four maybe five teams that were "sellers" and the rest all were holding on to players because there was just no way to definitely say that they were out of the race. When is it that the NHL will wise up and change the point system to allow the better teams to rise to the top and create some separation from the weaker teams in the league and make the trade deadline not only fun again but also the vital time of year to allow contenders to fill out their rosters?

And ...

vipeviper: I would rather the trade deadline be the most boring day of the season than get rid of the parity that exists now. It is better for the league to have more teams with a chance to make the playoffs than not. I don't understand why everyone thinks a slow deadline day hurts the league. It doesn't!! It is better when everyone IS a contender.

My take: Well, those are the two viewpoints on this issue. Some GMs I talk to would like to re-visit the idea of three points for a 60-minute win (the GMs discussed it at the 2004 meetings in Henderson, Nev.). But other GMs and the league head office points to the tight and dramatic playoff races in March/April. I suspect the league won’t change its mind on this. Parity is healthy in its mind.

stunard2000: Another year, another non-trade by the Wings. Are you kidding me? Don't they know the spark it provides to sign a big name to the roster? Don't they know it gives the guys a feeling that 'Hey, our management is doing all it can to get us deep into the playoffs?' Don't they know that it's just in time for the playoff push? And don't they know that, historically, the Wings have exited the playoffs early because they didn't make a move to shore up some part of the team? Where's the Shanny deals? The Brett Hull, Larionov, Dino C trades? Give the team a spark. Give them something they're missing (um, how about an enforcer, which has been missing since the middle ages?).

My take: Boy, some of you Wings fans are hard to please. You’ve got the best GM in the NHL and you’ve been the model franchise for 20-plus years and it’s not good enough? Yes, the Wings were quiet on deadline day, but they acquired Kyle Quincey prior to it, a solid addition on the blue line. Yes, I would have like to see them add some size/grit to their bottom six forward group. But the price for Paul Gaustad was a first-round pick, which the Wings didn’t have. Pittsburgh, Washington, Toronto and Philadelphia also didn’t do much on deadline day. It was that kind of year. Not many sellers. I wouldn’t sweat it if I were you. The Wings are still big-time contenders.

maxjunge: Dear San Jose, Who are you? That's all I really want to know. Every year you raise my hopes with aspirations that maybe, just maybe this is the year. You send your coach to the All-Star Game, had the best point percentage in the NHL and at one point were at the top of the power rankings. You had everyone wide-eyed because this was going to be the year. Veterans in place, prime-aged players peaking, young guns improving, it all lined up until ... well, until a nine-game road trip that sent you skidding almost out of the playoff race, that let Phoenix take the Pacific Division lead, and that once again has all of us here in the Bay wondering, will this be another overhyped year? Will we again be the punchline of the hockey world? To that, I don't know, but all I can say, is San Jose, please figure yourselves out, for all of us. Love, A teal-bleeding fan

My take: Well, at least you were treated to back-to-back trips to the Western Conference finals, including back-to-back playoff eliminations of the Detroit Red Wings. I can think of a lot of fans of other teams that would take that. But I do share your concern with the team right now. Before Tuesday night’s 1-0 win over Philadelphia, I felt the Sharks had really loosened up defensively over the past month. Some of that was because Antti Niemi had struggled in net, but the overall team defensive play was also not up to par. I’ll be curious to see how the team looks once Martin Havlat and Douglas Murray return. They really haven’t had their full team all season. I still think they can make it fun, but I feel less confident of that now than I did in October.

clownbaby006: Why are the Coyotes only No. 11 in the power rankings? 11-0-1 in February (10-0-1 at the time the latest rankings posted) and they aren't even in the top 10? Every win during this streak, except for the Oilers, has been against contending teams, including taking the top team in the league to a shootout twice. They might not be the most talented or have the best overall record, but right now they are playing just as well as anybody, and that's what the power ranking should show. It's not another version of the standings, it's how teams are playing recently, and you can't convince me the Yotes aren't one of the best teams going into March.

My take: I totally agree with you, sir. Can’t believe the Yotes were only 11th in the rankings. Oh wait, I did the rankings. Can I get a mulligan? No question I should have had them higher. Takes a man to admit he’s wrong! Honestly, though, once again you have to tip your hat at GM Don Maloney and head coach Dave Tippett. The ongoing ownership saga hasn’t dulled their focus and effort. It’s truly a remarkable story.

winpro: Oh, my Leafs. It's so hard being a Leafs fan. Knowing that the owners don't care about winning because they make money no matter what, but on the other hand still wanting just to make the playoffs so badly and watching it slip away every year. Burke and Wilson need to go. Nobody wants to do deals with Burke. Wilson is a failure as a coach. He had so much talent in San Jose and did nothing. The media, Burke and the coaching staff put so much pressure on the goalies that they have no confidence playing in Toronto. Go with Reimer or The Monster and get them some veteran backup help and put some confidence into the starter instead of this teeter toter of starters. They have the speed and good young players but they lack the toughness and leadership of a true No. 1 star. Or else it will be another 50 years before they win a Cup.

My take: All my pals are Leafs fans, which makes sense since I live in Toronto. It’s just unreal to see what’s happening yet again. The season had looked pretty promising. I like a lot of the moves Burke has made in rebuilding this team, particularly getting Jake Gardiner out of Anaheim, but his mistake last offseason was trusting the James Reimer-Jonas Gustavsson combination in goal as good enough to make the playoffs. The Leafs should have added a veteran netminder in order to help Reimer shoulder the load, or as insurance in case he didn’t live up to the standard he set last season as a rookie. If the Leafs do indeed miss the playoffs, that’s where the downfall was.

the1manparty: What was with the lack of action at the trade deadline? I find it hilarious that the NHL was promoting the day with #bebold, and teams were anything but. There are so many teams that needed help going into the playoff push, and no one took initiative. The teams that needed to sell or at least mix up the locker room seemed to be the worst. Do the Capitals really think they are in any position to succeed over the coming months? Why not move someone to wake the locker room up? Their leadership obviously isn't doing it. The only team that could be said to have done anything is Nashville, and for that reason I hope they are rewarded.

My take: The No. 1 reason for it is parity. The standings are so close that not enough teams would all-out declare themselves sellers. That created a market where the rentals cost too much (see first-round pick for Paul Gaustad). Leafs GM Brian Burke for a years now has pushed the idea of bringing back the ability to retain salary in trades. Right now, that’s against the rules in the CBA. But Burke believes if teams could eat some of the salary of a player it is trading (as was the case pre-2004 in the NHL), that it would loosen up the trade market. More and more GMs are agreeing with Burke on this and I can tell you the NHL will give it some thought in the next round of CBA talks. Not only would you get more trades on deadline day, but you’d get more trades year-round.

NyMets5721575: I'm tired of people bashing the Rangers because they did not acquire Rick Nash or another scorer out there during the deadline. The prices for these players like Gaustad and Nash were outrageous. First off, Gaustad isn't even that great of a scorer and no way is he worth a first-round pick and as for Nash, if you look at who they were giving up, Scott Howson is a moron for not taking it. The Rangers were giving him the core of their farm system plus Dubinsky and a first-round pick. C'mon, how do you not move him? He's going to be miserable in Columbus for the rest of his tenure there. The Rangers were smart in not giving up the house for him as well and not breaking up their chemistry; that's why they will have a deep run in the playoffs.

My take: Agreed. The Rangers were wise to keep their wits on this. They were willing to pay a certain price but not lose their minds. They’ve got a tight team, tremendous chemistry, and it wasn’t worth blowing it up for Nash. For Brandon Dubinsky and top prospects? Yes, you do it. But not more than that.

For oomph factor, Trade Deadline Day 2012 was far too much sizzle and far too little steak.

But if you take out your trade magnifying glass, there were some interesting under-the-radar deals on a day that was in itself pretty much under the radar. Here’s a look at a handful of trades that folks will look back on as being moments of great import.

Toronto trades Keith Aulie to Tampa Bay Lightning for Carter Ashton
On a day that saw an unusually small number of hockey deals done, this is an intriguing one that both teams hope will correct some long-standing problems for the long term. The Lightning are top-heavy offensively, both in terms of how their salaries are committed and the number of their top-end prospects, and it has been GM Steve Yzerman’s desire to correct that imbalance. Thus, he was willing to trade Ashton, a big-bodied, talented winger, for the 22-year-old Aulie.

“As far as Keith Aulie goes, he’s a player we’ve been talking about for some time now," GM Steve Yzerman told reporters in Tampa on Monday night. "We weren’t sure if there was going to be anything to that. I got a call from Toronto this morning indicating that they wanted to pursue it, and we got that one done."

Although there were visa issues, Yzerman’s plan is to get Aulie into the Lightning lineup as soon as possible.

“He’s a young guy, and he’s been up and down a bit in the American League. We would like to get him into our lineup and give him more NHL games and experience. From watching him, we think he’s close to being an NHL regular,” Yzerman said.

The Leafs, conversely, have accumulated significant defensive depth, and there's the emergence of Jake Gardiner as an eye-catching defensive prospect. GM Brian Burke was able to move another impressive prospect in Aulie to add a 20-year-old with a big upside to shore up a position of historic weakness for the Leafs.

Ashton is expected to join the Leafs’ AHL team. “I like that he is a prototypical power forward -- size, good feet, good hands,” Toronto GM Brian Burke told ESPN.com.

Tampa trades Matt Gilroy to Ottawa for Brian Lee
This interesting, late deal involved two young defensemen who haven’t exactly lived up to significant expectations. Both teams hope that a change of scenery alters that course. Gilroy, 27, is a former Hobey Baker Award winner as the top U.S. collegiate player who was signed by the New York Rangers as a free agent. He couldn’t stick with the Rangers and signed as a free agent last summer with Tampa, for whom he played 53 games this season, scoring twice.

He was in a shopping mall when he heard about the trade but is looking forward to joining a team that is modeling itself after the Detroit Red Wings in trying to ice three sets of defensemen, in which each set possesses a strong puck-mover alongside a more defensive partner.

Head coach Paul MacLean is hoping Gilroy, who will play Tuesday night against Boston with veteran defenseman Chris Phillips, will use his skill set not just to help with the breakout but to jump up into the play as well.

Teams that don’t attack with four players have difficulty scoring, MacLean said Tuesday.

“That’s the type of player we like on the back end,” the coach said.

Lee, conversely, was the ninth overall pick in the 2005 draft but has struggled to find his game, bouncing regularly between the Senators and their AHL affiliate in Binghamton since being drafted. The 24-year-old is 6-foot-3 and appeared in 34 games for the Sens this season, scoring once. Looking at a significant rebuilding of the blue line, the Lightning are hoping Lee will be able to find a greater comfort zone and maybe face less pressure given his status as a top draft pick.

“We think he’s still a prospect," Yzerman said. "He’s a young guy with some potential. I think the trade was a good fit for both clubs."

Minnesota Wild trade Nick Schultz to the Edmonton Oilers for Tom Gilbert
The Edmonton Oilers are chock-a-block with young offensive talent, but not so much on the blue line. Schultz is a rock-solid competitor who played his entire career in Minnesota and will be a boon to the young Edmonton locker room. But it is Gilbert who looks to have the greatest move to turn this trade into a significant boost for the Wild, who got younger along the blue line during the trade period, trading veterans Marek Zidlicky, 35, and Greg Zanon, 31, and acquiring Kurtis Foster, 30, and Gilbert, 29. GM Chuck Fletcher was familiar with Gilbert, an invitee to the U.S. orientation camp before the 2010 Olympics, from Fletcher’s days as the GM of the Pittsburgh Penguins’ AHL farm team in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. Although Gilbert is considered an offensive defenseman, Fletcher told reporters Monday he felt his game was much more well-rounded.

“I think Tom is a strong puck-mover and certainly has the ability to contribute offensively, but I feel he has a solid two-way game,” Fletcher said. "I don’t know that I’d characterize him purely as an offensive defenseman. I don’t think it’s fair to his talents.”

With the Wild struggling again to define their identity, Gilbert has the opportunity to emerge as an important part of the Wild’s next generation of defenders.

Most Points in Remainder of Season
By A Player Traded on Deadline Day (since 1979-80)
Peter Mueller, COL: 20, 2009-10
Robert Reichel, NYI: 19, 1996-97
Brian Campbell, SJ: 19, 2007-08

Notable Players Acquired at Deadline
By Eventual Stanley Cup Champion
(Since lockout ended in 2005-06)
2011 Bruins, No one
2010 Blackhawks, No one
2009 Penguins, RW Bill Guerin
2008 Red Wings, D Brad Stuart
2007 Ducks, LW Brad May
2006 Hurricanes, RW Mark Recchi

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.

Here’s a look at teams that took a step in the right direction before the trade deadline and some that stubbed their toes on a day that failed to live up to expectations because of a small number of sellers and the high prices being asked by those willing to deal.

Nashville Predators
Having already bolstered the blue line with the earlier acquisition of veteran defenseman Hal Gill Nashville, GM David Poile got a top-six forward in Andrei Kostitsyn. Then, late in the day, the Preds added big center Paul Gaustad from Buffalo. Kostitsyn comes with significant baggage, having fallen out of favor in Montreal, and he will join his younger brother, Sergei Kostitsyn, who has shed his own baggage to come an important part of a Nashville Predators team that has Stanley Cup aspirations. Kostitsyn will become an unrestricted free agent this summer, and what better way to ensure a big payday come July 1 then by proving his many detractors wrong? Gaustad cost the Predators a first-round pick (the Preds got a fourth-round pick back in the deal), which is a lot to give up for a player who can become an unrestricted free agent in July but he will give the Predators added depth down the middle and will be expected to provide depth scoring, which will be key come playoff time.


San Jose Sharks
Not able to come up with the goods to pry Rick Nash out of Columbus, the Sharks addressed size and toughness issues by adding two NHL regulars in Daniel Winnik and T.J. Galiardi from the Colorado Avalanche. Both are 6-foot-2 and will help flesh out a Sharks lineup that has been revealed this season as being too top-heavy. The Sharks had to give up Jamie McGinn and a couple of prospects but depth is going to be key for a slumping Sharks team and they got more of that with this deal.

Colorado Avalanche
The Avs have done some shuffling in the past few days and completed that roster juggling by acquiring McGinn on Monday afternoon. The earlier addition of Steve Downie from Tampa for defenseman Kyle Quincey (who savaged the franchise after he was flipped to Detroit) has paid immediate dividends, and that move set the stage for GM Greg Sherman to make the moves with the Sharks. The Avs are right in the thick of the playoff race in spite of subtly changing the complexion of the team.

Tampa Bay Lightning
After shipping off regulars Dominic Moore, Pavel Kubina and Steve Downie in the days leading up to Monday’s trade deadline, GM Steve Yzerman began the process of restocking his defensive shelf by adding promising defensemen Keith Aulie from Toronto and Brian Lee, who was the ninth overall pick in 2005. Yzerman sent a big forward prospect in Carter Ashton to Toronto and former Hobey Baker winner Matt Gilroy to Ottawa. Nothing to suggest Lee is going to be a Norris Trophy winner, but Aulie will get a chance to be an everyday NHLer with a Tampa team that needed to get younger on the blue line. Yzerman also added veteran defenseman Mike Commodore, who couldn’t break into the Detroit lineup with regularity. That is a move that helps fill out the Lightning roster for the rest of the season.

Vancouver Canucks
A bold move for the Vancouver Canucks late in the day Monday as they were rebuffed in their efforts to land Dallas forward Steve Ott -- and instead brought in big, rugged winger Zack Kassian and defenseman Marc-Andre Gragnani from the Buffalo Sabres for promising center Cody Hodgson and defenseman Alexander Sulzer. Kassian is 6-foot-3, 228 pounds and having watched the Canucks get pushed around by the Boston Bruins in last season’s final, this is the kind of player GM Mike Gillis was looking for to ensure that won’t happen again. The Canucks also added veteran checking center Sami Pahlsson. Now, Pahlsson is not the same guy who was such a key part of the Anaheim Ducks’ run to the Stanley Cup in 2007, when he was part of the game’s best shutdown line with Travis Moen and Rob Niedermayer and scored two game winners. But the Vancouver Canucks, who acquired the veteran checking center for two fourth-round draft picks and defensive prospect Taylor Ellington, don’t necessarily need him to be that player. But his experience in the trenches and defensive responsibility has the potential to be another important piece to what the Canucks hope will finally be a Stanley Cup puzzle.

Boston Bruins
The Bruins would have liked to add a significant piece up front, especially with Rich Peverley and Nathan Horton sidelined with injury, but did come up with veteran Brian Rolston, who returns to the B's for a second go-round. He still possess a hard shot but was recently waived by the New York Islanders and it’s hard to imagine him making a significant impact. Still, all it will take is a timely power-play goal or two and this deal will be justified. We also liked like the addition of veteran rearguard Greg Zanon from Minnesota late in the going on Monday. Zanon adds another hard-to-play-against defender who should quickly become a favorite of coach Claude Julien. Mike Mottau, who came over in the Rolston deal, gives the Bruins even more depth along the blue line, which will come in handy given that GM Peter Chiarelli confirmed Monday that Johnny Boychuk is out with a “mild” concussion.

Buffalo Sabres
This has been a nightmare season for the Buffalo Sabres but kudos to GM Darcy Regier for squeezing a first-round pick out of Nashville for Paul Gaustad, who didn’t fit the long-term plans of the Sabres. And then to add a talented center in Cody Hodgson and a depth defenseman in Alexander Sulzer for Zack Kassian and Marc-Andre Gragnani, that’s a pretty good return. Hodgson was buried on the Vancouver depth chart behind Henrik Sedin and Ryan Kesler, so this will give Hodgson a chance to get more quality ice time with the Sabres, and his up-side is extremely high. Buffalo remains a smallish team but perhaps Regier will get a chance to address that in the offseason.


When the clock ticked down to 3 p.m. ET, there were lots of teams that didn’t quite get to where they wanted to go. Here’s a look at the biggest.

Columbus Blue Jackets
In spite of intense pressure from the Rick Nash camp to move the big winger, GM Scott Howson wouldn’t budge off his high asking price, and so the deadline came and went without a move of the unhappy captain. This will set up an interesting few weeks and Howson will take another run at dealing Nash in the offseason. Should Howson, who did well in acquiring Jack Johnson for Jeff Carter before the deadline, backed off to eliminate the ongoing distraction of the Nash saga? Time will tell.

New York Rangers
The Rangers were one of the most ardent suitors of Nash but they would not part with all the pieces that Howson wanted, and then came up empty in an effort to add offensive zip, acquiring hulking John Scott from Chicago as their only roster move of the day. Are the Rangers still the best team in the Eastern Conference? Sure. But that gap might not have been as pronounced as it was before the trade period.

Washington Capitals
A bit curious that GM George McPhee didn’t unload disgruntled defenseman Roman Hamrlik, although he was good to his word that he wouldn’t trade veteran winger Mike Knuble, who had recently been a healthy scratch under head coach Dale Hunter.

Dallas Stars
The Stars would really have liked to move Steve Ott and Mike Ribeiro, but were interested in making a hockey deal. It’s believed the Stars coveted James van Riemsdyk of the Philadelphia Flyers but in spite of intense interest in Ott a deal that made sense for GM Joe Nieuwendyk didn’t materialize and so the Stars stood pat. Given that they’re currently a playoff team, maybe that’s not such a bad thing.

Carolina Hurricanes
We know that GM Jim Rutherford thought he had a deal done for Jaroslav Spacek, but that ended up falling through. And so in the end he ended up re-signing Tuomo Ruutu and Tim Gleason, and hanging onto defensemen Spacek and Bryan Allen.

Toronto Maple Leafs
No Rick Nash and no goaltending help, which will further enrage Leaf Nation. But in the end, Brian Burke might end up being happy with his non-moves as he didn’t disrupt the core of his team, even though they have fallen back in the playoff pack. Burke did ship out promising defensive prospect Keith Aulie for a big forward prospect, Carter Ashton, whom Burke likes for his size (he’s 6-foot-3, 215 pounds) and skill.

Chicago Blackhawks
GM Stan Bowman was in much the same position that Boston GM Peter Chiarelli was in looking to add a forward with some skill and grit, but those players simply weren’t available. Bowman did bring in Johnny Oduya from Winnipeg, where he was averaging 19:20 a night in ice time. He should help boost the Blackhawks’ depth, although this marks Oduya’s third team (fourth if you count the Atlanta Thrashers’ move to Winnipeg) since breaking into the NHL in 2006-07.

Detroit Red Wings
The Red Wings had significant interest in Paul Gaustad, but having traded their first-round pick in the 2012 draft for Kyle Quincey, Detroit GM Ken Holland didn’t have the resources needed to get a deal done.

Pittsburgh Penguins
Ray Shero has never been shy at the deadline but really his only need this season -- apart from getting Sidney Crosby back on the ice, of course -- was to look into goaltending depth to give Marc-Andre Fleury a break down the stretch, but that didn’t happen.

Stats on this year's trade deadline: 15 trades were made, involving 31 players and 11 picks.

The Buffalo Sabres have traded F Zack Kassian and D Alexander Sulzer to the Vancouver Canucks for C Cody Hodgson and D Marc-Andre Gragnani.

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 Toronto Maple Leafs have sent F Dale Mitchell to the Anaheim Ducks for D Mark Fraser.

Big John Scott has been traded by the Chicago Blackhawks to the New York Rangers for a fifth-round pick in 2012, ESPNNewYork.com's Katie Strang has confirmed.

The Islanders sent veterans W Brian Rolston and D Mike Mottau to the Boston Bruins, multiple sources confirmed to ESPNNewYork.com.

The Islanders acquired prospects Yannick Riendeau and Marc Cantin from Boston in the deal.

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

In addition to getting Rolston and Mottau from the Islanders, the Bruins also acquired defeseman Greg Zanon from Minnesota for defenseman Steven Kampfer, a league source confirmed to ESPNBoston.com's James Murphy.

The Buffalo Sabres have traded C Paul Gaustad and a fourth-round pick to the Nashville Predators for first-round pick in 2012.

The Winnipeg Jets have sent D Johnny Oduya to the Chicago Blackhawks for second- and third-round picks in 2013.

From Barry Melrose: "I think it is a great move for Chicago. Obviously, they needed defensive help, and Oduya fits the Chicago style. He is a great skater and a guy who can really help their depth, and they didn't have to give up anyone off their roster."

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."

D Brian Lee has been acquired by Tampa Bay Lightning from Ottawa Senators for D Matt Gilroy.