It’s been a busy few days in the National Hockey League, to say the least. Teams are preparing for the upcoming season by stripping away valuable roster parts in last-minute bids to prepare for the draft. Awards are being handed out, with Henrik Sedin picking up the Hart and Ryan Miller winning the Vezina. And the Stanley Cup champs are beginning to get their squad in line for next season.

The Blackhawks started the process by sending Dustin Byfuglien, Brent Sopel, Ben Eager, and prospect Akim Aliu to the Atlanta Thrashers for Marty Reasoner, Jeremy Morin, and the 24th and 54th overall picks in Friday’s draft.

The deal came just hours before the NHL Awards were handed out in Las Vegas, so the news was tough to take for Norris Trophy winner Duncan Keith.

“Well, it really does sadden me,” Keith said. “You know things are going to change when you win the Cup, the way our cap situation was. It’s too bad it had to be like this, but at the same time we’ve got to start looking forward. When these things do happen, I’m sure there might be some more, and it’s not going to be fun.”

The trade is obviously designed for salary dumping purposes and should free up capital for the Blackhawks to sign key players, although one has to wonder about the dealing of a quality player like Byfuglien. He was a key component to just about every Blackhawks playoff win and his presence in front of the net disturbed an array of big time NHLers.

The salary shipped out by the Hawks’ Stan Bowman rings up to $5.33 million, all things considered, and will have little trouble in handling Reasoner’s $1.5 million.

Whether this deal will help or hurt the Blackhawks on the ice is a matter of debate, of course, but it does appear that this is largely about saving money for Bowman and Co. Byfuglien is a loss that the Blackhawks will have to make up for, as their physical presence was mainly headed by his ability to get under the skin of the opposition.

Posted by Jordan Richardson.

The Atlanta Thrashers have fired head coach John Anderson and assistants Randy Cunneyworth, Todd Nelson and Steve Weeks.

The house cleaning at the coaching level may not be enough to change the fortunes of the Thrashers, however, who have seen years of poor management decisions result in yet another missed opportunity. After losing Ilya Kovalchuk and ending up on the outside looking in for the post-season, there’s little left for fans in Atlanta to cheer for.

The Thrashers finished 10th in the Eastern Conference and didn’t make the playoffs for the third consecutive season.

Anderson went 70-75-19 behind the bench in Atlanta and spent 15 years coaching in the minors.

The Thrashers also promoted Don Waddell to president and Rick Dudley to general manager. Waddell’s shift in focus could be seen as a welcome change, but it’s hard to say if Dudley will be able to invoke enough of a difference in the franchise to shift the team’s fortunes.

“My role within the company has evolved and grown the last few years, and the owners and I agree that it’s the appropriate time to have Rick assume all hockey-related responsibilities while I shift my primary focus to the business side of the Thrashers,” said Waddell in a statement.

So will these changes mean anything in Atlanta? Probably not. The team has a decent young group of players to work with, but they’re still well short of any long-term success. Unless and until a management group comes along that takes the team’s needs seriously, I don’t see much hope for the Thrashers.

Posted by Jordan Richardson.

Veteran defenceman Chris Chelios has been snapped up by the Atlanta Thrashers.

The 48-year-old has spent 25 seasons in the National Hockey League and was released by the Detroit Red Wings after last season. He went on to spend time with the Thrasher’s affiliate Chicago Wolves in the AHL and posted 21 points in 44 games.

Chelios has appeared in 266 playoff games, an NHL record, and has won three Stanley Cups in his career.

With the Thrashers just two points out of a playoff spot, they’re clearly looking for a boost in the locker room from Chelios. Having traded away Ilya Kovalchuk to the New Jersey Devils in the beginning of February, the move appears to be one geared towards arming Zach Bogosian and Tobias Enstrom with a mentor with playoff experience.

It’s clear that the Thrashers haven’t given up on their post-season hopes, but whether Chelios is the type of player that can help them actually get to the playoffs remains to be seen.

Terms of the Chelios signing were not disclosed.

Posted by Jordan Richardson.

Speculation is running rampant over Atlanta Thrashers goalie Kari Lehtonen and a possible trade with the Dallas Stars. Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution is one of the lead reporters on this story in Atlanta and he’s saying that the deal could be done any time now.

Dallas will be sending prospect Ivan Vishnevskiy to Atlanta in exchange for Lehtonen. The deal opens up trade rumours over the future of Marty Turco, of course, and that could mean that Dallas could be looking to move him soon as well.

Lehtonen is currently worth about $3 million this season and will become an unrestricted free agent, so the move makes sense considering Atlanta’s recent restocking process. Now that the Trashers can use Ondrej Pavelec and veteran Johan Hedberg as a goaltending tandem, Lehtonen’s the obvious odd man out.

Lehtonen hasn’t appeared in a game this season and has just come off a two-week conditioning run with the Chicago Wolves in the AHL. His trade value can’t be all that high because of that, but it looks like the Stars are willing to take the risk.

Turco is set for unrestricted free agency on July 1 and there hasn’t been much talk in Dallas of keeping him in the fold.

UPDATE: This trade is now official. Atlanta is also getting a fourth round draft pick.

Posted by Jordan Richardson.

As we reported here earlier, Ilya Kovalchuk is now a member of the New Jersey Devils. This sets into motion a series of compelling storylines and, suitably, closes a pile of other storylines.

Working on what we know, Kovalchuk wanted out of Atlanta. The first overall selection in the 2001 NHL entry draft had no interest in remaining a Thrasher and had no interest in investing any more of himself to the city of Atlanta than was necessary. While he never came right out and demanded a trade, there was no question that Kovy wanted out.

A player who wants to remain with a team typically doesn’t turn down two lucrative deals to stay there, as Kovy did with Don Waddell’s obscene pair of offers last fall. Even after rejecting those deals, Waddell wanted to keep his superstar. That’s why he peppered up a deal worth another pile of money to keep his player. The deal, had Kovalchuk signed, would have made the Thrasher the highest paid player in the National Hockey League.

With battles in the management in Atlanta and inconsistency on the ice, Kovalchuk’s desire to leave could hardly be blamed. In looking at the Thrashers, he saw what the rest of us see on a nightly basis: a team going nowhere. His dedication to the squad was nonexistent, so Waddell’s desire to keep such a player really brings up a few questions.

Why take such a risk? Why pay a player so much money if it’s clear he doesn’t want to play there?

That, it seems, is where the Devils came in. Obviously looking for a roster shuffle of their own, New Jersey has gone on a disappointing slide as of late and have had to contend with the loss of Patrik Elias. It’s not an easy picture in Jersey, so Lou Lamoriello knew something had to be done. With the Kovalchuk sweepstakes heating up, it was time to make something happen.

Lamoriello gave up Swedish defenceman Johnny Oduya, rookie forward Niclas Bergfors, prospect Patrick Cormier, and a first-round pick for Kovalchuk and defenceman Anssi Salmela.

So who wins?

Kovalchuk is obviously an impact player, but how well he’ll mesh with Jersey’s style remains to be seen. Indeed, the style question is probably the biggest question mark regarding this whole convoluted matter. Considering how desperate the Devils were for a roster repositioning, it may be possible that they’re also desperate to try new things on the ice too. But is now the time for experimentation? Is now the time to shift things up ice from a defensive-minded perspective to a run-and-gun style?

This alteration in style would make sense if it appeared that Kovalchuk was more than just a rental, but few signs point to his desire to sign a long-term deal in New Jersey. The most likely option at this point remains that he’ll bolt for the KHL, so it’s hard to imagine the logic behind Lamoriello and Co. shifting things so drastically for a muted playoff run.

In the end, Atlanta comes out looking okay. Oduya is a capable defenceman who can crunch some minutes. Bergfors may turn out to be an unsung hero sort of player and Cormier’s reputation proceeds him.

The situation mirrors the one from two years ago when the Thrashers were “forced” to give up Marian Hossa for a pile of similar players. In the long run, deals like this may lead to an inevitable and much-needed reshuffling of management in Atlanta. Of course, the ownership has to have a reasonable interest in seeing on-ice success for that sort of thing to happen.

Posted by Jordan Richardson.

At long last, the Ilya Kovalchuk saga is over.

Kovalchuk was traded to the New Jersey Devils in exchange for Niclas Bergfors, Johnny Oduya, the elbowing prospect Patrice Cormier and a first-round pick.

The deal gives the Devils an unproven playoff talent (and a rather good sniper) and finally ends Don Waddell’s attempts at signing his player in Atlanta. Waddell offered Kovy a 12-year extension worth $101 million, reportedly, but his player turned it down.

Kovalchuk is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent at season’s end and there’s a whole lot of speculation as to where he’ll end up. Many are suspecting that he’ll bolt to the KHL for a rather large chunk of change. There’s no word yet as to whether or not New Jersey is hoping he’ll re-sign at season’s end to a significant long-term deal or if they’re just planning on having him aboard as a rental.

How Kovalchuk will fit with New Jersey’s system is probably the biggest question mark of all. He’s not particularly known for being a defensive player, so it’ll be interesting to see how he meshes with the Devils. New Jersey is Martin Brodeur’s team, after all, and one has to wonder how the Devils will handle juggling two big name superstars.

We’ll have more analysis on this trade at a later time.

Posted by Jordan Richardson.

It could be a matter of days or even hours, but a trade involving Atlanta’s Ilya Kovalchuk is expected soon. Very soon.

There are still a number of possibilities for a final destination for Kovalchuk and the speculation is running rampant. The only sure bit of news is that Atlanta Thrashers GM Don Waddell told his player to expect a trade in the coming hours or days. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported on Tuesday that Waddell had not talked to Kovalchuk or his agent, Jay Grossman, about anything in over a week.

Some are looking at busy Calgary Flames GM Darryl Sutter to make a move for Kovalchuk. He’s got about $1.2 million worth of cap space and has been rather active making moves as of late and Sutter could swing the deal by simply sending a bit of money to Atlanta in exchange for the player.

Chicago, Boston and Los Angeles are also said to be in the running for Kovalchuk’s services.

As the clock ticks away, a number of other possibilities are being discussed. Twitter is abuzz with rumours, with suggestions that Kovalchuk is nearing a deal with Anaheim or New Jersey. One discussion has him going to the Devils in exchange for Bergfors, Oduya, Palmieri, and a draft pick. Others are reporting a deal with Anaheim involving Scott Neidermayer and Bobby Ryan.

Waddell also scouted the Flyers and Islanders last week, too, and the New York Rangers are said to also be in the running after clearing some cap room.

The problem with signing Kovalchuk is that he’s a bit of a risk at this point and time. Nobody is sure about his intentions for next season, with word that he’s going to head to the KHL being floated around most clubs. When Kovalchuk signs, he’ll most likely be signing to a team he believes will take him to a Cup win.

We’ll be keeping you posted on all the Kovalchuk news as the clock ticks away.

Posted by Jordan Richardson.

A whole lot of names are being batted around alongside Ilya Kovalchuk, as an eventual destination for the Thrasher could be just about anywhere. Looking around online, it’s getting increasingly more difficult to sort out the facts from the rumours. At this point and time, nothing is known in concrete terms about where Kovalchuk could wind up.

But that doesn’t mean it isn’t fun to take a look at some of the scraps, right?

The Los Angeles Kings are said to be in the market for Kovalchuk, says Ken Campbell from The Hockey News. Campbell cited multiple sources when he said that the Kings were interested in the player, but he also noted that the asking price was more than Dean Lombardi wanted to spend. Even so, terms are being bandied about between the Thrashers and Kings and that stands as being a possible trade that could see Kovalchuk sunning it up in California.

The thing people need to keep in mind, as Campbell pointed out, is that Kovalchuk may actually not move before the March 3 deadline. While most observers think the guy’s going to get passed somewhere else, it may not actually happen. As surprising as the possibilities are, it’s also possible that this whole saga won’t wrap up during this year’s regular season.

Then there’s the possibility of Kovalchuk going to Colorado, a possibility floated in theory form by Rory Boylen’s blog. He noted that the Avalanche have a history of shrewd moves of this nature and that their position in the standings could lend them to interest in a player of Kovalchuk’s calibre. Pierre Lacroix did indeed spend some bank on building big teams for his championships and he didn’t think twice about adding players like Patrick Roy, Ray Bourque and Rob Blake to the mix. While Greg Sherman is the GM, Lacroix still parks in the presidential parking space and may have the clout to swing something.

Lacroix could go Kovy if need be and, with about $7 million in cap space available, anything’s possible.

Yahoo Sports has reported rumours of Kovalchuk heading to Toronto. Of course, no circle of trade talks would be complete without somehow interjecting the Blessed Leafs into the deal. Even so, Mark J. Miller seems pretty convinced that Kovalchuk could be dressing in blue and white before season’s end.

Miller notes that Brian Burke will need to decide on the future of key components like Ian White and Jonas Gustavsson first, though, and that’s where the absurdity of his report starts to unravel. Is Kovalchuk really worth that type of gamble in Toronto? Isn’t that the exact type of player Burke seems to be against signing?

“There are a bunch of Leafs that become free agents this summer and the team could save itself more than $12 million if it let them all go, but one player cannot replace them all on the ice,” Miller writes. Very astute, Mark. You cannot replace a “bunch of Leafs” with one player.

At the end of the day, it’s still anybody’s guess as to where the Kovalchukian one will end up. But one thing’s for sure: it sure is fun to speculate!

Posted by Jordan Richardson.

There have been a number of reports floating around the hockey world that suggest that Thrashers superstar Ilya Kovalchuk is asking for over $10 million a season to remain in Atlanta. That’s a hefty price tag for what many analysts consider to be a mixed bag player in Kovalchuk.

But the fact of the matter is that the Thrashers flat-out stink without him in the line-up.

So what are the options? Do the Thrashers hope to scoop up somebody good that can turn the franchise around and energize the room? Do they go for someone with a bit more defensive oomph than Kovalchuk?

Kovalchuk gets a bad rap from many hockey purists for being a bit of a one-sided player and, to an extent, the criticism has some legs. But the Atlanta captain has been known to drop the mitts from time to time to stand up for his players, which is something few other NHL snipers of his caliber do. The Russian has fought once this season already, against Matt Cooke, and seemingly isn’t afraid to demonstrate his leadership on the ice by getting a little dirty.

But his back-checking game can obviously use some work, as he’s often one of the last guys back into the zone. Sure, the Atlanta captain is probably waiting up ice for a turnover, but his type of defensive laziness is inexcusable from a National Hockey League captain.

At the moment, reports are indicating the Kovalchuk is making Atlanta GM Don Waddell sweat it out. He’s already showed little to no interest in the offer put forward by the boss and may actually jet for the KHL.

So it’s time for Waddell and the Thrashers to play hardball and protect their interests, I think. It’s time for Kovalchuk and his agent, Jay Grossman, to get their stuff together and get moving on some sort of negotiation or deal that’s fair to the place that has been more than fair this whole time.

Kovalchuk is a good hockey player, no question about it. But he’s not a franchise player and the sooner Waddell realizes that fact the better it will be for his hockey club. The time has come to try something new in Atlanta.

Let the post Kovy era begin, Thrashers.

Posted by Jordan Richardson.

The Atlanta Thrashers will be without their best player for two to four weeks after Ilya Kovalchuk suffered a foot injury in Sunday’s game against the Sharks.

Kovalchuk had a CT scan Monday that revealed a small fracture of a non-weight bearing bone.

The Thrashers are currently 4-3-1 and looking in good shape to start the new season, sitting in second place in the Southeast Division and tenth in the Eastern Conference. With Kovalchuk firing on all cylinders and the rest of the team united behind him despite some contract and trade rumblings, things were looking good in Atlanta for the first time in a long time.

Kovalchuk has been off to a roaring start this season, posting 10 points (nine goals and one helper) in his first eight games.

This will be a time of potential and possibility in Atlanta, with the other young players on the team filling in the gaps and stepping it up in Kovalchuk’s absence. It will be a good opportunity for many on the team to prove to their captain that it’s worth signing in Atlanta and that the Thrashers have the potential to be a winning franchise - with or without him.

Posted by Jordan Richardson.