Let's see what's been going on here, eh?

Chicago's having goalie issues. In other news, the world is round.

Winging it in Motown looks at the load the Mule's pulling.

The 303:30 talk about the Preds at the deadline... and about how they didn't fill any big gaps.

Game Time's Prospect Department looks at the Blues' young guns.  If you're not reading this every week, you're insane.  Or not a Blues fan.

Not a whole lotta links this week... for whatever reason, things've been pretty quiet around the Central, other than the fact that the Wings are within one of Nashville.  That's always exciting.

I imagine the vast majority of people who follow this blog regularly already are aware of this, but Brandon Worley asked me to help him out with NBC Sports' new hockey-centric blog Pro Hockey Talk. Obviously, big thanks go to Worley for a great opportunity. I hope to bring my brand of verbal hooliganism and impish charm to the blog, so feel free to let me know what you think of the endeavor.

For what it's worth, NBC has been fantastic about supporting the blog so far, with prominent display of our stories on their NHL page. They seem serious about putting their considerable strength behind it, so I'm serious about providing the best content my feeble mind can produce. It is, without question, a very exciting project so far.

As far as CLS is concerned, I'd like to keep it alive. It just might require a lot more outside help. One idea I've had is to possibly have an "editor of the day." After all, this blog was originally designed to be all-roundtable discussions anyway. So if you'd like to be considered for a daily editor "position" (unpaid naturally), drop me a quick e-mail at cyclelikesedins[at]gmail.com. I can't guarantee you anything, especially not a quick response :)

More to come as this situation sorts itself out ...

Even though the trade deadline as a whole was disappointing in the fact that only minor trades were made, this weeks links are full of post-trade deadline stuff, enjoy.

Imagine your team getting Toskala at the trade deadline: Vesa Toskala, Kpper's bestest friend, is a Calgary Flame. Yeah. Join the Rush thinks Darryl Sutter is officially grasping at straws

Sean from Anyone But Detroit explains why money was a factor in Wolski being traded to Phoenix

Lowetide find the beauty in Edmonton's moves is that his kids will be able to experience "scorched earth" for themselves due to Tambellini

Since Schneider (the goalie with the Manitoba Moose not the old guy) didn't get traded yesterday, JJ at the Canucks Hockey Blog looks into the shelf life for Cory Schneider

And though most fans don't think of this, View From My Seats looks at the human aspects of NHL Trades

Much like last year, CLS thought it would be best to poll some of our favorite team-specific bloggers and ask, "What would you do if you were your team's general manager?"

With the deadline approaching on Wednesday, these posts will be updated up until early Wednesday afternoon so keep an eye on the blog during that time. Feel free to tell us what you would do if you were the GM in the comments.

(And, as always, thanks to our contributors.)

Jump for Rudy Kelly, Hip Checks and tarts who may be found on or around couches.

Much like last year, CLS thought it would be best to poll some of our favorite team-specific bloggers and ask, "What would you do if you were your team's general manager?"

With the deadline approaching on Wednesday, these posts will be updated up until early Wednesday afternoon so keep an eye on the blog during that time. Feel free to tell us what you would do if you were the GM in the comments.

(And, as always, thanks to our contributors.)

Jump for greatness from Scotty Hockey (NYR) and Flyers Goal Scored By ...

Like what Laura said earlier, I'm filling in for James for the NW Division GM Thoughts, if this is the first one you've read here's the deal:

Much like last year, CLS thought it would be best to poll some of our favorite team-specific bloggers and ask, "What would you do if you were your team's general manager?"

With the deadline approaching on Wednesday, these posts will be updated up until early Wednesday afternoon so keep an eye on the blog during that time. Feel free to tell us what you would do if you were the GM in the comments. If your team hasn't been covered yet, or even if it has and you have a different take, shoot me an e-mail at thevancitycanuck [at] gmail . com and we'll make it happen.

(And, as always, thanks to our contributors.)

Avalanche

Tapeleg from Jerseys and Hockey Love

I'll be honest here, I'm a hold-on-to-your-potential-assets, keep-the-chemistry kind of guy.  I don't like to let go of guys who have potential or have come up through the ranks, and certainly wouldn't give them up for nothing.  But there are a few guys who no one would miss.

Just fillling in for James tonight while he's off doing bigger and better things or whatnot.  Here're the two clubs, St. Louis and Nashville, that we have reporting in so far on the what would you do senarios.

Hello there.

Hello to you too, Brad.  Was this what St. Louis's looking for?

If I was GM of the Blues, I would be shopping Paul Kariya like a mofo. No. 1 thing I'm looking for is a rugged, stay at home defenseman who can control the area in front of my crease. A lot of fans talk about getting a puck-moving defenseman or a power play quarterback. But then every team is looking for those guys and they don't grow on trees. So I do the next best thing and I try to control the puck more in my end and see how it goes from there. Dumping Kariya would free up a roster spot for Lars Eller, a first-round pick from a few seasons ago who was taken the same draft as David Perron. 

I would not trade Keith Tkachuk, a player who helped the team make a miraculous run at the playoffs -- something we hope happens twice in two years. Because of that, I can't trade the often disappointing Brad Boyes. But I'd be willing to listen to even moderate offers. 

Finally, I'd try to find a taker for Eric Brewer. It would open up the captaincy, clear some cap space and give Brewer a fresh start in a city where he's really not liked. I doubt I could actually do it unless I'm willing to take a horrible contract (Hello, I'd like the number for the New York Rangers).

Much like last year, CLS thought it would be best to poll some of our favorite team-specific bloggers and ask, "What would you do if you were your team's general manager?"

With the deadline approaching on Wednesday, these posts will be updated up until early Wednesday afternoon so keep an eye on the blog during that time. Feel free to tell us what you would do if you were the GM in the comments.

(And, as always, thanks to our contributors.)

Click read more for some great hockey writing ...

(Jump)

Much like last year, CLS thought it would be best to poll some of our favorite team-specific bloggers and ask, "What would you do if you were your team's general manager?"

With the deadline approaching on Wednesday, these posts will be updated up until early Wednesday afternoon so keep an eye on the blog during that time. Feel free to tell us what you would do if you were the GM in the comments.

(And, as always, thanks to our contributors.)

Buffalo Sabres

Vance from Bangin' Panger/Double Edged Sabres:

So last year I said sign Tim Connolly, that's worked out pretty well, you know, with that whole 55 points in 60 games thing he's got going on.  Plus he's stayed healthy, so that, is what we call prescience.  Look it up n00b.

But this year is a totally different situation.  I know you just watched those there Olympic games over the past couple weeks.  That Team USA goalie who suddenly ascended to Jesus and Oprah status, yeah, he's in his prime, our team is within striking distance of everybody but Washington.  Darcy Regier, it's time to go for broke.  The window here is short, Miller is 29, going on 30, you've got 3 years to make this thing happen before the blow up.  There's 3 things I'm thinkin' here.

1.  Trade for the baddest ass blueliner available(by available I mean pending UFA). In my estimation, that's Shane O'Brien out of Vancouver.  More realistically?  Maybe Brendan Witt, from the Isles (now playing in Bridgeport of the AHL), or somebody like Kurtis Foster or Aaron Ward.

2. You know those 5th round picks that really don't end up meaning anything to your team?  Trade that guy for Marty Biron. Us Sabres fans always love former Sabres, especially when they're better than Patrick Lalime.

3. The big splash. Everybody keeps saying the Hawks need to shed salary (they don't) but I'm gonna act like they want to.  Let's have a go with Nate Gerbe, Toni Lydman, and a pick for Patrick Sharp.  The Hawks get a prospect, a gritty stay at home blueliner, plus they get to shed the salary.  We're all winners there.

Oh wait, this is Darcy Regier.  So we'll end up with Wade Dubielewicz, Lee Stempniak, and Shane Hnidy.  [Facepalm]  That being said, I will forever give Regier a free pass, since he drafted Ryan Miller and Tyler Myers.

***

Hooray Punch-Out!

Boston Bruins

Evan from Stanley Cup of Chowder:

The Bruins need to find someone that can put the puck in the net and a defenseman that can make the first pass. They have been able to survive on goaltending and defense, but that can only take you so far. Their offensive punch has been weaker than Glass Jaw Joe. The need for a finisher is obvious, but they also need a puck-moving defenseman. Claude Julien's system is that the attack develops from their own end of the rink. Unfortunately, the B's haven't had a legitimate puck mover on the blueline that can get the puck to the forwards. The Bruins constantly cough up the puck when they are faced with an aggressive forecheck. We saw that in the Carolina series last year and it continues to be a issue. To sum things up, they need a winger with some scoring ability and a defenseman that doesn't soil himself every time they see a forecheck. If they can do that and find someone dumb enough to take Dennis Wideman's contract, I would be very happy...but that might be asking for too much.

***

Roy's Cup victories broke a lot of hearts.

Montreal Canadiens

Habsfan10 from Four Habs Fans:

If I was Pierre Gauthier, there's a couple of different ways I might approach the deadline:

***

Ottawa Senators

Meaghan from Sens at Land's End:

I haven't thought much about the Sens for the last two weeks -- too busy focusing all my energy on Team Canada -- but I believe I remember something about the team being short a defenseman. It seems to me Alexandre Picard was traded for Matt Cullen before the Olympic break and Chris Campoli went down with an injury. Murray must also consider the fact that even when Campoli comes back to the lineup, he will still be a terrible hockey player. There is also the question of Anton Volchenkov to think about: he'll be an unrestricted free agent at season's end, and the Sens must decide whether they're willing to risk not being able to re-sign him and losing him for nothing. Murray said today on Ottawa radio that it is possible the A-Train will be traded before the deadline. To my mind, trading Volchenkov would be crazy at this point. The team has been playing so well and it's hard for me to imagine what losing such an important piece of the puzzle would do to them. Plus, obviously, trading him would leave them short two defensemen.

To sum it up: the Sens must trade someone for help on defense. Who will they trade? No idea. There just aren't that many pieces I can either a) see the Sens wanting to lose or b) see other teams wanting to add.

Oh and in an ideal world, they'd pick up reliable goaltending. But good luck with that.

***

Toronto

Sean from Down Goes Brown:

If I was Brian Burke, I'd be pushing hard to get Tomas Kaberle to waive his no-trade clause. Which Burke publicly vowed not to do. Which means, I guess, that I'm not Brian Burke.

But for the record, I think Burke is making a big mistake if he plans to wait until the off-season to move Kaberle. Teams are willing to pay more at the deadline, and any team trading for Kaberle now will get him for two playoff runs instead of just one. I can't see how Burke will be able to get a better package in the summer, even though he'd be able to negotiate with all 30 teams. But he seems to be firm on this, so I guess I'll be disappointed.

One of the great things about Olympic hockey is that you get to root for players you'd normally jeer. It often gives you a new appreciation for a once-villain and can even make you empathize with rival fans (Crosby? Why? Whyyyyyyy?).

With that in mind, there are some players whom I'll have a lot of trouble rooting against after the United States' Cinderella run to the silver medal. Here's a list of some players who I'll be rooting for individually, even when they're playing against the Penguins.

(And, for fun, a few players from other countries who really caught my eye)

US players who are now (temporarily) bulletproof:

Ryan Miller - well, obviously. Miller was great in this tournament (a bit shaky at times in the gold medal game but made some huge saves when it mattered). I've been a fan of Miller's for quite some time and he's made a serious case for "best goalie alive" status. Either way, he was amazingly poised and kept the US in some tough games.

Brian Rafalski - despite being a member of the Detroit Red Wings, it's going to be hard to hate on Rafalski for a while. He was by far the steadiest influence on the red-white-and-blue line and also had an amazing performance in the first Canada-US game. I thought he had lost a step recently, but he was great during the Olympics.

Ryan Callahan/David Backes - those two threw their bodies around with reckless abandon. Respect.

Chris Drury - while his contract is still absurdly bloated, Drury was a shot blocking machine in the Olympics. It's hard not to like a player who puts his body on the line like that.

Zach Parise - even before he scored that amazing last-minute goal against Canada, Parise was easily one of the best forwards for the US. Maybe he's not really an American, but we'll take him.

David Backes is a bad ass.

Patrick Kane - he didn't have a very consistent tournament, but man oh man did he play a great game today. Kane is simply a delight to watch and is one of the league's slickest stick handlers. Parise scored that game-tying goal, but Kane made a bunch of big plays in that sequence. The kid is special.

Ryan Kesler - his amazing empty net goal was the cherry on top of a gritty, high-IQ Olympics sundae. I have a serious Kesler man-crush.

Not quites:

The Johnsons - Erik and Jack (no relation) had some great moments but also made some huge blunders. I'm particularly smitten by Erik, but he still has a ways to go before he meets #1 pick expectations. He certainly has the physical tools to do that, though.

Joe Pavelski - I don't think he had a "standout" tournament, but I still have a ton of respect for Pavelski.

Stinkers:

Phil Kessel - while Kessel can skate like the wind, he's a turnover machine who could probably benefit from making more "simple" plays. Just about every time he had the puck, I expected either a) nothing to happen or b) something bad to happen. Boston might have made the right choice, even if there will be some short term pain.

Ryan Whitney - he wasn't god awful but he made his trademark horrible turnovers. I'm probably, at times, a bit hard on Whitney but still. I can't help but think he sucks.

Other countries (good):

Shea Weber - is a man. That guy really can do it all. He really worked over Alex Ovechkin, which doesn't happen very often. Even if he didn't shoot through a net he'd still be a monster, but that was his "Larry Robinson checks someone hard enough to dent the boards" moment. What a beast.

Jonas Hiller - already was "on my radar" after his amazing performance against the Sharks in last year's playoffs. He was even better in this tournament and was the only reason the Swiss gave the US and Canada serious headaches. The Ducks have to feel pretty good about Hiller being their future in net after seeing how well he handled such pressure.

Mark Streit - quite possibly the most underrated defenseman in the NHL.

Pavol Demitra - although he missed two golden opportunities to tie Slovakia's semi-final match with Canada, Demitra seemed revitalized in these playoffs. Perhaps Demitra can get healthy enough to be a productive NHL player again?

Other countries (bad):

Team Russia - really stunk up the joint and didn't help matters by blowing off the media. As an at-the-moment nonpracticing journalist, the interview snubs don't bother me personally but those actions indicate a lack of maturity. Really, the team paid for being arrogant enough to think that their star power could push a KHL-heavy roster through the best teams in the world.

It wasn't one player's fault and almost no one played well. So much for Russia being a hockey juggernaut.

Kipper- sure, Finland won the bronze, but Kipper's meltdown against the US team was very telling. You think he'll be able to demand a starter's role in 2014?

Sweden - wow, did Sweden get old all of a sudden? It's still stunning that Lidstrom was shut out of the playoffs and the team didn't even make it to the semi-finals. Russia got the most heat for crapping out of the Olympics, but Sweden was pretty underwhelming themselves.

Final thoughts:

He might not have lit up the scoreboard, but Sidney Crosby sure received a lot of criticism on Twitter (Twittercism?) after scoring a gold medal winning goal. No doubt about it, he receives too much attention but what else can he do on the ice to justify the hype? He's 22 years old and already has a gold medal, Cup, scoring title and Hart trophy on his resume. What else does he have to do before people say, "it's annoying that he gets so much attention, but he is really good."

Alex Ovechkin had a tough Olympics, but he had his fair share of high points (clobbering Jaromir Jagr and Zdeno Chara, in particular).

Maybe Ovechkin and Crosby putting up "human" numbers might indicate that, you know, there are a lot of other great hockey players in the NHL. Just compare the talented Olympic teams to Olympic basketball and you'll see that hockey talent is wonderfully spread across the globe.

Some people get so caught up in homer behavior (either for their NHL team, national team or both) when this tournament should be a celebration of all things hockey. Sometimes, you need to just enjoy the sport and get over your puck prejudices.