The NHL Market is officially open.

In the last 48 hours, there have bee some interesting developments in the NHL trade market, and the rumor mills on the Internet.
1. Let's start with the Brendan Morrow deal.
On Sunday, the Penguins made an offer to the Dallas Stars, to acquire their captain Brendan Morrow. There are a lot of interesting properties to this deal. First, the Stars traded their captain. For the second NHL business year in a row, a team has packed the bags of it's captain and sent him off (On June 23, 2011 the Flyers traded Captain Mike Richards to the Kings just a day before the NHL Draft). This should show the NHL, and the Sabres in particular, that it is not fo paux to do this type of deal in the new NHL.
Trading the guy with the 'C' on his sweater, is no longer seen a violation of any Code.

Morrow was the captain of the Stars since the 2006-07 season, when the Stars asked long time Captain Mike Modano to step back and let Morrow into the role. I think the Sabres could take a page out of this in the Pomminville situation. Pomminville has not lived up to a captain type role, particularly this season. This could easily be seen as Jason's worst year since the 2005/06 season, his rookie year. His point production is not awful, but it is not spectacular either for a first line right wing. It is also not a good thing to hear boos at the arena when your Captain touches the puck and causes a turnover. Steve Ott has become the leader on this team. This is evident both on and off the ice. I would like to see Ott wearing the Captain C, and an extension placed for him as well.

Lastly, I think it opens the market for trades. If Morrow can land Dallas a top d prospect and a pick at the age of 34, I think the return on a more offensive winger like Pomminville is something Darcy Regier should look into and consider. Even with the lack of leadership shown this season by Pomminville, it should not be ignored he is younger (30 years old), has more offensive skill, and would come to your team as a possible player to resign to a contract after next year for an affordable price.

2. Next, I want to address the recent injury to Ilya Kovalchuk.

Tom Gulitti @TGfireandice

Devils say MRI on Kovalchuk's shoulder didn't show anything different than the X-ray, so 2-4 week projection for his recovery remains same.

 

Kovalchuk was recently diagnosed with a shoulder issue, that could render him out until the end of the regular season. A 2-4 week time frame for an injury, would place a lot of pressure on Devils GM Lou Lamoriello. The trade deadline is only eight days away, and the end of the season for the Devils is just over a month from now.

 

The Devils cold very likely, and probably should  make a play for a winger to replace Kovalchuk. Even though Kovalchuk is a left winger, I am positive if the right deal for a right wing came up, Lamoriello would jump at it. I think Pomminville could work here. Even with the recent acquisition of Matt D'Agostini from the Blues, I believe the Devils will look to upgrade. Pomminville could be a good fit here, and easily warrant a first round pick and a prospect. I would even consider taking a veteran like Clarkson, who I think would be a great addition to this roster. With the possibility of Dallas asking a top prospect and a 2nd round pick for Derek Roy, I see no reason why the Sabres at minimum could not ask that for Pomminville.



3. Penguins acquire defenceman Douglas Murray from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for their second round draft pick in the 2013 NHL Draft and a conditional 2014 draft choice.

Not sooner than I finish reading an article about how the Sharks were looking to unload Murray, I see that the Penguins, for the second day in a row, set the market. This time it was on a defenceman, for what could be seen as a steal, 2 draft picks. (The 2014 draft choice is conditional upon the Penguins winning two playoff rounds this year or the team re-signing Murray for the 2013-14 season. Should either event occur, the Sharks will receive the Penguins second round selection in 2014, should neither occur, the pick becomes a third-rounder: Credit to TSN.CA). 

Douglas Murray is by far anything other then a stop-gap, 4 thru 6 defenceman on a team. The 33 year old blue liner in in the last year of his contract being paid 2.5 million this year (al beit prorated to the lockout), and has never scored more then 17 points in a single season during his NHL career. He is  big (6-3 240),defensive minded, and was at the top of his team in blocked shots and hits. Does this remind you of anyone on the Sabres?

Insert Robyn Regehr. Regehr is smaller in girth (6'3 225), in the last year of a contract, and is always a big player when it comes to blocked shots and hits. He carries with him a full no trade clause, which required Terry Pegula and Ted Black to fly to Calgary for 2 days and woo him to come to Buffalo. I think given the opportunity to play with a contender for a Stanley Cup, Robyn may be interested. If he truly likes it here in Buffalo, you can always attempt to resign him after the season. I do not see how an exact duplication of the Pittsburgh / San Jose deal would not work here, with a conditional pick having the same parameters.
The Jets, Canucks, Red Wings, Blackhawks, Blue Jackets, Wild and Kings could all be good landing places for Regehr.

Thats it for now. #DoSomethingDarcy