My trade deadline speculation

Let me preface my speculation by writing any team can add almost any contract at this time of year. You are only paying for one month of salary in most contracts so even if you add an eight million dollar contract you are taking on 1/6th of that players cap hit.

You can move salary in the summer to pay for the player long term if he has a long term deal.

The no trade clause to me is the star of this trade deadline. It's amazing how many players on the trade block have this built into their contracts now and it is a major factor as the deadline approaches.

You go back a few years ago and even to last season and it was extremely rare to see so much speculation on players who now completely control their destiny. In the past this was almost unheard of.

Miroslav Satan got it put into his contract when Mike Milbury signed him after the lockout even though Buffalo bought him out, his agent knew.

Many of the key players available tomorrow have that option to turn down any trade they want. As fans it's funny how we demand loyalty from players but many Leaf fans want any return they can get for Mats Sundin because they cannot win with him and it's no lock he will play next year anywhere.

I'm almost shocked Jason Blake did not negotiate a no movement clause into his deal after the Leafs signed him day one of free agency but apparently he does not have one.

By contrast Mike Sillinger did not want to burden the Isles with one when he signed according to his recent comments and that is a man who has moved around more than anyone.

Another exception is former Islander Olli Jokinen who told us recently he asked to be traded from the Isles his one year in New York so don't count on him returning here if the Panthers do move him. Florida is in a desperate situation and it looks like Jacques Martin's mandate from ownership is to make the playoffs or he's gone and has permission to move Jokinen if he wants.

My guess is Martin does not move Jokinen, the Panthers do not make the playoffs and Martin is fired. They have not played well recently which is not their trademark for this time of year where they make a big underdog run.

Does Don Waddell move Marian Hossa to make up for the picks he traded away last season? I think so and I also believe Atlanta will not make the playoffs and fire Waddell.

Remember the Isles were reportedly interested in Eric Perrin last summer? He signed a two year 1.5m contract with Atlanta and could be someone Snow considers trading for.

Tampa Bay? Richard's controls his destiny and will pick and choose and my guess is he's gone by choice but for a small return so the Bolts save cap space. He's not a seven million dollar franchise player and Jay Feaster may pay for that deal with his job unless John Tortarella takes the hit. Dan Boyle could go either way but the money they save on Richards would help them keep Boyle if they want. I keep seeing Cory Stillman entering the mix for the Isles.

I have a hard time seeing Rob Blake moving East and will likely stick around in Los Angeles and veto any trade, same for Ed Jovanovski in Phoenix which only ups the market for Brian Campbell who I think will survive the deadline in Buffalo even if he's gone in the summer unless Darcy Regier chances his trends from the past.

Tsn.ca: Has an update on Alex Tanguay who has a no trade clause and a year left on his contract which could become a factor in a possible Islander trade.

Anyone else think Montreal is shopping for the final piece and is ready to make a big time run at a championship? I do.

I may be the only one but I see Boston become buyers, altering their mix which has worked and taking a step back. Sometimes you change chemistry and what overachieved on paper suddenly stops working.

We all know Garth Snow does not mind trading with Kevin Lowe or Paul Holmgren, some general managers do look to people they work well with at times. My guess is Garth Snow and Brian Burke are not the best of friends after some comments last season and it's hard to see one calling the other but this time of year anything is possible.

Of course Mr Burke and Kevin Lowe would make for great reality television if they got involved in a trade after last summer and you can add Darcy Regier to that mix with Philadelphia or Edmonton.

It's kind of funny Glen Sather only seems to talk with the Edmonton media about the Rangers. Hard to see them not adding a defender and moving some prospects or getting something for Montoya now that they have signed a goalie.

Good luck finding league sources talk about Lou Lamoriello's Devils beyond personal speculation or shaking up a team that's first in the conference. As usual the Devils made the experts look foolish and still have not learned with David Conte and that staff they are three steps ahead of everyone and the plan is to be better later than earlier. Brent Sutter looks smarter by the day and given his background comes from Al Arbour makes his team very dangerous moving forward.

You can bet the panic is on in Philadelphia with the injuries and this losing streak. No doubt Ed Snider is not going to go down without a fight after the money he has invested in Briere, that is a club that could move prospects and a first rounder at any time.

One final thing, it took a six game winning streak for the Isles to move from fourteenth to a point out of a playoff spot. Any club going on a big winning streak can enter the playoff mix and any team outside of the top three clubs going into a big losing streak can find themselves on the outside. The key is to get games to overtime and add points every game.

It should be a fun couple of days, only wish the league did not have games on the day of the trade deadline and just scheduled it on a Monday.