Olympic Trade Freeze: Busier Than NHL Trade Deadline?

With only a 63-hour window between the end of the Olympic trade freeze and the official NHL Trade Deadline, there is likely to be more activity leading up to midnight on February 12th than we think.

The reasoning behind this is simple. Teams who are looking to make a move with non-Olympic players will want to take advantage of the time to allow new acquisitions to mesh with their new teams.

While there are quite a few names being thrown around out there, we are likely to see some unsuspecting players shuffled around to make some cap space.

Brian Burke of the Maple Leafs has been quoted as saying that he would be willing to take on some salary for other consideration, and while many think that the Pension Fund would never allow him to take on added salary just to hide it in the minors, I disagree.

By all accounts, the "Teachers" are all for rebuilding as long as they are assured that it will be into a contender. Despite the Board of Governors wanting to make money, they are also well aware of the fact that a winning team, a playoff team, could create even more of it.

OK, back to the trade talks.

Several players in the league have no-movement clauses. The Notables are, Tomas Kaberle, Ray Whitney, Niclas Wallin, John-Michael Liles, Jean-Sebastien Giguere, Paul Kariya, Marty Turco and Vincent Lecavalier.

Whitney, Wallin, Turco and Kariya all become unrestricted in July. If Wallin was half smart, he'd wave his no trade....quickly.

Dallas has an interesting problem in that they have four goal tenders, including Turco an Auld who become un-restricted this season, who'd a 'thunk ?

The Toronto Maple Leafs find themselves in a bit of a unique position as well. Garnet Excelby and Jamal Mayers have both requested permission to seek a trade on their own. Both are un-restricted free agents in July. While both players could provide value to a team in certain area's, the Leafs will not get any kind of value in a trade, so I can't see Brian Burke breaking a sweat trying to help them along.

Stajan, Poni, Van Ryn and Toskala will also be gone. Stajan, Poni via trade most likely, Van Ryn and Toskala to free agency.

The "Big Four" restricted free agents in Toronto, ( White, Gustavsson, Hanson and Kulemin ) will all re-sign. White will get a sizeable raise and Kulemin and Hanson will get one-way deals for two to three years with nominal raises. Gustavsson, will also get a one-way deal and a raise, likely in the neighborhood of two years and $4 million plus bonuses.

I can't see anyone really having a fire sale. As bad as some teams are right now, it is increasingly difficult in a hard cap environment to just wheel and deal like the good old days.

I could go on for hours about who could go where, who I would like to see in Toronto and who I would like to see gone, but let's be honest, no-one wants to do that much reading all at once.

So, here's your chance. Who do you think will move this year? Forget about the cap, there is almost always a way to make it work.

Just sit back, scratch your head and ponder. Let me know what you think below!