NHL Rumours: August Fifth

Lots of rumours to tell you guys about so let's get started.

Antti Niemi has had seven offers on the table. New York Islanders are expected to be the front-runners. I am still trying to figure out what they plan on doing with all their other goaltenders. I say get rid of all of them, including the one impersonating a GM and go after Niemi.

The Montreal Canadiens do not have any interest in Niemi, their main focus now is to sign Carey Price to a contract. This is the absolute right move to make as they showed how devoted they are to Price, to trade him now would be a PR disaster.

Ilya Kovalchuk will get a decision tomorrow whether or not his contract stands. I greatly mistrust this rumour. I think it is Monday at the earliest this is done.

Brian Burke has received two very significant offers for Tomas Kaberle. The window to trade him is now 10 days away. Most signs point to him being out, though I will not say he has no spot on the Leafs roster next year. Someone as talented as Kaberle always has a spot.

The front-runners for Tomas Kaberle are San Jose, Los Angeles, and the Boston Bruins.

Some say the Boston Bruins are offering up Savard and their own first round pick. This would not be a significant offer as Brian Burke has repeatedly said he does not want a center, and considering Savard's injury and long contract this is very unlikely to get done. Besides, are we sure the Bruins offered a draft pick and not Toronto?

San Jose Sharks on the other hand have allegedly offered Ryan Clowe, and a defensive prospect. I figure the defensive prospect is not Nick Petrecki as that would make the deal too good to resist for Brian Burke. It would give him the gritty winger he wants and a solid defensive prospect. I suspect he was only offered Clowe and Jason Demers. Maybe an even worse defensive prospect.

Finally the Los Angeles Kings have offered a trade that only involves prospects and draft picks. It is said however, that the offer is so good that it is better than San Jose's offer. The only thing I can think of is that Brayden Schenn is part of that deal. It would be Schenn and a first round pick maybe. Burke may not want prospects but he may make an exception for Schenn.

This concludes today's rumours. A lot of the rumours seem to be about Kaberle eh?