While Eric Lindros continues to skate by himself waiting for a trade from the Philadelphia Flyers, the team Lindros waits to be traded to–the Toronto Maple Leafs–appear to have their sights set on another high-profile potential free agent.
Los Angeles Kings defenseman Rob Blake said last week that it was all but certain he would be dealt after contract talks broke down between Kings General Manager Dave Taylor and Ron Salcer, Blake’s agent.
“It’s just not going to get done,” Blake said after Thursday night’s 5-2 loss to Colorado. “We’ve been talking the past few days and it’s not close. The trade is going to happen now, not later. They have to get something for me.”
Blake, who will be an unrestricted free agent after the season, rejected the Kings offer of a three-year deal worth around $7.5 million per season.
Enter, as always, the Maple Leafs.
“We have to wait and see if L.A. really wants to trade him,” said Bill Watters, assistant to Leafs President Ken Dryden. “Rob Blake can’t decide this for them. But if he’s available, then obviously we’re interested.”
Blake, the Norris Trophy winner in 1998, has been with the Kings for his entire 11-year career. He’s in the final year of a contract that is paying him $5.267 million. The Kings captain has 30 points in 31 games this season with nine goals and is a minus-3.
A new pay scale for defenseman like Blake was set when the Blues re-signed last season’s MVP, Chris Pronger, to a new three-year contract worth $9.16 million per season. Pronger is five years younger than Blake.
Help on the way: Judging from their last home game, an 8-2 loss Saturday to the Dallas Stars, the Pittsburgh Penguins may need more than just superstar owner Mario Lemieux to return to the ice. Lemieux will make his celebrated comeback Wednesday night when the Penguins play host to the Maple Leafs. The Penguins will be in Buffalo Tuesday night, but Lemieux will stay behind and skate on his own. He had been traveling with the team on its recent road trip.
For the Penguins sake, it is hoped Lemieux brings a heightened work ethic to a team that was embarrassed by Dallas.
“I don’t care how much talent you have. You watch [Dallas] play and every guy plays the same way,” Penguins defenseman Jeff Norton said. “Get the puck out, get the puck in. No fancy plays. Just hard work.”
Boring: The Stars’ style of play, however, has turned off one player–vocal superstar Brett Hull, who believes that strict, defensive-minded coaches like Dallas’ Ken Hitchcock are eliminating the creative aspect of the game and making it a tough sell.
“I would not buy a ticket,” Hull said. “If I left the game right now and I didn’t have a job within the league and had to pay for my own ticket, I wouldn’t.”
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Hull said he constantly tries to get Hitchcock to open up his system more, pointing out nights that teams score six or seven goals, like free-wheelers Los Angeles, Toronto and the Rangers.
“And he’ll go, `Oh yeah? Well they all lost,’ ” Hull said. “There’s no argument. He wins every time.”
Hitchcock’s system, by the way, earned Hull his only Stanley Cup ring.
Unknown: Which tandem would you rather have: Anaheim’s Paul Kariya and Teemu Selanne or Buffalo’s J.P. Dumont and Miroslav Satan?
Seems like a no-brainer until you look at the numbers. Since being put on the same line with center Stu Barnes in late November, Dumont and Satan have combined for 16 goals and 34 points in 14 games. This season, the two have a combined 26 goals and 53 points and are a plus-12. The Ducks duo, each battling injuries, has 23 goals and 59 points and are a minus-8.
Dumont, who was dealt from the Hawks to Buffalo along with Doug Gilmour late last season for Michael Grosek, leads the Sabres with 15 goals and 29 points. Grosek was sent to Rangers for Stephane Quintal.
R&R: Selanne hoped that the holiday break would be all he needed to return from a nagging groin injury. The Finnish winger was scratched from Saturday’s 5-2 loss in St. Louis after lasting just three minutes in the pregame warm-ups. Selanne is worried that the pain is going to extend into his abdomen. Last season, Ducks center Marty McInnis needed abdominal surgery after trying to play through a groin injury.
“It moves higher and higher,” Selanne said of the pain. “This isn’t as bad as Marty’s. Yet.”
Selanne, who is rumored to be available in a trade, hasn’t scored a goal since Nov. 22.
Reality check: The high-flying San Jose Sharks, who had won the first three of a five-game Eastern swing, were brought back to earth after dropping the last two, in Philadelphia and Buffalo.
“It was a good lesson for some of the guys on our team,” Sharks coach Darryl Sutter said. The Sharks still hit the Christmas break leading the Pacific Division with 46 points, three better than Dallas. The Sharks’ two-game losing streak means St. Louis is the only team in the NHL that has yet to lose two in a row this season.