Sport-scan daily brief

O’Byrne averaged 18 minutes 51 seconds in 34 games with the Avalanche this season. He has one goal and three assists. According to TSN, the Leafs sent a fourth-round pick in next year’s draft to the Avalanche.

National Post LOADED: 04.04.2013

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Leafs are ‘not close to anything’ before NHL trade deadline

Sean Fitz-Gerald | 13/04/03 | Last Updated: 13/04/03 2:48 PM ET

Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Dave Nonis does not expect the team to complete a trade before the deadline tolls on Wednesday afternoon.

NHL trade deadline brings different mood for Leafs

“We’ve made a lot of calls, and we’ve fielded quite a few,” Nonis told TSN Wednesday, about an hour before the 3 p.m. ET deadline. “But it’s been pretty slow, at least to this point. There’s not a lot of movement, there’s not a lot of players available.”

There’s always going to be a flurry at the end. believe that will be the case again today. But again, we’re not close to anything.

Four trades had been completed to that point. According to the NHL, an average of about 22 trades had been completed on the previous 10 deadline days.

“There’s always going to be a flurry at the end,” Nonis told TSN. “I believe that will be the case again today. But again, we’re not close to anything.”

Nonis, who replaced Brian Burke as general manager on the eve of the lockout-shortened season, said the team was not shopping centre Tyler Bozak around the market. Bozak, 27, is in the final year of a contract that carries a cap hit of US$1.5-million.

“He’s been a good player for us,” Nonis said. “Unless we got a player back who would help us down the stretch, Tyler will be here. At the end of the day, we’ll see what makes sense, financially, in terms of a long-term deal for him.”

He was also asked whether he was concerned at the prospect of heading into the stretch drive of the season with James Reimer and Ben Scrivens in goal. Neither goaltender has experience in the NHL playoffs.

The Leafs had been tied to a possible trade with Calgary for veteran Miikka Kiprusoff, but the 36-year-old reportedly told the Flames he does not want to leave the team.

“It’s not a concern in that we think we have two quality NHL-calibre goaltenders,” Nonis told TSN. “We feel that they’ve played that way all year. They’ve done a good job, and they’re going to be with us for a long time.”

So what will the Leafs do before 3 p.m. ET?

“As we sit right now, I don’t see us doing anything,” he told TSN. “That can change quickly. Usually it does. There’s often something that happens in the last half-an-hour, at least something to think about. We’ll see what is put in front of us and make a decision at that time.”

National Post LOADED: 04.04.2013

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NHL trade deadline brings different mood for Leafs

Michael Traikos | 13/04/03 | Last Updated: 13/04/03 1:53 PM ET

For Clarke MacArthur, this trade deadline feels a bit different if only because of the mood in the dressing room. In the past, the Leafs would normally be on the outside looking in at a playoff spot.

James Reimer shoved his skates in the bag and shouted, “My bags are packed.”

It was meant as a joke. As though the Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender had just been traded. But as of noon — three hours before the NHL’s trade deadline went into effect — the entire roster was still intact.

NHL trade deadline 2013 live: Tracking the latest deals

And if many players inside the dressing room had their wish, it would remain that way.

The Leafs, who have won their last three games and have gone their last eight games without a loss in regulation time, are sitting in fifth place in the Eastern Conference standings. Left intact, they will likely make the playoffs.

That does not mean that they could not use an upgrade. The team lacks an experienced goaltender, depth on the backend and would benefit from another centre. But if management decides to sit quietly, the players would appreciate the message being sent.

“I feel personally that we’re pretty comfortable in this room and think that we could definitely make a run with the guys we have in this dressing rom who have been battling since Day 1,” said forward Nazem Kadri. “It’s always unfortunate when you have to move someone who gets you into this position.”

“It’s just a good group of guys,” forward Clarke MacArthur said of the Leafs. “We’ve been kind I’ve building this for the last two years. The team has had success. That being said, there’s a lot of work to be done here for the last 12 games or so. But it’s a good group here. A group we’d like to keep together.”

For MacArthur, this trade deadline feels a bit different if only because of the mood in the dressing room. In the past, the Leafs would normally be on the outside looking in at a playoff spot and would be in the process of dismantling the roster. Now, there appears to be optimism.

“It’s actually been real quite this year,” said MacArthur. “Usually it’s ‘dynamite the team’. It’s not as fun for you guys when we’re doing so well.

“There’s a lot of potential in the room here. And with the way we play, I think it would be a good playoff style.”

National Post LOADED: 04.04.2013

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Canucks’ Jannik Hansen says trade deadline moves will take time to digest

By Elliott Pap, Vancouver Sun April 3, 2013

VANCOUVER — From the perspective of his five years in the National Hockey League, Vancouver Canuck right-winger Jannik Hansen summed up the league’s trade activity Wednesday like a man just finishing a large dinner.

“It’s hard to digest right now,” said the Dane. “It’s going to be a little easier to see once the guys actually get settled and everything. Some good players are coming into our conference but some good ones are going the other way, too. Teams are trying to find a way to optimize their rosters.”

Hansen will likely find himself skating alongside one of those player coming west, Derek Roy, when the Canucks return to action Thursday to face the Edmonton Oilers. Hansen, Roy and Chris Higgins were a line in practice Wednesday. Roy was obtained Tuesday from the Dallas Stars for a 2013 second-round pick and minor-league defenceman Kevin Connauton.

“Obviously Derek is extremely skilled and he seems like he has a really good feel for the puck,” said Hansen, who enters the Edmonton game as the Canucks’ third-leading scorer with 21 points.

SOUR PLAY: In their last 20 games, the Canucks are 2-for-52 on the power play, which computes to a ghastly 3.84 per cent. In those 20 games, they’ve had two chances eight times, one chance once and zero chances twice, most recently Monday in San Jose. The other 0-for-0 night occurred last Thursday. On Wednesday, they were ranked 29th in the league.

“Well, you can’t score on the power play unless you get them,” general manager Mike Gillis said dryly when asked if he was shocked at being No. 29.

The GM did admit the power-play outage was not acceptable. In the same 20-game span, the opposition is 12-for-61, or 19.67 per cent. The Canucks had the league’s best power play two seasons ago and were fourth in 2011-12.

“A lot of teams have copied our power play over the last couple of years because of the success we’ve had so every day in practice they’re defending the same things,” Gillis said. “We’ve made some changes and we’re getting more shots to the net. I really think it’s a product of how the game is being played today. When you shoot the puck 80 times at the opposition net and you get 32 on net, that’s what we’re facing. We have to find ways to be better.”

Henrik Sedin, who quarterbacks the power play, conceded the lack of production is getting to him and brother Daniel. Henrik enters Thursday’s game with 31 points while Daniel has 29. They each have seven points on the power play but Daniel had five of those in the team’s first four games.

“That bothers us,” Henrik said. “Usually at this time of year, we have 15, 16 or 17 points on the power play and, if you add those numbers to our point totals, we’re top five or top 10 in the league. So that’s the only thing that weighs on us. If we get that going, no one would be talking about our points.

“We still have time to get it going here,” he added. “I’m sure it’s going to be OK.”

SICK BAY WATCH: The Canucks’ lengthy injury list now sits at five – excluding Manny Malhotra (vision) — but it could be down to just one by next week. Centre Ryan Kesler (broken foot) is expected to begin skating Thursday, left-winger Mason Raymond (shoulder) is also supposed to skate this week while right-winger Dale Weise (shoulder) did skate Wednesday and defenceman Keith Ballard (foot) is close to skating as well.

That would leave just David Booth, gone for the season with ankle surgery, out long term.

FRANKLY SPEAKING: New Canuck Derek Roy can handle himself in both official languages thanks to a francophone father (Felix) and a French education. His mother (Colleen) is English from the Kingston-Gananoque area. Derek was raised in Ottawa.

“It was mostly English at the house but when I was five years old they put me in French school and I went all the way through high school in French,” he explained. “It worked out well because I have a lot of French buddies who can hardly speak English. It’s also good when you travel to be able to speak a couple of languages. But in the house, we watched English movies and TV and all that stuff except for watching the Montreal Canadiens on RDS.”

Roy added that the family name, given its French roots, is actually pronounced ‘roi’, as in Patrick Roy.

“It was Derek ‘Roi’ but I’m happy with Derek Roy,” he smiled. “Whatever.”

WAKE-UP CALL: Rookie Nicklas Jensen’s NHL debut Monday in San Jose created a minor dilemma for his parents back home in Denmark. The game began at 4:30 a.m. Danish time and, according to Nicklas, they had to make the big decision whether to stay up late or get up early.

“They went to bed and woke up early,” said Jensen, whose father Dan is a Canadian from Toronto. “I’m not sure how they saw the game, whether they bought it online and hooked it up to the TV, but I talked to them and they definitely found a way to watch it. My dad just told me ‘good job.’ He was proud. He knows it’s tough in your first game but, obviously, he had a few tips for me to work on.”

Jensen spent most of the night skating with the Sedin twins, a line that saw much of Joe Thornton’s unit.

“We were pretty much against them the whole game so, obviously, it was hard but it was also a great experience,” he summed up.

QUOTABLE: “Well, we’re going to try and get a save on the first couple of shots. That should help.” – A chuckling Canuck coach Alain Vigneault when asked what type of challenge the Oilers would present. Edmonton scored on its first three shots and four of the first five in last Saturday’s 4-0 victory over the Canucks.

“I caught him at the right time where you get a player’s attention and he just listens to what he has to do and that’s what he does. We’re very fortunate that he agreed to stay here for another four years.” – Vigneault on versatile forward Chris Higgins re-upping with the team.

Vancouver Sun: LOADED: 04.04.2013

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Luongo, Canucks mired in lose-lose situation

By Iain MacIntyre, Vancouver Sun columnist April 3, 2013

VANCOUVER — It wasn’t Roberto Luongo’s contract last summer that undermined the Vancouver Canucks’ attempt to trade him, but his singular focus on going to the Florida Panthers.

When the Toronto Maple Leafs, run back then by Brian Burke, were ready to negotiate a trade, Luongo reiterated his desire to play only in South Florida.

Wednesday, with the goaltender desperate to go somewhere he can start, the Maple Leafs reportedly rejected Canuck trade offers three times in the final hour before the National Hockey League dealing deadline.

At least new Toronto general manager Dave Nonis answered the phone.

It would make a delicious storyline if Nonis, who always felt Canuck general manager Mike Gillis stuck a shiv in him five years ago, exacted revenge by leaving his successor stuck with Luongo.

But it was likely the goalie’s $64-million contract that scared the Maple Leafs as it certainly has other teams.

Luongo would probably like a do-over on last summer.

A lot of this is his fault.

But there’s no sport in battering someone who’s down, and Luongo was never lower than on Wednesday when he was whisked from the ice to management offices at Rogers Arena and informed the Canucks could find no taker for him.

In the emotional 12 months since he was deposed in goal by Cory Schneider, Luongo has felt many things. But unwanted was probably not one of them until Wednesday.

Luongo looked beaten.

“My contract sucks,” the 34-year-old told reporters, his anguish evident, his fall complete. “That’s what the problem is. Unfortunately, it’s a big factor in trading me and it’s probably why I’m still here.

“I’d scrap it if I could right now.”

Luongo has nine seasons and more than $40-million left on his 12-year deal. He would give that up for a chance to be a starter again in a city of his choosing?

“I think he was very emotional,” Gillis said. “These days are emotional for everybody. Where you have a day like this, where your whole life could be turned upside down ... I think there’s an opportunity for things to be said that in the clear light of day might not be reflecting how you really feel.

“I think he said that in a highly emotional state. I think that as Roberto settles down and we get through decompressing ... we’ll have a discussion about the future with him again.”

It’s hard to see how the market gets better for Luongo.

The National Hockey League economy – at least as it relates to players – shrinks after this season when the salary cap dives to $64.3 million from $70.2 million. Luongo’s albatross of a contract isn’t going to be any more appealing in the summer.

The consequences for the Canucks are more immediate. While trying to win a Stanley Cup this spring, they have $5.33 million of payroll invested in a guy sitting on the bench when that money could have significantly upgraded the team at other positions.

This is a lose-lose for player and team.

“At the time it was done, it was very favourable for this organization and it was very favourable for Roberto,” Gillis said of the contract negotiated in 2009. “The top teams in the league that were competing for Stanley Cups did contracts like this for franchise players.

“Since that occurred, there have been a number of changes (in NHL dynamics). It’s a fluid industry; things do change. There have been a lot of shifting sands and we’re going to have to deal with it as we move down the road.

“I do feel obligated to trade Roberto and get him into a position where he’s happy and competing the way he likes to and at the level he’s accustomed to. The need of our team also plays a role and trying to balance them are a difficult thing.”

If Luongo is serious about escaping his contract, he can withhold services, which would allow the Canucks to terminate the deal. But the team would first have to place him on waivers, meaning Luongo would have no input on where he plays and could be claimed for a fee of $125.

It was hard not to feel sorry for him on Wednesday. He has been humbled and embarrassed, a totem chopped to the ground.

“I think it’s more, honestly, a hit on your pride that teams aren’t willing to give up much,” he said of his feelings. “I don’t think disappointment is the right word. It’s been an emotional ride, the last year. I think it’s more the unknown that has gotten to me more than anything else. I’m human and sometimes it gets to you.”

Luongo has never seemed more human than during the last year, when he has maintained dignity, his sense of humour and loyalty to Schneider and the Canucks when the goaltending situation could have become toxic enough to choke the entire team.

“I’m going to gather myself for the rest of the day,” he said, “and make sure when I come to work tomorrow, I’m going to be 100 per cent dedicated to this team the rest of the year, no matter what that capacity is.”

How would he write his saga?

“TBD – to be determined.”

Still.

Today is Luongo’s birthday. Bet he has never felt older.

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Canucks GM Mike Gillis gets no deals done, but touts 'pretty strong lineup,' on NHL trade deadline day

By Brad Ziemer, Vancouver Sun April 3, 2013

VANCOUVER — Mike Gillis says teams need a lot of luck to win the Stanley Cup.

The Vancouver Canucks now must hope they get a lot more of it than their general manager did on Wednesday.

Gillis and the Canucks came up empty on trade deadline day and are now gambling that Tuesday's acquisition of centre Derek Roy and the impending return of injured centre Ryan Kesler will be enough to carry the team deep into the playoffs.

Gillis went down swinging on a couple of potential deals Wednesday, leaving the Canucks with at least one significant hole on their roster and one unhappy goalie.

Not only did Gillis fail to deal Roberto Luongo, he also was unable to add any more offensive punch to a team that has had real trouble scoring goals this season.

The Canucks should be buoyed by Kesler's return, likely some time next week, but Gillis was unable to add a proven winger to complement Kesler on Vancouver's second line.

"We made a big pitch to get Ryane Clowe, we didn't end up with him because of personal reasons," Gillis told a news conference at Rogers Arena. "He was a player we were after."

Seventeen deals were made on a relatively quiet trade deadline day involving 30 players. The Canucks were not in on any of them, but Gillis said it was not from a lack of trying.

"We were in every deal we could possibly get in," he said. "They often don't work out, so you just have to keep staying in them and staying in them. With our lineup the way it is now, I think we are strong down the middle, our defence is strong, our goaltending is strong. We need to get some support from our wingers and score more goals. I think we have a pretty strong lineup."

Gillis maintained the team accomplished its main goal heading into the week by acquiring Roy from the Dallas Stars on Tuesday for a second-round pick and minor-league defenceman Kevin Connauton.

"That was our primary focus, to get a third-line centre," Gillis said.

Roy skated between Jannik Hansen and Chris Higgins in Wednesday's practice. Presumably, Mason Raymond will join Kesler on the second line, but who else?

If coach Alain Vigneault knows, he wasn't saying on Wednesday after he spent the morning in the team's trade deadline day war room.

"I think we'll address that situation when Ryan is back with the team," Vigneault said. "Now we've got 12 healthy forwards and seven healthy defencemen so we are going to try and come up with a plan that is best suited for that group that we have right now. When those guys do come back we'll see how the pieces fit. We don't have a lot of time, we have 12 regular-season games left. We have to make some good decisions."

In hindsight, assistant general manager Laurence Gilman may regret saying in a radio interview after the Roy trade on Tuesday that the Canucks weren't done dealing and were going "all-in" in an attempt to chase a Stanley Cup.

A day later, with no new additional reinforcements, Gillis suggested the Canucks lineup is good enough, with some luck, to compete for the Cup.

"I think with the addition of Derek we filled a real need that we have and with Ryan coming back, Zack (Kassian) will be coming back, Mason (Raymond) will be back, Dale Weise will be coming back, so we are going to fill out our roster with good players," Gillis said.

"I think to win in the Stanley Cup playoffs, you need two things: You need goaltending and you need some luck. And the third thing is you have to have a good team. So I think we have a good team, we need great goaltending and we need to get some luck. You can emerge from the West if you get those things, but everything does have to go perfectly for you to win the Stanley Cup."

Later in the day, the Canucks did recall Kassian from the Chicago Wolves. The big winger played just one game after being sent down on Sunday.

After finishing second in the pursuit of Clowe on Tuesday, the Canucks again were bridesmaids in an attempt to reacquire Raffi Torres from the Phoenix Coyotes on Wednesday.

"We were talking to them about Raffi for some time now," Gillis said. "He is a player we are familiar with. He was a good player here and we were talking to them all day today and it didn't work out for us."

The Sharks got Torres for a third-round pick. The Canucks were also believed to be offering a third-rounder. The Sharks won out because their third-round pick is one they acquired from the Florida Panthers and hence a much higher pick than the Vancouver's.

The Canucks were also in the market for another right-hand shot depth defenceman, but again came up empty.

The Minnesota Wild, the team the Canucks are chasing in the Northwest Division, added some significant offence Wednesday when they acquired Jason Pominville from the Buffalo Sabres.

The Canuck players now know exactly what their team is as the season winds down. Captain Henrik Sedin thinks the addition of Roy and the return of Kesler should give the team a big boost.

"I think Derek is a great pickup for us," Henrik said. "We played shorthanded for the most part this year, missing Kes and (David) Booth and other guys with injuries. Those are big holes to fill. I don't think people realize that a lot of other teams have gotten better and, from injuries, we have gotten worse. And we're still where we are. We've been winning games and we know we can play better and that's going to come with getting guys back."

That view was echoed by winger Chris Higgins.

"Kes is going to be a big addition," Higgins said. "We have gone almost the whole season without him so it is kind of like getting a new player back with him."

Vancouver Sun: LOADED: 04.04.2013

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Chat it to Bulis: The 2013 PITB NHL trade deadline day livechat extravaganza

Daniel Wagner,

Normally, NHL trade deadline day is massive bore, with nothing happening for most of the day until the very last minute, particularly when it comes to Mike Gillis, who usually treats deadlines the same way a college freshman treats studying for a final exam: last minute cramming.

We expect this year’s trade deadline will be completely normal.

But PITB will be here all day, from 5 AM in the morning until there’s no chance that Gillis snuck in a last-second fax to the NHL head offices. We’ll give you up-to-the-minute updates and analysis, not just of the various trades throughout the day, but also of James Duthie’s bad jokes, Aaron Ward’s tie, and Bob McKenzie’s on-air cell-phone use. If past livechats are an indication, we’ll also talk about penguins, what we’re eating for breakfast, and Batman.

The Canucks have one big piece to move, Roberto Luongo, and numerous needs, so it’s entirely possible that the Canucks will do something big and crazy that will shake the world to its core. Either that or the Canucks will do nothing and an angry mob will storm Rogers Arena with pitchforks and torches. Or, at the very least, pitchfork and torch apps on their smartphones.

It’s going to be a good time. So please, join us. Otherwise we’ll just be talking to ourselves for 8 hours, which would be really depressing. The fun starts at 5 AM Pacific.