Coffee brewed, scouting charts laid out, and lists of wants and needs neatly organized, the general managers of the NHL’s 30 teams will meet in boardrooms across North America this morning for the trade deadline.
Around them will be their confidantes, assistants and scouting directors ready to dial the phones, buzz the blackberries, text the messages, e the mail.
Reputations will be carved, saviours will be anointed, nerves will be frayed, and regrets — there’ll be a few. If things begin as normal, the morning will go slowly from a public perspective: Perhaps a few fourth liners, or fifth defenceman for some low-round picks as selling GMs try to talk up the price to the buyers.
Behind the scenes, organization quickly descends into chaos. Deals talked about for weeks can be thrown out, while deals born at 1 p.m. can be consummated at 1:10 p.m.
Once the first big domino falls — Chris Pronger? Tomas Kaberle? — there will be a rush of deals to the 4 p.m. deadline.
The players
Most likely to be traded
• C Bill Guerin, Islanders
• D Derek Morris ,Coyotes
• D Filip Kuba, Senators
• C Tim Connolly, Sabres
• G Pascal Leclaire, Blue Jackets
• C Olli Jokinen Coyotes
Don’t be surprised
• C Jason Spezza, Senators
• RW Marian Gaborik, Wild
• C Jordan Staal, Penguins
• D Brian Campbell, Blackhawks
• F Brian Gionta, Devils
Also available
• F Sergei Kostitsyn, Canadiens
• LW Mason Raymond, Canucks
• RW Kris Chucko, Flames
• C Rob Schremp, Oilers
• G Erik Ersberg, Kings
