Early Afternoon Musings: Feb. 25

Here's a look at some of the chatter around the NHL as we countdown to the 2011 NHL Trade Deadline. We'll try to do this most mornings between now and the deadline. There were four more trades yesterday as the flurry of pre-deadline deals continues.

NEW YORK ISLANDERS

As Chris Botta of NYI Point Blank points out, the Islanders have made three big moves during the season -- trading James Wisniewski and Dwayne Roloson and inking Matt Moulson to a three-year extension. What does that leave for GM Garth Snow to do in the next few days? Not a lot, writes Botta.

He names three players who could be on the move for the right price -- defenseman Radek Martinek and forwards Zenon Konopka and Rob Schremp. Martinek is likely to bring the highest return - he's a competent defensive defenseman who doesn't cost much that several teams could in interested in as a depth guy. Konopka is a fourth-line center who wins faceoffs and fights, and doesn't do much else. There's probably a team out there that could use a player like that.

Schremp is an interesting case. He's a restricted free agent at season's end and has a lot of talent but has never been able to produce consistently at the NHL level.

"One source told Point Blank that the Islanders have made it known around the NHL that Schremp is available," Botta writes. "He was showcased for 18 minutes last night, his sixth straight game without a point. In all likelihood, Snow will not receive any significant offers. The general manager will have to decide if he wants to return the pending restricted free agent next season on a one-way contract. Barring a brilliant final six weeks of the season, Schremp could be a looking for a new team in the summer."

PHILADELPHIA FLYERS

There are going to be a lot of teams looking for defensemen between now and Monday. Where do the Flyers fall on that subject now that Oskars Bartulis is going to out long-term with an injury? GM Paul Holmgren sounded pretty tepid on the matter.

"Well you know Oskars is out for a considerable amount of time," Holmgren told reporters. "Matt Walker is not going to be out that long.We like [Danny] Syvret, we like [Kevin] Marshall for depth. I know they're all young guys. We'll probably look around but that's about it. I don't really feel like trading anyone off our team to do something like that."

Holmgren could surprise and make a big move this weekend (for a marquee goalie, perhaps?) but otherwise expect it to pretty quiet in Philadelphia on the trade front. A depth defenseman at a low cost (i.e. late-round pick) or even a guy who can be stashed with the Adirondack Phantoms in the AHL might be something Holmgren ends up pursuing.

VANCOUVER CANUCKS

The Canucks are clearly one of the favorites to win the Stanley Cup, and provided teh defense corps gets healthy they have a loaded roster with no glaring holes. One minor nitpick is Vancouver hasn't settled on a fourth-line center. Top prospect Cody Hodgson might be able to fill the role, but Ben Kuzma of the Vancouver Sun thinks the club should look into acquiring Marty Reasoner from Florida to put in that spot.

"At 33, the veteran leads the Panthers in faceoff percentage at 54.5 per cent, can kill penalties and doesn't take stupid ones with just 20 minutes through 60 games," Kuzma writes. "He wouldn't disrupt a dressing room where chemistry has translated into accountability. Reasoner, who has 25 points (11-14) in 16:25 of average ice time, would also be insurance against injury at the centre position and with little left on his $1.1 million deal, there's salary cap space, too."

Reasoner would probably be a great fit in Vancouver, and given Manny Maholtra's offensive struggles of late might even slot in as the team's No. 3 center. A problem for the Canucks could be the market for Reasoner. While the Panthers just traded Cory Stillman for a fifth-round pick, Reasoner will almost certainly command more. He's one of the better centers available in a weak crop and his small cap hit will make him even more appealing.

There are other teams (Washington, Pittsburgh and the N.Y. Rangers come to mind) who could consider Reasoner for a greater role than fourth-line center -- he'd be the No. 2 guy in Washington and maybe in New York and Pittsburgh, too -- so those teams are likely going to be willing to pay more than what Florida got for Stillman. Still, if Reasoner lands with the Canucks that would make a deep, scary team even deeper.