Diary of a Trade Deadline

Welcome to this trade deadline diary. It will have all the latest info, rumors and of course, trades that happen leading up to the 3 p.m. ET deadline. NHL Network superstar Brian Duff will also weigh in on trades throughout the day. A couple of pages you'll want to bookmark include our trade tracker with every deal made so far. Also, here's a look at all the incoming and outgoing assets for all 30 teams during the trade season. Keep refreshing for the latest.

Some of the big moves so far today: Penner traded to Kings for picks, prospect; Richards is staying put; Jason Arnott to the Caps; Jimmy Howard signs a two-year deal; Dvorak to Atlanta for Bergfors; Wideman to the Capitals; Kings, Williams agree to 4-year deal; Klesla, Upshall, Lepisto involved in PHO-CBJ deal; Schremp among waiver pickups; Campoli to Chicago.

4:10 pm -- It's time for last dose of Brian Duff, who wraps up today's moves: Hard to believe its over, Dave, this has been one of the fastest moving, exciting days of my life!
I'd personally like to thank Dale Tallon on behalf of all media.
Opponents of the Canucks will be investing in ear plugs. (See Burrows, Lapierre)
The Capitals look different, and I have to say, if healthy, much better. Arnott, Sturm, Wideman should have a greater impact than Belanger, Walker and Corvo from a year ago.
Minnesota, Detroit, San Jose, Nashville all really quiet.
Will Dustin Penner be the first player to win multiple Stanley Cups with California based teams?
And will Montreal's inactivity be cause for concern based on the moves made by those behind them over the recent days and weeks?
Interesting day. Looking forward to all the reaction tonight on NHL Network Trade Deadline Special presented by Honda at 6pm ET.

3:35 pm -- It's been announced that along with Steckel, the Devils also received a second-round pick from the Caps for Arnott.

3:20 pm -- The Canucks made another move to get Maxim Lapierre from the Ducks for Joel Perreault and a third-round pick, according to reports.

3:17 pm -- A couple more deals come in, as the Canucks get Chris Higgins from the Panthers for a pick. Also, Fredrik Modin goes to Calgary. Both deals are TSN reports. Higgins is expected to return from a broken thumb in about 10 days.

3:15 p.m. -- And now, Brian Duff: Been on air with the Bill Watters show on AM640 Toronto this past hour. A lot of talk about Brian Burke's inactivity to date. Sadly a lot of other markets and GMs are in the same boat. Our rountable certainly felt another deal was coming. But so far, real quiet. Kudos to my On The Fly sidekick Billy Jaffe for accurately predicting the Panthers moves. I'm still a little surprised they haven't done more.
Here's hoping the first hour post deadline is a big one!!!

3:08 pm -- TSN's Bob McKenzie is reporting Jason Arnott has waived his no-trade clause to go to the Washington Capitals for David Steckel. Also, the Dallas Stars announced Brad Richards is staying put.

3:03 pm -- A minor deal comes in after the horn, as the Leafs have sent minor-league center John Mitchell to the Rangers for a seventh-round pick, according to Darren Dreger of TSN. Perhaps the Connecticut Whale need to fill the hole left by Tim Kennedy.

3 pm -- That's it. The trade deadline has come and gone. Time to wait and see if anything happens ...

2:50 pm -- We've got 10 minutes until the deadline passes, but as you've heard 100 times in your life, reports of trades can still trickle out after 3 p.m. Mark Spector of Sportsnet.ca says he's hearing Jason Arnott could still go to the Caps.

2:26 pm -- Finally, kind of a big deal people knew was coming. TSN is reporting the Oilers have dealt Dustin Penner to the Kings for a first-round pick, a conditional third round pick in 2012 and prospect Colten Teubert. Penner scored 31 goals last season and is on pace for about the same this year. Penner is 28 and has one more year left on his contract at $4.25 million.

2:16 pm -- TSN reports the Blues have dealt Brad Winchester to the Ducks for a third-round pick.

2:06 pm -- Also, the Allen-Samsonov deal is official.

2:03 pm -- Once again, it's NHL Network luminary Brian Duff taking analysis to another level: No offense, Lozo, but is this the most boring diary in the history of mankind?
It certainly gives one more than enough time to thoroughly analyze ALL of today's deals.
Dennis Wideman to Washington certainly conjures up memories of a year ago when George McPhee added Eric Belanger, Scott Walker, and Joe Corvo. All of which I applauded at that time. And the more I look at this, the more I like it. With Mike Green being injured, at least in the short term, Wideman has a great chance to come in and play a role in turning around a struggling power play.
The question is - having come from perhaps the worst pp in the league, how much confidence does Wideman have at the moment?
The Rangers have to wonder the same thing about Bryan McCabe.
The movement by the bubble teams in the East has been the most intriguing so far.

1:56 pm -- TSN is reporting that the Blackhawks have acquired defenseman Chris Campoli from the Sens for a draft pick and a prospect.

1:43 pm -- A minor-league deal I left out earlier but might as well throw in here considering the lack of NHL deals is the Oilers sending one-timer first round pick Shawn Belle to the Avs for fellow defenseman Kevin Montgomery.

1:40 pm -- TSN's Bob McKenzie says the Panthers and Hurricanes are close to swapping Bryan Allen and Sergei Samsonov. Allen was part of the Roberto Luongo trade that sent the goaltender to Vancouver.

1:20 pm -- Just three trades with less than two hours until the deadline. Dennis Wideman was sent from the Panthers to Caps this morning and talked on NHL Live this afternoon. Here's some of that:

"Definitely a surprise since I thought I would be a part of young Florida team moving forward but that's the way it works."

On the Caps: "I think maybe if they've changed their system a little bit that there will be a growing period for the guys to get used to it and that would probably slow down the offense a little bit but I think everybody know that when it comes down to playoffs, you're not winning games 5-4 or whatever, it's tighter and that's good. As far as what I can help, I'm just going out there to play my game and hopefully it works out."

1:02 pm -- How about some more Brian Duff analysis? Here you go: It's been a disappointing hour for Dale Tallon and the Florida Panthers...or maybe it's just me.
How long before Marty Reasoner finds a new home?
Will Vokoun, Weiss, and Booth wake us all up as part of big deals?
Like the deal between Phoenix and Columbus, especially for the Jackets. Scottie Upshall brings some need pop, Lepisto is under-rated. And clearly they are feeling like they are very much alive.
Tough I'm sure to deal away an original franchise pick in Klesla, but you have to make these decisions. Well done, Scott Howson!

1 pm -- In the Coyotes-Jackets deal, Lepisto and Upshall will be free agents after this season, with Upshall a UFA and Lepisto an RFA, while Klesla is locked up through 2013-14 at about $3 million per season.

12:50 pm -- We reportedly have our third trade of the day, with the Columbus Blue Jackets sending Rostislav Klesla and Dane Byers to the Phoenix Coyotes for Scottie Upshall and Sami Lepisto. That's a TSN report.

12:40 pm -- It's sounding less and less likely that Brad Richards is going anywhere. After Stars practice this morning, Richards told media that he has not waived his no-movement clause nor has he been asked to do so. "I'm a Dallas Star," he said.

12:30 pm -- Radek Dvorak was on NHL Live a few minutes ago. He said about joining the Thrashers, "I'm excited. It's a young team and only two points out of a playoff spot and they making big push for the playoffs so I'm excited to come in and try to help them make the playoffs."

He also said about being a family man and getting traded, "When you don't have a family it's easier to be traded and go somewhere else. Obviously, I have family, I got two boys and I have to figure out how to do things from now on. it's very different for guys with family but not a big deal. We will figure it out."

12:20 pm - We're 160 minutes from the deadline, and there's still nothing major brewing. In the meantime, check out Billy Jaffe discussing what the Kings, Habs and Blackhawks might do today.

12:03 pm -- As we cross noon, we've got some waiver claims. Goaltender Curtis McElhinney (Lightning) was claimed by the Sens, Rob Schremp (Islanders) was claimed by the Thrashers and Brett Carson (Hurricanes) was claimed by the Flames.

11:58 am -- How about some instant analysis from Brian Duff on the Wideman deal: Two deals so far, and both made within the Southeast Division. Didn't there used to be an unwritten rule about that? I can tell you this. Neither one of them have stopped traffic here in Toronto, but I'm also thinking that perhaps this day is becoming like a National holiday. Volume on the major arteries into the city seemed lighter than usual which should translate into great ratings for all the media outlets that have altered their programming for the day - NHL Network included!
As for Wideman to the Caps - smart move George McPhee. Mike Green's health or not, another like-minded defenseman won't hurt. Nor would about 25 more deals...
Keep 'em coming Dale Tallon!!!

11:50 am -- There have been just as many signings as trades the past 24 hours, and TSN is reporting the Red Wings are getting into the mix now. TSN says the Wings and Jimmy Howard are close to agreeing to a two-year deal. More to come. Kevin Allen of USA Today says the deal is worth $2.25 million per year.

11:45 am -- Finally, we have a second trade, and it's a pretty big one. The Capitals have picked up defenseman Dennis Wideman from the Panthers in exchange for a prospect and draft pick. Wideman is an offensive defenseman with 9 goals and 24 assists in 61 games. He's a minus-26, however. The Caps haven't been scoring like they have in the past, and defenseman Mike Green left the Caps' last game after taking a hit to the head from the Rangers' Derek Stepan. Wideman carries a $3.875 million cap hit and is signed through next season.

11:32 am -- We're still waiting for our second trade of the day, but intrepid reporter Pierre LeBrun says Jason Spezza of the Sens is not in play.

11:16 am -- Pierre LeBrun just offered up three tidbits: 1) The Islanders want a second-round pick for Zenon Konopka. 2) The Caps don't have interest in Brad Richards. 3) Sabres forward Tim Connolly isn't in play right now, but LeBrun put emphasis on "right now."

11:10 am -- Consider this your leading source for Zenon Konopka news and rumors. Eric Stephens, a former NHL.com correspondent who now covers the Anaheim Ducks for the Orange County Register, believes the Ducks have serious interest in Konopka.

11:05 am -- Kevin Weekes reports on Twitter that Jason Arnott is on the Capitals radar.

10:55 am -- Here's some instant analysis from the NHL Network's Brian Duff on the Bergfors-Dvorak deal: After letting Michael Grabner get away from them for nothing in October, the Panthers have to be hoping that a third team in 13 months will be just the kick start that young forward Niclas Bergfors needs. He fell out of favor early under Craig Ramsay this season, was repeatedly a healthy scratch, and yet is just a week away from his 24th birthday, with plenty of ice-time and opportunity staring him in the face in the final weeks of this season.

As for the Thrashers, their comeback win Sunday boosted their playoff hopes. I'm not sure Radek Dvorak can do the same. It was a decade ago when he reached offensive expectations as a Ranger. Hard to imagine he finds an offensive groove all of a sudden in Atlanta.

10:45 am -- Going a little deeper into that minor deal, Bergfors was one of the key pieces in the trade that brought Ilya Kovalchuk to the Devils. He started out hot with the Thrashers, but Bergfors has 11 goals in 52 games this season. It's a fine pace for the 23-year-old, who still has plenty of potential. In Dvorark, the Thrashers are getting some more experience. Dvorak, 33, had a career best 31 goals with the Rangers in 2000-01. He has just 7 goals this season and will be a UFA this summer.

10:38 am -- Sweet fancy Moses! We've got a trade! TSN is reporting the Thrashers have acquired Radek Dvorak from the Panthers in exchange for Niclas Bergfors and Patrick Rissmiller.

10:35 am -- NHL Network analyst and former goaltender Kevin Weekes has weighed in on Twitter, saying the Panthers are shopping goaltender Tomas Vokoun but there isn't a market for him.

10:27 am -- Still, no trades to report today. Curious about all the names who are in likely in play today? Corey Masisak has a list you might want to peruse.

10:17 am -- Larry Brooks of the New York Post is now saying the chances of the Rangers getting Brad Richards are less than 50/50. That makes sense, as the Rangers are a young team that isn't set up to win this season. For years, the Rangers were loaded with older, expensive players, but now they are a young team with a bright future. Mortgaging the future to any extent for a short-term boost from Richards just wouldn't make sense.

10:15 am -- One name being tossed around this morning is Marty Reasoner of the Florida Panthers. The veteran center has 13 goals this season. He's extremely useful on draws, having won 54.3 percent of his faceoffs.

10:10 am -- So much for that talk of Zenon Konopka to the Canucks. Mark Spector of Sportsnet.ca says there's "no chance" Konopka is coming to Vancouver.

9:58 am - Not a trade, but the Kings have made a big move, according to TSN's Bob McKenzie. The Kings and Justin Williams have agreed to a four-year, $14.6 million contract. Perhaps it's the first of a couple big moves for the red-hot Kings?

9:50 am - Kevin Allen is now reporting the Thrashers are close to signing recently acquired defenseman Mark Stuart to a three-year deal. He was picked up in a trade with the Bruins. Also, Allen continues to say there is interest in Ron Hainsey.

9:45 am - Darren Dreger said the two most likely destinations for the Islanders' Zenon Konopka are Anaheim and Vancouver. Konopka brings to mind a guy who loves to pound people with his fists, but he's adept at penalty killing and winning faceoffs. He'd be a great guy to have as a fourth liner on a contender.

9:30 am - The boys on TSN Tradecentre are discussing Maple Leafs forward Clarke MacArthur and whether he will be traded. Ray Ferraro just compared him to Donald Audette, who he says chased an extra year with a contract and was never the same. I'm not sure if he was never the same player because he wanted an extra year, but hey, what do I know. I'd be surprised if MacArthur gets traded today.

9:25 am - So what's happening so far today? Not much as of right now, but a lot of hockey insiders are hearing things of interest. Some of them are:

TSN's Darren Dreger believes Stars center Brad Richards would be willing to waive his no-trade clause to join the New York Rangers. Dreger calls it a guess.

ESPN's Scott Burnside is saying if the Avs do move defenseman John-Michael Liles, it won't be to the Toronto Maple Leafs, who are making a push for the playoffs despite trading away several assets in the past few weeks.

Dreger also notes the Flyers are in the market for a forward and could have nearly $4 million in cap space if they can move forward Nikolay Zherdev.

Craig Custance of The Sporting News is reporting there is some interest in Thrashers defenseman Ron Hainsey.

Kevin Allen of USA Today says there is a "2 percent" chance the Thrashers deal Zach Bogosian.

Also, there is nothing new on the Jason Arnott front. The Devils' run has made it tougher for Arnott to decide if he would accept a trade to a contender, but he's told GM Lou Lamoriello he's willing to consider being dealt today.

9:15 am - Good morning, soldiers. Welcome to this live-blog that will be updated all trade deadline day long with rumors, speculation and if we're lucky, some actual trades that will actually happen. We will also be receiving commentary from NHL Network superstar Brian Duff every so often when he gets a chance.

If you're were ensconced in the Oscars last night and missed it, there were two trades of note that happened:

The Blues dealt forward Brad Boyes to the Sabres in exchange for a second-round pick. Also, the Bruins dealt forwards Brian McGrattan and defenseman Sean Zimmerman to the Ducks for forwards David Laliberte and Stefan Chaput.