Some days you wake up and have an idea where the the day will take you and some days, like today, one phone call at 4 pm in the afternoon changes everything...and you find yourself working until 3:00 am as you hunt down leads.
I was talking to a source today while making the rounds and updating the Rumor Chart when I got a call from a source who is very connected to the Leafs saying the following: "There will be two major re-signings of UFA defensemen by week's end. Lidstrom is the first, the second is also in your top 40. Both are connected to a MAJOR possible trade the Toronto Maple Leafs will make shortly after the Cup has been decided. In actuality, there are three deals on the table for the Leafs which will happen by the end of round 1 in the draft."
"The first one is a big and involves bringing a top 3 forward, a draft pick, and a VERY good, young goalie prospect for Tomas Kaberle and a prospect. The goalie and the draft pick will be part of a package that will be on the table on draft day, and it is THAT deal which could potentially re-shape the Toronto Maple Leafs."
Another source concurred, adding..."Make no mistake about it, the Rumor world will soon be buzzing around Toronto."
I asked the second source if the scenario painted by the first source was something he had heard about and he said, "Oh yes. Absolutley. But I also think you need to add this first move is also about freeing up a big portion of the 6 million plus the Leafs will need to get their man on July 1."
The source wouldn't confirm who that target was, only adding. "Offense, offense, offense. that is the Leafs summer plans."
Two teams who will be in the Kaberle sweeps?
Source #1 refused to comment, but Source #2 said Pittsburgh and Washington are the two teams most likely to make the move, but don't count out Buffalo and New Jersey....Although the Caps first choice is said to be Volchenkov, who may be more possible now that Lidstrom has been signed."
Nicklas Lidstrom's one year deal is a factor going into the July 1..make no mistake about it. The Wings have been exploring the alternatives in Gonchar and Volchenkov and the timing of this deal, 3 weeks before the draft, and one month exactly prior to July 1 is also not a coincidence.
Go To The 2010 UFA/RFA/Trade Rumor Chart Update
Players Updated So Far Today Include: Brett Clark, Tomas Kaberle, Adam Burish, Sergei Gonchar, Pavol Demitra, Dan Hamhuis, Zbynek Michalek, Ilya Kovalchuk, Tomas Plekanec, Patrick Marleau, and Anton Volchenkov.
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I have time to get about 5 hours of sleep before heading to the Wachovia Center for the skates today. Game 3 today!
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