Forsberg return unlikely / Staios fined / Pyatt Update / OT rule changes?

This from Don Baizley, Forsberg's agent today via TSN:

"The prospect of Peter having enough confidence in the foot-skate issue to commit to being able to play in the NHL this season isn't where it needs to be at this moment," Baizley told TSN. "As a result, teams are being told it is unlikely he will be able to commit to return to the NHL this season."

Ah, there goes a lot of the trade deadline fun. Now we know Nonis is going thrift shopping by February 26th for sure. Expect a risk or gamble offensive player(s) for lower draft picks.
With both Tomas Kaberle and Rob Blake saying that they are not leaving their respective teams today as well, the whole luster of a big active deadline is growing dimmer by the second. Who's suprised, except for the idiot rumor sites?

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It was Steve Staios who overhand slashed Alex Burrow's arm after he scored the empty net goal to sink the Oilers on Saturday. Today, he was handed an undisclosed fine, and not suspended. Fair enough. If Burrows was injured on the play a suspension would have gone down for sure. Burrow's swinging slash on Jarret Stool's leg could have been reviewed as well. Ah well. Can't wait till these teams play again.

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The Canucks are keeping quiet as to what exactly Pyatt injured after getting smoked along the boards by Zach the monkey Stortini. Apparently Pyatt will accompany the team on their 2 game road trip. He will not play Tuesday against Minny and is doubtful for Thursday's game against Nashville.

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The 30 NHL GM's met in Florida today to discuss a variety of issues surrounding rule changes and what not. One of the biggies, and I'm not sure if Brian Burke initiated it, is to cut the minor penalties in regular season overtimes to 1 minute instead of 2. There's concern because a minor penalty takes up 40% of the 5 minute OT. I'm a little torn on the issue, but am slanted towards agreeing with this concept. Then again, I also think OT's should be 10 minutes long. 5 minutes of 4-on-4 and 5 minutes of 3-on-3 with no shootouts. Then again, if you had 3-on-3's and someone took a penalty, you'd have 2 minutes of 2-on-1's. Now that would be bat shit insane, wouldn't it?
Anyways, check out the above link for more on what the GM's discussed.

T Tags: Forsberg+return+unlikely Trade+Deadline Staios+fined Burrows Pyatt+injury+update General+Managers+meeting+Florida

Forsberg arrives

If this guys stays healthy.....
I can remember Dan Hamhuis telling me that he really didn't like Peter Forsberg at all. Now he gets to play with him, which I'm sure, as anyone would say, is better than playing against him!
Any predictions on Forsberg's points total in tonight's game against Minnesota? I say 1 goal and 3 assists. Top that!

Just say no to Foppa

I may as well hop on the bandwagon with all the 'Forsberg to Vancouver' talk. It starts to annoy me when we hear every summer and at every trade deadline rumors of Forsberg playing in Vancouver with his best buddy Naslund. It's becoming repetitive. The really big difference now perhaps is that Forsberg is on his last legs and his value has dropped somewhat. Are we even to think that Dave Nonis is going to bite on Foppa?
For every reason, except for the fact that a Naslund/Forsberg combo would be sweet, the answer is and should be a resounding NO. In my opinion, Nonis, who is of Brian Burke mold, will not sacrifice the future of this team on a gamble. He has repetitively stated that. So I guess Forsberg mat not be going to Anaheim either, as was speculated. It's just my opinion.
Nah, the Canucks are 'nearly' fine the way they are, playing as a team, silencing the critics like myself who said they wouldn't score goals this year. Right now the their team chemistry is probably the highest it's been in over a decade.

Think Buffalo. You don't see Buffalo bowing to the gods of greed every time a big name player becomes available. They are building from within. Nonis is doing that now in Vancouver.
Don't pay attention to what Calgary is doing. So what if they got Conroy back and now lured in Brad Stuart. Calgary is rolling the dice with their team chemistry when they add and subtract this many players. Even if those guys help the Flames what does it matter? Is Calgary that much better than us? Nope.
If the Canucks can keep focused and continue to bow to and believe in the system of Vigneault, they should be absolutely fine and are playoff-ready, oh yeah, believe it!

Priorities. So if not Peter the Fragile, then what are Nonis' plans for the deadline? A part of that depends on the return date of Ryan Kesler. Let's just say Kesler returns before the playoffs. Then can we expect Nonis to look for a bonafide backup to Luongo? Sabourin is not quite ready to face pressure at the NHL level. Every time I see Luongo lay on the ice like he's dead after something happens to him, I freeze with fear! I wonder if Nonis feels the same when that happens...of course he does!
Priority #2 would be to fill Kesler's spot if he didn't come back. To that, I still say Martin Gelinas or Gary Roberts-types. Someone with a Cup ring or playoff experience.
But honestly, as much as it wouldn't hurt to have Naslund and Forsberg on the same line, I think we should be patient with Nonis and this team. The Flyers' asking price for Foppa is too high I'm sure, and we should horde any top round draft picks that we get and have, not piss them away on a big-name guy with a hospital wristband. That is something that the Leafs will do.

Could Forsberg come to Toronto?

I drool at the possibility of Forsberg signing with the Leafs, staying healthy, and playing with fellow countrymen Mats Sundin and Alex Steen down the stretch and perhaps in the playoffs. Sundin and Forsberg have never played with eachother on an NHL team. They came close. Forsberg played his first year with the Quebec Nordiques in the '94-95 season, the same year Sundin started his tenure with the Leafs.
Is it at all possible? The Leafs, from what I'm gathering, are at about the $41.9 million mark under the cap. Knock off Peca's salary at $2.5 million, and there is a bit of cash floating around in Leafland to absorb half of Forsberg's $5.75 million salary.
So yes, it is possible. But that depends. Will they sign Tucker at a higher price before the deadline? If yes, then no Forsberg. How are the Sundin negotiations?
Can we assume that John Ferguson Jr is smart enough not to sign an injury-prone Forsberg and roll the dice at such a critical time? No..see the signings of Jason Allison and Eric Lindros last season.
Either way, it's something that I could fantasize about. It also gave me an excuse to put Forsberg's head on top of Robert Reichel's on a hockey card! That gave me great satisfaction!