The NHL has its deadline 40 days before the end of the regular season, similar to the start of Lent being 40 days before Easter Sunday. It will be interesting to see what teams will be willing to give up for Rent(al) players in their quest for the Stanley Cup on this greatest of all days for hockey fans; trade deadline day.

3:51 PM Could this be the last trade of the day. The Atlanta Thrashers traded Alexandre Giroux to Washington for Joe Motzko. Not exactly a blockbuster as the two have no fantasy value.

3:35 PM The Anaheim Ducks have finally made a trade getting defenseman Marc-Andre Bergeron from the New York Islanders in exchange for a third round pick. Bergeron knows where the net is as he has nine goals in 46 games this season, after 14 and 15 goal seasons the previous two seasons. He will not have the luxury of playing on the Ducks top power play unit as Chris Pronger, Scott Niedermayer and Mathieu Schneider are all ahead of him on the depth charts. The Islanders will receive a third round pick in exchange. The Ducks also just got Jean-Sebastien Aubin from the Kings for a seventh round pick. The netminder has no value as he probably won't get into a game this season unless both Giguere and Jonas Hiller get injured. We think that GM Brian Burke made the trade so he can have two goaltenders named Jean-Sebastien. The New York Rangers and the Phoenix Coyotes have completed a five player trade. The Rangers sent Al Montoya and Marcel Hossa to the desert in exchange for Fredrik Sjoberg, David Leneveu and Josh Gratton. It is a very minor deal as Hossa will probably be a third line player in Phoenix and has little value in that situation, while Montoya, a sixth overall selection in the 2004 Entry Draft, never had a chance in New York as he could never replace Henrik Lundqvist. The Rangers get back Sjoberg, who could be a fourth liner in New York and Leneveu and Gratton who are minor leaguers. Gratton does get a lot of minutes, but it is doubtful the Rangers will use him as they already have Colton Orr. It's interesting that both Hossa brothers were dealt today.

3:16 PM Brad Stuart has been traded from the Los Angeles Kings to the Detroit Red Wings for a second and fourth round pick. The Red Wings needed to pick up a defenseman as they currently are missing Nicklas Lidstrom, Brian Rafalski, Niklas Kronwall and Chris Chelios from their blueline. Stuart won't have much in the way of fantasy value, especially when Lidstrom, Rafalski and Kronwall return. The Maple Leafs traded Chad Kilger to Florida for a third round pick. Kilger has very limited fantasy value in the deepest of leagues, but is a serviceable third line winger.

3:12 PM The New York Islanders have traded Chris Simon to the Minnesota Wild for a sixth round pick. I guess the Wild like picking up Islanders who have been suspended (see Sean Hill). This move has very little fantasy value.

2:58 PM Wow. Marian Hossa has been traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Thrashers will receive Erik Christensen, Angelo Esposito and Colby Armstrong. This is a great move for the Penguins as they get another top-six forward and really a top three forward. The Penguins will have an unbelievable power play when Sidney Crosby returns to the lineup with Hossa, Malkin, Gonchar and Ray Whitney. Pascal Dupuis is also headed to Pittsburgh from Atlanta. The Thrashers get a lot of youth whose progress had been stunted in Pittsburgh because of all their young superstars (Crosby, Malkin Staal). Look for Armstrong and Christensen to increase their fantasy value in Atlanta as they will be on the second line, giving the Thrashers some added scoring. Esposito, still playing junior hockey, was drafted 20th overall last season. He could crack the Thrashers lineup next season. The Thrashers also get a conditional number one pick.

2:53PM The Leafs get a second and a fifth round pick from the Penguins for Gill. Gill will add a physical presence on the blueline for the Penguins. His fantasy value will remain borderline in deeper pools. The St. Louis Blues have traded Christian Backman to the New York Rangers. The Blues get a fourth round pick in return. It's the first move by the Rangers and adds some depth to their defense. Backman has no fantasy value this season with only a goal and 10 points in 45 games this season.

2:47PM Rumors have Hal Gill going to Pittsburgh from Toronto. Stay tuned.

2:40 PM It's now been an hour since the last deal. There have been 12 deals thus far and there should be a lot of minor deals announced. Everyone is still waiting for Marian Hossa to be dealt.

2:00 PM The lull before the expected storm. Nothing has happened in the last 20 minutes.

1:40 PM The Vancouver Canucks have dealt Matt Cooke to the Washington Capitals for Matt Pettinger. Cooke will give the Capitals some grit and Pettinger gives the Canucks more size on the wing. It is not a significant fantasy deal for poolies.

1:32 PM The Columbus Blue Jackets received a conditional first round pick for Adam Foote. TSN is reporting that Foote has signed a contract with the Avs. Rob Davison has been traded from San Jose to the New York Islanders for a 7th round pick. Ho hum.

1:15 PM Sergei Fedorov has been traded to the Washington Capitals in exchange for 2007 second round pick, Ted Ruth. Fedorov's best days are behind him, but his veteran presence will hepl the young Capitals. The Capitals best players, Alex Ovechkin and Alexander Semin are both Russians, so this certainly won't hurt as they both probably revere the aging Fedorov.

1:00 PM There is now two hours to go until the trade deadline and the Columbus Blue Jackets have sent Adam Foote to Colorado. No details yet as to what they are getting back. It is a solid pickup for the Avs as Foote returns to Denver after leaving as an unrestricted free agent after the lockout. Foote doesn't have much fantasy value left, but is still a solid defensive defenseman. This probably means that Rob Blake will not be going back to Colorado.

12:49 PM There is a rumor that the Ottawa Senators are talking with the Thrashers. The trade would be Marian Hossa and Kari Lehtonen for Christoph Schubert, Nick Foligno, Antoine Vermette and Chris Kelly. We'll keep you informed.

12:38 PM Martin Lapointe has been traded to Ottawa for a sixth round pick. Lapointe has no fantasy value, but will be a nice fourth line energy player for the Senators. The Sens need something to pick them up. They have been struggling for a long time now as they started the season with a 15-2 record and have been 21-19-6 since then. The Fan 590 in Toronto is reporting that Pavel Kubina will not agree to waive his no-trade contract.

12:20 PM The Florida Panthers have traded Ruslan Salei to the Colorado Avalanche for Karlis Skrastins and a 3rd round selection. It is not much of a fantasy trade as neither player have much in the way of fantasy value.

12:04 PM The Chicago Blackhawks just dealt Tuomo Ruutu to the Carolina Hurricanes for Andrew Ladd. This move should help Ruutu who has been in a horrible slump; he is without a goal in his past 32 games and had gone from the top line in Chicago to the fourth line. He will be given a chance to be a top-six forward again in Carolina due to the season-ending injury to Rod Brind'Amour. In Andrew Ladd, the Blackhawks get a 22-yera-old player who went fourth overall in the 2004 Entry Draft. Injuries have slowed him down the last three seasons in the NHL, but he is a talented player who will be a top-six forward shortly. He contributes in all categories and should fit in nicely with the Blackhawks.

11:52 AM The trades are coming fast and furious now. Mike Smith, Jussi Jokinen and Jeff Halpern are headed to Tampa Bay, while Johan Holmqvist is headed to Dallas with Richards. The Lightning get some depth on forward with Halpern being a good third line center and Jussi Jokinen, who will give the Lightning some of the scoring back that they lose with the trade of Richards. The big thing for the Lightning is getting a goaltender in Mike Smith. The Lightning have been unable to make a move in the standings due to poor goaltending and Smith solves that problem immediately. Holmqvist gives the Stars an adequate backup goaltender and they can leave their goalie of the future, Tobias Stephan, in the minors. The Montreal Canadiens have traded goaltender Cristobal Huet to the Washington Capitals and receive the Caps second round pick in the 2008 Entry Draft in exchnge. This is good news for Carey Price as he is now the number one netminder in Montreal. The Habs will bring up Jaroslav Halak from the minors. In Washington, Olaf Kolzig's fantasy value takes a big hit as Huet will take over the reins as the number one goaltender. Huet is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, so the Caps will do everything they can to re-sign him before July 1.

11:43 AM Brad Richards has been traded to the Dallas Stars. This is the deal that a lot people anticipated. Richards will give the Stars a top line forward and will play the top power play in place of the injured Sergei Zubov. No word yet on who is going to Tampa Bay.

11:36 AM It's official. The Sabres will get Steve Bernier in return, along with the Sharks first round pick in 2008. This is a good move for Bernier who will get the chance he needs in Buffalo. He will definitely be a top-six forward in Buffalo.

11:28 AM The first big trade of the day. It is being reported that Brian Campbell has been traded to the San Jose Sharks. No word yet on who is going to Buffalo. This would be a big deal for the Sharks who were looking for a number one defenseman. Campbell is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, but his fantasy value will increase, quarterbacking the power play for Joe Thornton.

11:15 AM Wade Belak has been traded from the Toronto Maple Leafs to the Florida Panthers for a fifth round selection in the 2008 Entry Draft. With the Leafs in Florida to play the Panthers, Belak doesn't have far to go. Belak will give the Panthers a physical force and he can play on the blueline or forward. His only value in fantasy pools is in penalty minutes.

10:37 AM The first trade of the day has been announced. The St. Louis Blues have traded defenseman Bryce Salvador to New Jersey for Cam Janssen. This is defensive depth for the Devils as Salvador has one goal and 12 points this season and is plus 12. He is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season so the Blues wanted something in return. Janssen will add some toughness to the Blues and little else.

10:24 AM Rumors out of Leafland state that Kyle Wellwood has asked to be traded and Pavel Kubina may be willing to waive his no-trade contract. San Jose is being mentioned as a destination for Kubina.

9:17 AM It is being reported that the Columbus Blue Jackets Adam Foote has rejected signing a long-term deal. Look for the defenseman to be offered around to the rest of the league today.

8:00 AM Mike Comrie has re-signed with the New York Islanders. It's a one-year deal and that takes the center off the trade market. He had been rumored to be going elsewhere, but this deal will preclude that.

6:30 AM Here's a quick recap of the goings on last night as the Tampa Bay Lightning were very busy. They traded unrestricted free agent to be Vaclav Prospal to the Philadelphia Flyers for young defenseman Alexandre Picard and a conditional second or third round pick in 2009. Prospal returns to the team that originally drafted him in 1993 and he will be a top-six forward and play on the first unit of the power play for the Flyers. Picard has spent the season shuffling between the Flyers and the Phantoms of the AHL, but he has a lot of potential and should have some fantasy value as soon as next season.

The Lightning also re-signed Dan Boyle to a six-year/$40 million contract last night, taking him off the trade market. It all but assures the Lightning, that they will trade Brad Richards today. The Stars are rumored to be the front-runners for Boyle, with goaltender Mike Smith coming back as the center piece in the deal. The Bolts need goaltending and Smith should be able to solve those problems for a long time.