On paper the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-2 loss to the Dallas Stars doesn’t look too bad. First of all, Columbus managed to out-shoot Dallas by a margin of 24-11 in the first two periods and 40-18 overall. Second, the Blue Jackets outhit the Stars by a margin of 32-20 and third Columbus did manage to capitalize on one of their five power play opportunities, but when you consider the Blue Jackets are now a combined 0-5-1 on the season, it’s time to start panicking, isn’t it? Long time captain of the Dallas Stars Mike Modano tweeted (@9modano) “Rick Nash please ask for a trade..!” after the Stars victory, leaving many NHL fans wondering if Modano is right—maybe Nash should ask for a trade out of Columbus? This summer, Columbus Blue Jackets Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations and General Manager

Rumors. They can start up at the flick of a few keys on the keyboard and, in most cases; there is absolutely nothing to them. Reports have surfaced that Jeff Carter was unhappy at being blindsided by the Philadelphia Flyers when he was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets. While Carter has not said he is disappointed in his destination, there are some whispers out there that Carter would consider a move if Columbus offered. Carter’s agent Rick Curran met with the Flyers prior to the trade and was assured there was no truth to the rumors that Carter was on the move. Curran negotiated an 11-year, $58 million deal with the Flyers that was to see Carter remain a Flyer for life. Needless to say, when you consider Carter negotiated his deal in good faith and then was later

According to TSN Philadelphia Flyers forward Jeff Carter has been traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for forward Jakub Voracek and the Blue Jackets first (eighth overall) and third round draft choices in this years NHL Entry Draft. Carter, who carries a cap hit of $5,272,727 through 2021-22, looks to have been made expendable in order for the Flyers to sign unrestricted free agent goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov, whom the Flyers have exclusive signing rights to up to July 1st. The Carter trade also makes it possible for the Flyers to re-sign unrestricted free agent Ville Leino, who was thought to be headed out of town. And let’s not forget about that first round draft pick. Philadelphia’s minor league system has been decimated by a lack of first round draft picks. Drafting eighth overall should allow the Flyers to

With free agency just around the corner there has been a lot of chatter about the pro’s and cons of buying out a number of players. Names like Chris Drury, Dany Heatley, Scott Gomez and Sheldon Souray continue to show up in reports, while, on the Toronto Maple Leafs front, the name of defenseman Mike Komisarek has found its way into a few buyout rumors. Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brian Burke brought Komisarek to the Blue and White via free agency in the summer of 2009. At the time of the signing Komisarek had just come off an impressive season with the Montreal Canadiens which saw him lead the Habs in blocked shots (207) and hits with 191. The Hockey News ranked Komisarek as the ninth most desirable free agent that summer, but also warned that “whichever team signs

Three weeks and one calender month into the 2010-2011 NHL season, we’ve already begun to be able to pick out the surprises and disappointments of the year. Teams like Buffalo and New Jersey, two top-ranked teams from the Eastern Conference last season, have both struggled to get going and posted a combined 0-8-2 home record, while franchises such as Montreal, Boston, and Tampa Bay have burst onto the stage with a combined 20-7-2 record. Meanwhile, in the West, Nashville, Edmonton, and Dallas started out strongly but have faltered lately, while, on the other hand, youthful squads such as St. Louis, Colorado, and Los Angeles have already begun to prove their legitimacy. But how does the NHL look from a divisional standpoint? Which five-team groups have been the toughest to play in so far, while which divisions have struggled despite their

With the NHL pre-season behind us it’s almost time to start the regular season where all 30 NHL teams will drop the puck in anger for the first time. There was plenty of movement this summer, which should help change the landscape of the NHL standings in a big way from where the teams finished in 2009-10. Sure, the Washington Capitals, Pittsburgh Penguins, San Jose Sharks, Vancouver Canucks and New Jersey Devils are bound to be amongst the NHL’s elite teams, it’s in the bottom ranks that we will see the most change. Off-season improvements from teams such as the Tampa Bay Lightning, Atlanta Thrashers, Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins should equate to big changes in the Eastern Conference, while Western Conference teams such as the Los Angeles Kings, Calgary Flames and Phoenix Coyotes should help determine the playoff