In the National Hockey League, March Madness does not mean Dick Vitale or a 64-team tournament. The madness refers to the quickly approaching trade deadline and its effect on the tight playoff race.
March 13th is right around the corner, and for many teams that date might determine if they make the playoff cut or not. About 20 teams are looking to make the 16-team draw, and in order to do so many owners believe that this is the time to steal high-priced talent from teams looking to improve their chances for next year's run and have all but given up on this year.
No team can escape the trade rumors since every organization is a little banged up this time of year and wants to fortify its roster before beginning a playoff run. One of those teams, the St. Louis Blues, did not even wait for the frenzy surrounding March 13th; they already made their move, acquiring talented right winger Scott Mellanby from the Florida Panthers. The Blues are a solid team looking to beat out the Colorado Avalanche for the top seed in the Western Conference, but to do so, they felt they had to acquire a talented player to fill in for their injured key players, such as winger Pavol Demitra.
The Blues are by no means done in their efforts to pad their roster, but with most teams seeking to trade for the best and wanting to give up little, few proposed trades involving key players actually reach the signing table. Star players, such as Pavel Bure of the Panthers, will most likely not be dealt away even though the Panthers could use some draft picks and Bure's scoring services could be used elsewhere. Bure, and other high caliber players on losing squads, generally prove too important to their clubs and the asking price is more than other teams can afford.
Another marquee trade, which had been discussed for weeks, was finally resolved yesterday, but neither side won, as talks between the Philadelphia Flyers and the Toronto Maple Leafs ended in a stalemate over the terms of the Eric Lindros trade. Apparently Flyers general manager and coach Pat Quinn was unhappy with the prospects he would receive in turn for his concussion-ridden superstar.
Because the result of March Madness in the NHL is often an abundance of smaller trades, teams end up searching through the waiver wire. In the waiver wire, a team can find a veteran who might not have played the whole year, but who has some playoff experience and can bring an emotional lift to the team.
Ron Sutter is that player, and was recently signed by the Calgary Flames. At 37. Sutter has not played this year but has a wealth of experience and can add mental toughness to the team as it comes to the final stretch of the regular season and into the playoffs.
By the deadline there will have be numerous trades involving lesser known players, but there will also be that one landmark trade that will define this trading season. So while all teams look to land that one big deal, the weeks to do it are narrowing down.
Super Mario Slumping
One player who will not be traded, and not just because he is part owner of Pittsburgh Penguins, is Mario Lemieux. The entire nation watched his comeback to the NHL under a magnifying glass and he has left us in awe with his goal scoring and general brilliance on the ice.
Super Mario has reminded us of the way hockey used to be played by the greats, while leaving us wondering how, after overcoming cancer and back pains that forced him to retire in his prime, he is still so extraordinary on the ice.
Unfortunately, the Lemieux resurgence appears to be hitting a lull. After coming on strong, averaging two points a game since his return, he now is feeling some of the pain that initially forced him to retire.
His lower back is acting up and his performance has dropped a bit. He has even stated to reporters that he may have to sit out some games in order to perform to his full potential down the stretch.
The Penguins are therefore left in a difficult position. Since their star might not be able to deliver them all the way to the Stanley Cup, will Lemieux become a burden? The Penguins will now need to adjust their game plans for when Lemieux is not active, perhaps resulting in the team returning to their struggling ways from before Mario's great comeback.
The uncertainty over Lemieux's availability will, at the very least, create distractions for his team. The question for the Penguins coaches is whether these distractions will cause the Penguins to lose hold of their number-five seed for the playoffs, or if Lemieux's presence in the games he does play will prove enough for the team to excel.
