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Blood in the water By acquiring Selanne, Sharks show their teeth
The San Jose Sharks proved they were Stanley Cup serious by trading for Teemu Selanne, a purebred scorer who is a fine complement to a grinding team. The price was eminently reasonable, considering the Anaheim Mighty Ducks will pay some $3 million of Selanne's $9.5 million contract next season. The Sharks were able to package goalie Steve Shields and winger Jeff Friesen because of the organization's depth at both positions. Friesen has long been destined for greatness but has never seemed to get there. Shields became expendable because the Sharks have the most impressive goaltending of any NHL organization. The Sharks simply recalled Miika Kiprusoff, a well-seasoned 24-year-old who actually had a better training camp than current No. 1 goaltender Evgeni Nabokov.
Fletcher makes some moves ... againPhoenix Coyotes general manager Cliff Fletcher retraced his steps in making the deal that ended the interminable holdout of goalie Nikolai Khabibulin. The Coyotes picked up Mike Johnson (a forward Fletcher signed for the Maple Leafs out of Bowling Green) and defenseman Paul Mara (who, like Johnson, was with the Tampa Bay Lightning when Fletcher was a consultant there.)The 21-year-old Mara has had a roller-coaster season but is still considered a bright prospect, one with an outside chance to make the U.S. Olympic team. For Khabibulin, the port of his NHL re-entry might not be ideal. But given his skill level -- the longer he held out, the more he was considered the second coming of Jacques Plante -- Tampa Bay should be fine.
Can the Flames pick a Peca?The Calgary Flames' Craig Button wants to give his team an identity, one reason he is among the more than half dozen GMs hoping to pry holdout Michael Peca from the Buffalo Sabres.Peca is a tough center who can score some, play superb defense and win faceoffs -- the kind of player a young franchise can grow around. Any Peca deal would cost the Flames some of their core talent, but Calgary also will be looking at secondary deals that would trim payroll. Veteran defenseman Phil Housley, still a useful point man on the power play, has a no-trade clause in his $2.5 million annual deal, but he could waive it if the Flames try to wheel him to a contender. Sports Illustrated senior writer Michael Farber covers the NHL beat for the magazine and is a regular contributor to CNNSI.com.
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