This week's musings touches on Jarome Iginla, the Pittsburgh Penguins trade for Brenden Morrow, the Tampa Bay Lightning coaching situation, Dan DeKeyser and more offence in the East.
Jarome Iginla and the Calgary Flames managed to get the job done on Sunday, even though speculation has the captain's days about to end in Calgary.
Iginla scored the game-winner for 88th time for the Flames -- if you include the playoffs -- in their 3-2 win at home against the St. Louis Blues.
But with only four games remaining before the April 3 trade deadline expires and just two at home against Colorado on Wednesday and Columbus on Friday, was this Iginla's last game at the Scotiabank Saddledome? Was this the last time the local fans will watch the Iggy dance on the scoreboard?
As Elliotte Friedman reported on Hockey Night in Canada's Hotstove Tonight on Saturday, the Flames want a combination of prospects and draft picks in return for Iginla. As both Renaud Lavoie of RDS and Darren Dreger of TSN suggested on Sunday, Iginla has provided Flames management with a list of four teams he would be willing to accept a trade to -- the Los Angeles Kings, Chicago Blackhawks, Boston Bruins and Pittsburgh Penguins.
The Penguins acquired veteran Brenden Morrow in a trade with the Dallas Stars on Sunday. Like Morrow, the 35-year-old Iginla also will become an unrestricted free agent this summer.
The Flames haven't made the post-season in the last three years and they haven't won a playoff series since Iginla led them to the 2003-04 Stanley Cup final. Now all signs indicate both sides have agreed it is time the captain moves on.
Morrow for Morrow
With the exception of last year, picking up a rent-a-forward or two near the trade deadline has become a springtime tradition for Penguins general manager Ray Shero.
He acquired Brenden Morrow, who is slated to become an unrestricted free agent in the summer, and a third-round draft pick from the Stars in exchange for 20-year-old prospect defenceman Joseph Morrow (no relation) and a fifth-round draft pick. Brenden Morrow, 34, waived his no-trade clause to be dealt.
Here's a glance at Shero's forward acquisitions near trade deadline since 2008.
2008 -- Marian Hossa (from Atlanta), Pascal Dupuis (Atlanta)
2009 -- Chris Kunitz (Anaheim), Bill Guerin (N.Y. Islanders)
2010 -- Alexei Ponikarovsky (Toronto)
2011 -- James Neal (Dallas), Alex Kovalev (Ottawa)
2012 -- None
2013 -- Brenden Morrow (Dallas)
But will Morrow make a difference? The Penguins have won only one playoff series since their successful 2008-09 Stanley Cup run.
Ruff or Cooper
Just who will Tampa Bay Lightning GM Steve Yzerman tap on the shoulder to replace Guy Boucher, fired as the team's head coach on Sunday? The early favourites were Lindy Ruff and Jon Cooper.
Ruff's connection to Yzerman is that Ruff was an assistant coach on Mike Babcock's 2010 Canadian Olympic team staff, in which Yzerman was the club's executive director.
The 45-year-old Cooper, from Prince George, B.C., coaches the Lightning's AHL affiliate in Syracuse and has groomed several of Tampa's current players, including Cory Conacher, Tyler Johnson and Alex Killorn. He also won a Calder Cup championship with the Norfolk Admirals last year, which was where the Lightning housed its minor-league team before moving it to Syracuse in the summer.
But will Yzerman want his next head coach to come from the AHL? He went down this road when he promoted Boucher from the Hamilton Bulldogs three years ago.
The 53-year-old Ruff was fired by the Sabres earlier this season after 15 years behind Buffalo's bench.
Yzerman could wait until the off-season, but he indicated on Sunday he would like to have a new coach in place as soon as possible for his club, now 14th in the East. Interesting that the Lightning's next game is at home against Ruff's old team, Buffalo, on Tuesday.
East & West
When San Jose Sharks GM Doug Wilson was in Toronto last week for the GM meetings, he remarked how difficult it seems to score goals in the Western Conference this season, compared to the Eastern Conference.
Of course, his Sharks are the lowest scoring team in the NHL. But there isn't much of a difference. Six of the Top 10 in scoring are from the East while six of the Top 10 with the lowest goals against average are housed in the West.
Goals For
1. Pittsburgh, 3.46
2. Chicago, 3.27
3. Tampa Bay, 3.22
4. Montreal, 3.10
5. Anaheim, 3.10
6. Toronto, 3.03
7. St. Louis, 2.90
8. N.Y. Islanders, 2.84
9. Washington, 2.84
10. Calgary, 2.83
Goals Against
1. Ottawa, 2.06
2. Chicago, 2.10
3. Boston, 2.33
4. Minnesota, 2.33
5. N.Y. Rangers, 2.36
6. Anaheim, 2.42
7. Los Angeles, 2.42
8. Montreal, 2.42
9. Detroit, 2.47
10. Vancouver, 2.50
DeKeyser Decision
Western Michigan defenceman Dan DeKeyser is expected to announce in the next day or so that he will not return for his senior season and will turn pro. His Broncos were eliminated from a possible spot in the NCAA 16-team tournament when Notre Dame beat Ohio State on Saturday.
In a situation much like Justin Schultz a year ago, the 23-year-old DeKeyser will travel to his agent Wade Arnott's office in Mississauga, Ont., on Tuesday to listen to offers from 20-plus NHL teams.
The 6-foot-3, 200-pound DeKeyser has a connection to the Detroit Red Wings. Besides being a lifelong Red Wings fan, he played minor hockey with Trevor Nill, the son of Detroit assistant GM Jim Nill. He also played for coach Jeff Blashill in his first year at Western Michigan. Blashill is now the coach of the Red Wings AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids.
But DeKeyser will select the team that gives him the best opportunity to play.
By The Numbers
10 -- Games in a row Ottawa Senators defenceman Sergei Gonchar has registered at least one assist to set a club record that was previously held by captain Daniel Alfredsson and forward Jason Spezza at nine.
22 -- Straight years the Michigan Wolverines had a spot in the 16-team NCAA hockey tournament until halted when Red Berenson's team was beaten 3-1 in the CCHA final by Notre Dame on Sunday.
78 -- Consecutive regular-season and playoff sellouts of 6,287 for the St. John's IceCaps since the AHL returned to Mile One Centre in October 2011.
666 -- Career wins for New Jersey's Martin Brodeur, a total fitting for a Devil.
1,372 -- NHL games for Anaheim Ducks forward Teemu Selanne, which ties him with retired defenceman Teppo Numminen, also a teammate of Selanne's with the Winnipeg Jets, for most games by a player from Finland.
Follow Tim Wharnsby on Twitter @WharnsbyCBC
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