2013 Toronto Blue Jays vs. 1993 Toronto Blue Jays

With the Toronto Blue Jays' overhauled roster getting set to hit the diamond for the start of the regular season next week, many fans are dreaming of a return to the post-season and perhaps even a World Series championship for the first time since the team won its second consecutive title in 1993.

But how do the 2013 Jays stack up to their 1993 counterparts?

Is Jose Bautista a better outfield slugger than Joe Carter? R.A. Dickey a superior Opening Day starting pitcher to Jack Morris? Adam Lind a more reliable first baseman than John Olerud? (OK, some matchups are easier to call than others).

Judge for yourself by comparing the 2013 and 1993 Blue Jays, position by position, with this interactive graphic from The Canadian Press:

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Blue Jays set for most anticipated season in years

He wasn't there when the Toronto Blue Jays won back-to-back World Series titles but manager John Gibbons has heard plenty about 1992 and '93.

Gibbons, along with the team's newly acquired ace R.A. Dickey, spoke to reporters Monday, one day ahead of the opening game of the most anticipated Blue Jays season since the team's heyday in the early 1990s.

It's been 20 years since the Jays have competed in post-season play, but this year brings heightened expectations to Canada's team after a series of big-name acquisitions in the off-season.

"They were some of the best teams ever in baseball," Gibbons said Monday of the Blue Jays' World Series winning years. "There's no doubt those were great teams and we just hope we can come close to doing what they did. We expect to win some things this year. That was a very talented group back then just like this is right now."

After several disappointing seasons, including the 2012 campaign, where the team finished fourth in the American League East with a record of 73-89, general manager Alex Anthopoulos decided it was time to make some big moves.

The Jays added all-star shortstop Jose Reyes, along with starting pitchers Josh Johnson and Mark Buehrle in a blockbuster deal with the Miami Marlins. The team also made a splash in the free-agent market picking up Dickey and outfielder Melky Cabrera.

Reyes, who batted .287 with 11 home runs, 57 RBIs and 40 stolen bases for Miami last year, won the 2011 National League batting title with the New York Mets. The 29-year-old is one of the best leadoff hitters in the majors.

Johnson recorded 165 strikeouts with 65 walks in 191 1/3 innings last season and finished with a record of 8-14, while Buehrle was 13-13 and has 12 consecutive seasons with at least 200 innings pitched.

Brandon Morrow and J.A. Happ will complete a group that, behind Dickey, will be one of the most feared rotations in the American League.

Cabrera led the NL in hitting at .346 for the San Francisco Giants last season before being suspended on August 15 for a positive testosterone test. The outfielder arrives in Toronto ready to prove he can bounce back.

The off-season moves bumped Toronto's salary commitment in 2013 to more than $122 million US, up from $83.7 million at the start of 2012.

It all adds up to a buzz around the Blue Jays not felt in decades.

Dickey leads the charge

Key to the Jays fortunes this year will be the play of Dickey, a knuckleballer who won the Cy Young award as the National League's top pitcher last year.

Dickey said pitching opening day is always an honour and one made more special this year on a new team with a revamped starting rotation.

"There's a lot of pedigree there," Dickey said of the other starters on the Jays staff. "Any of them could be a starter and no one would bat an eye."

Like Gibbons, Dickey said he's also well aware of Toronto's desire to again see the team contend for a championship. He was watching the TV broadcast when Joe Carter hit the walk-off home run that gave the Jays the 1993 title.

"I remember what a special moment it was and what a special moment it was for baseball in general: A Canadian team winning what is perceived as an American sport," said Dickey. "It's a big deal and it meant a lot for this city. And that's the reason that I'm here. To win a World Series championship."

The season kicks off Tuesday evening when Dickey takes the mound against Justin Masterson and the Cleveland Indians at Rogers Centre in a sold-out home opener.

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Flames trade Jay Bouwmeester to Blues

The Calgary Flames continued to usher big names out the door with the trade of defenceman Jay Bouwmeester to the St. Louis Blues on Monday.

The move comes just ahead of the NHL's trade deadline 3 p.m. ET on Wednesday, and on the heels of Calgary dealing captain Jarome Iginla to Pittsburgh last week.

The Flames get a conditional first-round draft pick, 22-year-old defenceman Mark Cundari and 26-year-old Swiss goaltender Reto Berra for Bouwmeester.

If the Blues don't make the post-season, Calgary gets a fourth-round pick in this year's draft and the first-round selection will be deferred to 2014.

"He's certainly a big body and he's a tremendous skater," Blues general manager Doug Armstrong said. "He's a workhorse back there and he logs 25 minutes a night on a regular basis. He gives us, really, what we believe is one of the stronger defences in the NHL right now.

"When you bring Jay and (Jordan) Leopold into it with the consistent players we have on the right side, we have a lot of players now."

For Iginla, Calgary picked up a first-round pick and two college forwards from the Penguins.

Bouwmeester was in the fourth year of a $33.4-million US, five-year contract he signed with the Flames in 2009.

Streak intact

He currently holds the consecutive games streak at 611, which remained intact because Bouwmeester was ineligible for the Blues' game Monday.

The departure of he and Iginla represents almost $14 million salary cap dollars off Calgary's payroll.

Calgary was 13-16-4 and 14th in the Western Conference heading into Monday's game versus the Oilers in Edmonton. The Flames announced the Bouwmeester deal prior to puck drop.

Facing a fourth straight season out of the playoffs, it appears general manager Jay Feaster has been given the green light from a Flames ownership to ship expensive veterans out of the lineup.

When he traded Iginla, Feaster said he didn't want to use the term "rebuild" but the Flames are clearly collecting draft picks and prospects with a view to becoming a playoff team in the future.

Bouwmeester, 29, has been a durable, big-minute man for Calgary, averaging just over 20 minutes per game this season. The Edmonton native has six goals and nine assists in 33 games.

The third overall pick in the 2002 draft by Florida, Bouwmeester quickly signed with Calgary when the Flames acquired his rights in 2009, rather than enter unrestricted free agency.

Bouwmeester has 71 goals and 229 assists in 750 NHL games, but has yet to appear in an NHL playoff game in his 10th season in the league.

Cundari, from Woodbridge, Ont., has seven goals and 18 assists for Peoria in the American Hockey League. The five-foot-10, 200-pound defender played four seasons with the Ontario Hockey League's Windsor Spitfires and won back-to-back Memorial Cups in 2009 and 2010. He went undrafted and signed with the Blues in 2010.

The Blues drafted Berra in the fourth round in 2006, but he has yet to play in the NHL. The 6-4, 200-pound goalie from Bulach, Switzerland, has a goals-against average of 3.01 and a save percentage of .906 in 49 games with Biel of the Swiss A League. He's played for Switzerland at the men's world championship.

The departure of Iginla and Bouwmeester fuels speculation that the Flames might also be shopping 36-year-old goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff around as well.

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Trade deadline outlook: Canucks, Oilers, Flames

With the 2013 NHL trade deadline fast approaching on Wednesday at 3 p.m. ET, we'll take a look at the situations with each of the three Canadian clubs in the Western Conference on Monday. Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto and Winnipeg will be featured on Tuesday.

With the 2013 NHL trade deadline fast approaching on Wednesday at 3 p.m. ET, we'll take a look at the situations with each of the three Canadian clubs in the Western Conference on Monday. Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto and Winnipeg will slip into the hot seat on Tuesday.

Calgary Flames

The Situation: The Flames haven't won a playoff series since they advanced to the 2004 Stanley Cup final and have missed the playoffs the past three seasons ... Calgary general manager Jay Feaster traded captain Jarome Iginla to the Pittsburgh Penguins last Wednesday and has been under fire for not getting enough in return in U.S. college players, Ben Hanowski (St. Cloud State) and Kenny Agostino (Yale), and a 2013 first-round draft choice ... There has been plenty of speculation that 29-year-old defenceman Jay Bouwmeester will be dealt next. He has one more year at $6.68-million US left on his contract (UPDATE: Flames traded Bouwmeester to St. Louis on Monday night for a conditional first-round draft pick, defenceman Mark Cundari and Swiss goaltender Reto Berra)  ... Goalie Miikka Kiprusoff reportedly has told Feaster he will not report to new team if traded because of family.

Playoff hopes: 14th in the West, seven points behind eighth-place Columbus. The Flames appear destined to miss the playoffs for a fourth consecutive year.

Schedule: 15 games remaining (six home, nine road)

At Home: Edmonton, Vancouver, Phoenix, Minnesota, Detroit, Anaheim.

On the Road: Edmonton, San Jose, Vancouver, Colorado, Edmonton, Minnesota, Nashville, St. Louis, Chicago. 

Restricted free agents: Mikael Backlund, Paul Byron, Chris Butler, T.J. Brodie.

Unrestricted free agents: Blake Comeau, Brian McGrattan, Steve Begin, Anton Babchuk, Joey MacDonald.

No-trade clauses: Mike Cammalleri (limited), Alex Tanguay (modified), Matt Stajan (modified), Curtis Glencross, Dennis Wideman, Jay Bouwmeester, Mark Giordano, Anton Babchuk, Cory Sarich. 

Cap space: $8.06-million US (prorated)

On the farm: Forwards Roman Horak and Sven Baertschi are the two biggest prospects in Abbotsford. Baertschi, 20, has 15 games of NHL experience with three goals, but did not exhibit much in 10 outings earlier this year.

Edmonton Oilers

The Situation: The Oilers haven't been in the playoffs since they lost Game 7 to the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2005-06 Stanley Cup final ... A three-game win streak has increased their chances of ending the playoff-less drought ... Oilers GM Steve Tambellini locked up pending unrestricted free-agent defenceman Ladislav Smid to a four-year, $14-million contract on Monday ... Veteran defenceman Ryan Whitney, a healthy scratch eight times this season, will be the main candidate to be moved this week ... Ryan Jones also has been mentioned in trade scuttlebutt.

Playoff hopes: 11th in the West, two points behind eighth-place Columbus. The Oilers need a minimum 18 points in their final 14 games to make the playoffs.

Schedule: 14 games remaining (eight home, six road)

At Home: Calgary, Phoenix, Calgary, Minnesota, Anaheim, Anaheim, Chicago, Vancouver.

On the Road: Calgary, Vancouver, Los Angeles, Anaheim, Colorado, Minnesota. 

Restricted free agents: Sam Gagner, Magnus Paajarvi, Theo Peckham. 

Unrestricted free agents: Ryan Jones, Lennart Petrell, Ryan Whitney, Mark Fistric, Nikolai Khabibulin.

No-trade clauses: Shawn Horcoff.

Cap space: $16.8-million US (prorated)

On the farm: There are plenty in Oklahoma City who have seen time in the NHL, like Josh Green, Teemu Hartikainen, Taylor Fedun, Alex Plante, Tyler Pitlick and Colton Teubert. But the Oilers are young and relatively healthy. There isn't much room at the inn for late-season auditions.

Vancouver Canucks

The Situation: The Canucks likely will be busy before the trade deadline ... They're 19^thin the league in offence and need scoring. They miss Ryan Kesler, out with a fractured right foot, and the Sedins haven't been their usual productive selves ... Can Vancouver GM Mike Gillis finally unload backup goalie Roberto Luongo and his unfriendly contract that still has nine years at a $5.33-million salary cap hit after this season? The Luongo rumblings have heated up again ... The Canucks biggest need is help at centre.

Playoff hopes: Fourth in the West, tied with Northwest Division leading Minnesota, but the Wild have a game in hand. The Canucks will make the playoffs for a fifth year in a row, but their streak of four consecutive division titles is in jeopardy.

Schedule: 13 games remaining (six home, seven road)

At Home: Edmonton, Calgary, Phoenix, Detroit, Chicago, Anaheim.

On the Road: San Jose, Calgary, Colorado, Nashville, St. Louis, Dallas, Edmonton. 

Restricted free agents: Bill Sweatt, Jordan Schroeder, Dale Weise, Tom Sestito, Chris Tanev.

Unrestricted free agents: Mason Raymond, Chris Higgins, Maxim Lapierre, Andrew Ebbett, Steve Pinizzotto, Andrew Alberts, Cam Baker.

No-trade clauses: Henrik Sedin, Daniel Sedin, Ryan Kesler, Kevin Bieksa, Dan Hamhuis, Jason Garrison, Roberto Luongo.

Cap space: $350,000 US (prorated)

On the farm: After a 4-0 loss in Edmonton on Saturday, the Canucks recalled wingers Nicklas Jensen and Bill Sweatt from the Chicago Wolves. Forwards Zack Kassian and Andrew Gordon were demoted. The 20-year-old Jensen joined the Wolves after he scored 17 goals and 23 points in 50 games for AIK Stockholm in the Swedish Elite League this year. He has two goals in 11 games with Chicago. If the 6-foot-3, 190-pound Jensen plays a sixth game in Vancouver his entry-level contract will kick in.

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Live at 3 pm ET: Hockey Night Radio on SiriusXM

Click here to listen live to Hockey Night in Canada Radio on SiriusXM from 3-5 p.m. ET as David Amber and co-host Craig Simpson stickhandle through the latest moves and rumours ahead of the NHL trade deadline.

Today's guests include Hockey Night commentator Elliotte Friedman, ESPN columnist Scott Burnside, Chris Botta of the Sports Business Journal, Pittsburgh Post Gazette beat writer Shelly Anderson and analyst Tyson Nash, who follows the Phoenix Coyotes for FSN Arizona.

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2013 National League preview

In December, Davey Johnson boldly stated he wanted to win a World Series with the Washington Nationals before he retires.

Stephen Strasburg, Gio Gonzalez, Bryce Harper, Ryan Zimmerman and company better act quickly since the major league's oldest manager is calling it quits after the 2013 season.

"I like the talent level," Johnson, 70, told mlb.com recently. "[The players] did the things last year to prove not only to me, but everybody else, that we are a contending, championship-type team."

Washington won the National League East last season with the best record in baseball at 98-64, and Johnson knows winners, having guided the 1986 New York Mets to a World Series championship.

Johnson isn't alone in his faith in the team's talent as many consider the Nationals the most balanced club in baseball. But can they fend off Atlanta, which boasts the Upton brothers, B.J. and Justin, Jason Heyward and closer Craig Kimbrel?

Which teams will reign supreme across the NL in 2013? Which of the league's 15 clubs are poised to take the next step or falter this season?

It's all here as CBCSports.ca projects the NL division winners along with three teams on the rise and decline. Also, check out our AL preview here.

DIVISION WINNERS

East: Washington — There's no reason to believe the Nationals can't repeat as division champions and top the century mark in wins after posting the best record in the majors in 2012 at 98-64. Washington lost only one player of significance in the off-season, left-fielder Michael Morse (18 homers in 102 games in 2012), while signing former Yankees closer Rafael Soriano (two years, $28 million US) and one-time Angels starter Dan Haren (one year, $13 million).

Stephen Strasburg leads a spectacular starting rotation few teams can match and will have the shackles removed from an innings cap that saw him controversially shut down last September. General manager Mike Rizzo picked up centre-fielder Denard Span in a trade with Minnesota that sees blossoming star Bryce Harper shift to left and improve the Nationals' outfield defence.

Central: Cincinnati — Like Washington, the Reds will repeat as division champs, only they will fall two victories shy of matching their 2012 total of 97. Outfielder Shin-Soo Choo was acquired in a trade with Cleveland in the off-season and adds much-needed on-base ability (.373 on-base percentage in '12) to complement Toronto-born first baseman Joey Votto (.474) in an above average lineup.

Second baseman Brandon Phillips, shortstop Zack Cozart and Votto form one of the best defensive infield trios while the starting pitching rotation is solid, led by Johnny Cueto (19 wins, 2.78 ERA last season) and Mat Latos (14-4, 3.48). The Reds have scrapped plans to have closer Aroldis Chapman convert to being a starter. The "Cuban Missile" converted 38 of 43 save chances in 2012 with a sparkling 1.51 earned-run average.

West: Los Angeles — The Dodgers could approach 100 wins if Adrian Gonzalez drives in 120 runs, the 1-2 punch of pitchers Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke combine for 40-plus victories and outfielder Matt Kemp (23 HRs in 449 at-bats in '12) stays healthy. A lot will be expected of Greinke, who signed with the Dodgers in the off-season but has already encountered some elbow issues. Josh Beckett posted a 2.93 ERA in seven starts with L.A. and could settle in the 3.50 range while South Korean lefty Hyun-Jin Ryu is a nice add to the back end of the rotatation.

Offensively, the Dodgers could be very strong with Kemp and Gonzalez but they'll need outfielder Carl Crawford (elbow) and Hanley Ramirez (torn thumb ligament) to avoid further injury. Expect about 90 wins.

ON THE RISE

Atlanta: There's a lot of buzz about the off-season acquisitions of the Upton brothers, B.J. and Justin, who add punch to a lineup that ranked 10th in slugging in the NL last season. B.J. is a candidate to hit 30 home runs with 30 stolen bases while Justin, an NL MVP candidate, managed a .280 batting average with 17 homers and 18 stolen bases while battling a thumb injury for much of the 2012 season. They will form one of the strongest outfields with Jason Heyward (27 HRs, 21 steals in '12).

The successful return of catcher Brian McCann (shoulder surgery) will be crucial for the team's pursuit of a playoff berth, as will the performance of closer Craig Kimbrel (42 saves, 1.01 ERA), who struck out more than half the batters he faced last season.

Pittsburgh: Expect the Pirates to avoid a third consecutive second-half fade this season and reach the .500 mark. A lot of their success will hinge on the starting pitching rotation and a repeat of A.J. Burnett's 16 wins and 3.51 ERA would be welcomed. James McDonald (4.21) and Wandy Rodriguez (3.76) have room to improve and bounce-back seasons by Jonathan Sanchez (8.07) and Francisco Liriano (six wins, 5.34) could see Pittsburgh surprise.

One should not overlook the Pirates' addition of Canadian catcher Russell Martin, who provides power at the plate, standout defensive play and handles pitchers well. (J. Meric/Getty Images)

Leadoff man Starling Marte (five homers, 17 RBIs in 167 at-bats) is primed for a big jump in those categories while 26-year-old outfielder Andrew McCutchen (31 homers, 96 RBIs, 20 steals in 2012) is a star. And you cannot overlook the addition of catcher Russell Martin, who provides power and handles pitchers well, having worked previously with Burnett and McDonald.

San Diego: You might not see much, if any, increase in the Padres' win total from 2012 (76) but it may have more to do with a slow start to the season due to injuries than anything. This team has enough young talent to forecast improvement in the near future. Third baseman Chase Headley (thumb) is out a month while Logan Forsythe (foot) could be DL-bound after having a setback in his recovery. That means prospect Jedd Gyorko (.328, 24 HRs at triple-A in 2012) likely steps in.

First baseman Yonder Alonso, outfielder Cameron Maybin and catcher Yasmani Grandal (suspended for the first 50 games) are also part of a young offensive core. Edinson Volquez and Clayton Richard are the only two pitchers guaranteed a rotation spot but Cory Luebke (coming off Tommy John surgery) and reliever-turned-starter Andrew Cashner could be big contributors early on.

ON THE DECLINE

Arizona: There are two reasons for a probable decline by the Diamondbacks, who finished with an 81-81 record last season. First, they failed to match San Francisco's re-signing of Angel Pagan and Marco Scutaro, and the Los Angeles Dodgers' catch of starting pitcher Zack Greinke and utility player Skip Schumaker. Arizona GM Kevin Towers, on the other hand, dealt pitching prospect Trevor Bauer and outfielders Justin Upton (Atlanta) and Chris Young (Oakland) which could set back the Diamondbacks' offence. To boot, outfield prospect and projected leadoff hitter Adam Eaton is expected to miss at least the first six weeks of the season with an elbow injury. However, the starting pitching rotation is decent, with Ian Kennedy, Trevor Cahill, Wade Miley and Brandon McCarthy.

Miami: Take away your leadoff man and top energy player, plus your top two starting pitchers, No. 1 catcher and a speedy infielder and what do you have? The Marlins, of course. Team owner Jeffrey Loria quickly became Public Enemy No. 1 in South Florida after trading Jose Reyes, Josh Johnson, Mark Buerhrle, John Buck and Emilio Bonafacio to Toronto in November. Sure, the Marlins received four prospects from the Blue Jays but they won't have an effect on 2013, which might see the team struggle to win 70 games.

Remember, Miami sent starting pitcher Anibal Sanchez, shortstop Hanley Ramirez and infielder Omar Infante packing last July. At least the team still has veteran pitcher Ricky Nolasco and power-hitting outfielder Giancarlo Stanton (.290, 37 HRs in 2012), for now.

Philadelphia: A red flag has already popped up with the Phillies in the form of pitcher Roy Halladay and his lost velocity this spring. A lot is riding on the 35-year-old, who is coming off an injury-plagued 2011 season in which he sported his worst ERA (4.49) since 2000. Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels are co-aces but the back end of the rotation (John Lannan, Kyle Kendrick) won't intimidate opponents.

Offensively, Ryan Howard and Chase Utley battled injuries in 2012 and are no sure things this season. Newcomer Michael Young, 35, should help but is more of a short-term piece. Newly acquired Ben Revere (.294, 40 stolen bases in 2012) and fellow outfielder Domonic Brown (.373 in spring training), who could help keep the Phillies near the .500 mark.

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Did You See That? Kevin Ware suffers grotesque injury

The sight was pure horror. During the NCAA tournament game between Louisville and Duke, Cardinals guard Kevin Ware sustained a gruesome broken right leg.

The sight was pure horror.

During the NCAA tournament game between Louisville and Duke on Sunday, Cardinals guard Kevin Ware sustained a gruesome broken right leg at 6:33 of the first half.

With Louisville leading 21-17, Ware was contesting a shot by Duke's Tyler Thornton, who cut the lead to one after making a three-pointer. 

The shot garnered no applause from the Duke bench as Ware landed awkwardly on his right leg, drawing immediate shock and dismay from both teams.

The injury made even former quarterback Joe Theismann cringe.

"Watching Duke/ Louisville my heart goes out to Kevin Ware," tweeted Theismann, who suffered a similar grotesque broken leg in a Monday night football game against the New York Giants in 1985.

Warning: The video you are about to watch contains graphic images.

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Wharnsby: Oilers schedule not easy, but playoffs a possibility

This week's Monday musings takes a look at Edmonton's playoff chances, some Stanley Cup winners' trade deadline deals, the difficulty in making goalie trades, Steve Stamkos, and the Jones twins from Montrose, B.C. 

Can the Edmonton Oilers make it six Canadian teams in the Stanley Cup playoffs? Or is this just wishful thinking?

Can they join the Vancouver Canucks, Montreal Canadiens, Winnipeg Jets, Ottawa Senators and Toronto Maple Leafs in the playoffs in four weeks? (Assuming all those other teams advance)

The current three-game win streak, the longest for the Oilers this season, has given them hope. So has the three-game losing streak by the St. Louis Blues.

Yes, we know the Columbus Blue Jackets now occupy eighth spot in the West. But as the NHL lockout shortened season approaches the three-quarter mark, it is the St. Louis Blues who are on pace to snatch eighth in the West.

They have three games in hand on Columbus and one on Edmonton. The Blues are on a pace for eighth place at 52 points. That means the Oilers would need a minimum 18 points in their remaining 14 games to grab the final playoff spot.

The schedule does not exactly favour Edmonton. The Oilers have eight games left at home, six more on the road. But they only have five games remaining against teams currently out of the top-eight in the West standings.

More nights like Taylor Hall's hat trick against the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday would be helpful. But at least the final 27 days of the regular season, beginning at home against the Calgary Flames on Monday, will be meaningful.

Which is more than can be said about the past six seasons.

Stanley Cup deadline deals

Often teams that win the Stanley Cup make a key move or two to help them over the hump. One of the most famous deadline deals that transformed a team into a champion was when the New York Islanders acquired Butch Goring prior to their first of four consecutive titles in 1980.

Here is a review of what the Stanley Cup champs have done near the trade deadline since the 2004-05 lockout.

2005-06 Carolina Hurricanes - They acquired right wing Mark Recchi from the Pittsburgh Penguins for Niklas Nordgren, Krys Kolanos and a 2007 second-round draft pick (later traded to San Jose). The Hurricanes also added a key piece to the puzzle on Jan. 30 in Doug Weight from St. Louis (along with Erkki Rajamaki) for Jesse Boulerice, Michael Zigomanis, Magnus Kahnberg and a first-round draft choice.

2006-07 Anaheim Ducks - They traded for veteran fourth-line left wing Brad May from the Colorado Avalanche on Feb. 27, 2007 in exchange for goalie Michael Wall.

2007-08 Detroit Red Wings - They acquired defenceman Brad Stuart from the Los Angeles for a second-round pick in the 2008 draft (later traded to Colorado) and 4th-round pick in 2009.

2008-09 Pittsburgh Penguins - They dealt for veteran forward Bill Guerin from New York Islanders for a conditional pick in the 2009 draft. A week earlier, they grabbed Chris Kunitz and Eric Tangradi from Anaheim for Ryan Whitney.

2009-10 Chicago Blackhawks - Three weeks before the trade deadline, the Blackhawks traded defenceman Cam Barker to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for veteran Kim Johnson and prospect Nick Leddy, now a key performer in Chicago.

2010-11 Boston Bruins - They made three separate trades a week before the deadline. They acquired Chris Kelly from the Ottawa Senators for a second-round choice. Rich Peverley arrived in Boston, along with and blue-liner Boris Valabik, from the Atlanta Thrashers for Mark Stuart and Black Wheeler. Defenceman Tomas Kaberle was acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs for Joe Colborne, a first-round choice and a conditional second-round pick that would have gone Toronto's way only if Kaberle re-signing in Boston. He, of course, did not. 

2011-12 Los Angeles Kings - They traded defenceman Jack Johnson and a first-round selection to the Columbus Blue Jackets for Jeff Carter.

Trading goalies

With all the chatter over the last week about the possibility of goalies like Roberto Luongo, Miikka Kiprusoff, Jonathan Bernier and Brian Elliott being traded, it should be noted that there hasn't been a lot of goalie movement the past two seasons.

In fact, there hasn't been one netminder who has played with two different NHL teams this season. Ben Bishop was the only goalie to be traded last year. He went from the St. Louis Blues to the Ottawa Senators.

Even if you go back to 2009-10 and 2010-11, there were only two significant goalie moves that impacted the playoffs in the Philadelphia Flyers acquisition of Michael Leighton, who helped them reach the Stanley Cup final, and Dwayne Roloson became a key performer in the Tampa Bay Lightning's march to the East final. 

Here is a summary of the goaltender movement the past four seasons.

2009-10

• Leighton from Carolina to Philadelphia

• J.S Giguere from Anaheim to Toronto

• Vesa Toskala from Toronto to Calgary

• Alex Auld from Dallas to the New York Rangers

• Curtis McElhinney from Calgary to Anaheim

2010-11

• Craig Anderson to Ottawa and Brian Elliott to St. Louis. They were traded for each other.

• Dan Ellis from Tampa Bay to Anaheim

• Roloson from NYI to Tampa Bay

• McElhinney from Anaheim to Ottawa

2011-12

2012-13

None so far

Lightning the lamp

Lightning sniper Steven Stamkos became the first NHLer to hit the 25-goal mark in the lockout-shortened season on Friday. Remember, 30 goals in a 48-game schedule is the equivalent of 50 goals in an 82-game season.

Even though, the 23-year-old Stamkos got off to a slow start in his rookie season, he leads the league in goals scored since he entered the NHL in 2008-09. Here are the top-10 in the past four-plus seasons: 

• Steven Stamkos (Tampa Bay) 204

• Alex Ovechkin (Washington) 194

• Patrick Marleau (San Jose) 165

• Ilya Kovalchuk (Altanta, New Jersey) 162

• Corey Perry (Anaheim) 157

• Jeff Carter (Philadelphia, Columbus, Los Angeles) 156

• Jarome Iginla (Calgary, Pittsburgh) 151

• Rick Nash (Columbus, N.Y. Rangers) 147

• Phil Kessel (Boston, Toronto) 145

• Eric Staal (Carolina) 142

• Thomas Vanek (Buffalo) 142

Twin success

Add another chapter of success for the hockey-loving Jones family from Montrose, B.C.

On Sunday, Connor and Kellen, the twin sons of Loretta and Terry Jones, helped guide top-ranked Quinnipiac University to a spot in the NCAA Frozen Four, which will be played in Pittsburgh, April 11-13.

Quinnipiac, a school of 8,400 students in Hamden, Conn. defeated Union 5-1 on Sunday on the strength of the play from the Jones twins and their linemate Matthew Peca of Petawawa, Ont., who scored a first-period hat trick. Kellen scored once and had an assist, while Connor checked in with two assists.

We shouldn't be surprised because hockey success runs in the Jones' family. The twins' father, Terry Jr., helped the Portland Winter Hawks win the 1982-83 Memorial Cup. Their grandfather, Terry Sr., was a second-round selection of the New York Rangers in 1963 and played several seasons in their minor-league system.

The 5-foot-9, 165-pound twins also helped the Vernon Vipers win back-to-back Royal Cup tier II national junior championships in 2009 and 2010.

They're both in their third seasons with Quinnipiac. Kellen, 22, is a 2010 seventh-round draft pick of the Oilers. But both twins have attended the past three Oilers summer-time prospect camps.

In two weeks at the Frozen Four, Quinnipiac matches up against St. Cloud State in one NCAA semifinal. Massachusetts-Lowell will play Yale in the other.

By the numbers

7 - game road trip for the Ottawa Senators because of the 2013 IIHF world women's championship at Scotiabank Place. The Senators trip will take them to Boston, Buffalo, Florida, Tampa Bay, Philadelphia, New Jersey and Boston again over the next two weeks.

8 - NHL coaches who have won the Calder Cup after Jon Cooper took over in Tampa Bay last Friday. Cooper steered Norfolk to the AHL championship last spring. The others include Nashville's Barry Trotz (Portland, 1994), N.Y. Rangers' John Tortorella (Rochester, 1996), Calgary's Bob Hartley (Hershey, 1997), Philadelphia's Peter Laviolette (Providence, 1999), San Jose's Todd McLellan (Houston, 2003), Winnipeg's Claude Noel (Milwaukee, 2004) and Anaheim's Bruce Boudreau (Hershey, 2006).

10 - different players who have scored game-winning goals for the Penguins in their win streak: Brandon Sutter (3), Chris Kunitz (3), James Neal (2), Pascal Dupuis, Beau Bennett, Joe Vitale, Tyler Kennedy, Matt Niskanen, Crosby and Matt Cooke.

15 - game win streak for the Pittsburgh Penguins, which is two shy from the all-time mark set by 1992-93 Pittsburgh Penguins, a team that was upset in the second round of the playoffs by goalie Glenn Healy and the New York Islanders.

491 - appearances for Buffalo goalie Ryan Miller on Sunday, tying him with Dominik Hasek for the franchise all-time lead for games played by a Sabres goalie.

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Hotstove Tonight: Bring your wallet

Break open the cheque books because players won't be going cheap as the April 3 NHL trade deadline approaches.

At least that's what Hockey Night in Canada's Glenn Healy thinks.

On the Hotstove Tonight segment Saturday, Healy said the cost of acquiring all types of players has gone up in the last few years, and it's not necessarily a good thing in his eyes.

"Bring your wallet, boys, if you want to get some of these players," said Healy. "Remember the days of 2009 when [former NHLer] Billy Guerin, who was the captain of the New York Islanders? Pittsburgh gets him, he had 16 goals. A fifth-round pick, that's all you got for him."

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Did You See That? Grapes plants kiss on Nazem Kadri

Doug Gilmour would be proud. After Nazem Kadri scored his second career hat trick Saturday night in Ottawa, the Toronto Maple Leafs forward was a guest of Hockey Night in Canada's Ron MacLean and Don Cherry.

Doug Gilmour would be proud.

After Nazem Kadri scored his second career hat trick Saturday night in Ottawa, the Toronto Maple Leafs forward was a guest of Hockey Night in Canada's Ron MacLean and Don Cherry.

Kadri told MacLean on how important Cherry's support has been from 'Day 1.'

Just as the post-game segment was ending, Cherry kissed a smiling Kadri.

Have a look.

Of course, here is the kiss that started it all.

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