The best part of every NHL trade deadline is hearing about the trades that twirl in the rumour mill, and then end up just not happening. It was a week full of transactions to support the decreasing salary cap for the summer free agency market, catered especially toward getting rid of long-term, high-priced lucrative contracts like the Toronto Maple Leafs Jason Blake and the New York Rangers Wade Redden. Neither move happened.
Here are another couple of trades that disappointingly, never materialized:
Jay Bouwmeester – D Florida Panthers to Vancouver Canucks
Near to the end of the deadline, there was big talk about Bouwmeester moving to Vancouver. However, it was never Jacques Martins intention to trade the solid defensemen. Ive talked to him the last few days. I want to keep him in the squad and not lose him, said Martin during an NHL phone conference just before the deadline.
Vincent Lecavalier – C Tampa Bay Lightning to Montreal Canadiens
This move was in talks for a few weeks, but Bob Gainey couldnt afford him and the Bolts were just not ready to give him an $11 million contract. There was no chase for Vinny and Brian Lawton just couldnt get a bargain.
