Brent Sopel

Well that was fun wasn't it? 

Three times the Montreal Canadiens had a lead on the Boston Bruins and three times they let it waste away. For every nice shot, pin point pass and dazzling display of skill, there was a blown coverage or a bone-head play.

For a team that seemed to be controlling the pace of the game, the Habs looked tentative on too many occasions. Every time they built up a lead, they looked like they knew they were about to blow it.

It might not've been quite like last Friday's insane flurry of trades that truly resembled the trade deadline, but Thursday, February 24, four days before the deadline itself, has shaped us as another very busy day of deals.

The Montreal Canadiens acquired defenseman Brent Sopel in a deal that also brought Nigel Dawes into the Habs organization in exchange for prospect forward Ben Maxwell and Montreal's 2011 fourth-round pick.

Major? Blockbuster? Not really.

But this deal does make the Habs a legit Cup contender.

Niklas Hjalmarsson has been tossed around worse than a rag-doll all season long by Chicago Blackhawks fans. One day they love him, the next—he makes too much money and does not produce enough.

It's that time of the year again, the National Hockey League trade deadline, and arguably is one of the most exciting times of an NHL season.

It is a television spectacle with Canada's major sports networks TSN and Rogers Sportsnet dedicating a whole day's coverage to the deadline.

Both networks compete for viewers and strive to be the first network to break a trade.

Canadian hockey fans are either glued to the coverage on television or anxiously await the text alerts hoping for a big trade.

Hockey players use television to find out about the big trades as well.

If you are superstitious (and really, all sports fans are to some degree), you might wonder if the Canucks are cursed, specifically in regards to the health of their defence.

Over the first month of the season, Vancouver has already racked up 18 man games lost to injury just amongst their defence. Considering they have only played nine games, that is two starters out every game on average.

And unfortunately, that situation is considered average by Canucks fans recently.

Change has been a widespread word thrown around this past Summer. Not the type of change you would anticipate to hear on MSNBC or FOX News, but more of the change the NHL Network has been speaking of.

The Chicago Blackhawks roster has been rearranged in more ways than one, and Jeremy Morin desires to be part of that change.   

Reports on Wednesday afternoon are that the Chicago Blackhawks and Atlanta Thrashers have agreed to a blockbuster trade that will send forwards Dustin Byfuglien and Ben Eager and defenseman Brent Sopel to Atlanta for veteran forward Marty Reasoner, prospect Jeremy Morin and the two draft picks.

The picks are acquired from New Jersey, their first (#24) and second (#54) in the 2010 draft. The Blackhawks now have five of the top 60 picks in this weekend's draft.

The Chicago Blackhawks have made their first big move of the offseason via trade with the Atlanta Thrashers.

A source recently told ESPN.com, that the Blackhawks will ship Dustin Byfuglien, Brent Sopel, and Ben Eager to Atlanta.  In return, they will be receiving first and second round picks, as well as prospect Jeremy Morin and veteran forward Marty Reasoner.

Sending the trio to Atlanta will unload $5.3 million.

While Eager faces the free-agent market, the Thrashers will have a short time to re-sign him should they desire to do so. 

According to ESPN.com, the Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks have traded Dustin Byfuglien, Ben Eager, Brent Sopel and a prospect to the Atlanta Thrashers for a first-round pick, a second-round pick, prospect Jeremy Morin and forward Marty Reasoner.

The blockbuster trade awaits league approval.

Clearly, this was a move the Blackhawks were forced into by the team's salary cap issues. Goalie Antti Niemi is going to need a raise and Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane and Duncan Keith all signed long-term contracts.