Trade Winds

Eklund over at HockeyBuzz, is reporting an interesting trade between the Rangers and Avalanche...

"Still working through the details, but the rumour has Liles and Svatos going to NY for Prucha, Montoya, Malik and an 'intriguing prospect.' The Leafs reportedly also have interest in Liles."

Steve Zipay over at Blue Notes gives further insight on the trade...

"Goalie Al Montoya, Petr Prucha, Marek Malik and a prospect to Colorado for defenseman John-Michael Liles and Marek Svatos.Hockeybuzz.com, which generally prints unattributed rumors, threw this potential trade (let's call it Marek-for-Marek speculation) against the wall today:

If the Rangers are actually discussing this and the Avalanche bite, I'd do it in a minute.Liles, a puck-moving defenseman who was born in Indiana, is an unrestricted free agent who I suggested earlier this year as someone the Rangers should target; Svatos, 25, a Czech right wing, is a restricted free agent.

Liles, 27, is making $1.4 million, and should command at least $4 million on the open market. Svatos is earning $1.2 million. Liles is 2-9-11 in 28 games and a plus-1; Svatos has been nagged by injuries since scoring 32 goals in 2005-06, but he has nine this season.

Colorado's goaltending (Peter Budaj, Jose Theodore) is shaky, Prucha might need a change of scenery, and Malik, well, Marc Staal has taken over his spot.

I have no confirmation that any discussions have taken place (the Rangers zealously guard such info), but even if true in part, doubt anything would happen until Lundqvist's long-term deal is signed sometime after Jan. 1."

...as always, never too confident with anything coming from Eklund, however, it is interesting that Zipay would actually post this on his blog, even with the Rangers not confirming this report.

...if the Rangers can stay under the cap, I would love this trade. The Rangers are in desperate need of a puck moving defenseman and all of the players mentioned on the Rangers side I can live with out: 1) Malik - nuff said 2) Prucha - has done nothing the last two years and 3) Montoya - with Lundqvist there is no spot on the team for him.

...Svatos is no slouch either. The Rangers could definitely use a former 32 goal scorer who has 9 this season. His 9 goals would actually make him the second highest goal scorer on the team behind Shanahan, who scored his team leading 10th last night. And he's a Czech which should make Jagr happy.