Some trade deadline odds from the folks at online bookmaker Bovada:
Will the Vancouver Canucks trade Ryan Kesler before the 2014 NHL trade deadline?
Yes -175 (4/7)
No +125 (5/4)
Will the New York Islanders trade Thomas Vanek before the 2014 NHL trade deadline?
Yes -500 (1/5)
No +300 (3/1)
Will the New York Islanders trade Andrew MacDonald before the 2014 NHL trade deadline?
Yes -300 (1/3)
No +200 (2/1)
Will the Buffalo Sabres trade Matt Moulson before the 2014 NHL trade deadline?
Yes -500 (1/5)
No +300 (3/1)
Will the New York Rangers trade Ryan Callahan before the 2014 NHL trade deadline?
Yes +150 (3/2)
No -200 (1/2)
Will the Buffalo Sabres trade Christian Ehrhoff before the 2014 NHL trade deadline?
Yes +150 (3/2)
No -200 (1/2)
Will the Calgary Flames trade Mike Cammalleri before the 2014 NHL trade deadline?
Yes -300 (1/3)
No +200 (2/1)
Will the New Jersey Devils trade Martin Brodeur before the 2014 NHL trade deadline?
Yes +150 (3/2)
No -200 (1/2)
Will the Columbus Blue Jackets trade Marian Gaborik before the 2014 NHL trade deadline?
Yes +200 (2/1)
No -300 (1/3)
Will the Ottawa Senators trade Chris Phillips before the 2014 NHL trade deadline?
Yes EVEN (1/1)
No -140 (5/7)
A couple of thoughts:
---- I hear lots of people saying the Canucks are under no pressure to trade Kesler at the deadline, and they can always wait until the summer since he’s signed through 2015-16. Not sure I agree with that. There doesn’t seem to be any shortage of interest right now, so why wait and waste the trade value Kesler gives a team this postseason? Mike Gillis has had plenty of time to listen to offers. As far as I’m concerned, he’s definitely under pressure to pull the trigger this week, even if he’d never admit it publicly.
---- Interesting that the odds of a Callahan trade are +150 (translation: more unlikely than likely) after it was reported last week that there was a “99 percent chance” the Rangers would deal their captain. I tend to agree with the odds makers. As I wrote Friday, I’m more inclined to think Glen Sather has been using the media to get Callahan to lower his asking price, which apparently has happened. Don’t get me wrong, Callahan could still be traded. I just believe that when both sides want to do a deal, more often than not a deal gets done.