Will the Florida Panthers trade Jay Bouwmeester?
Honestly, they don’t even know at this point. They are telling everyone, including the media and interested trading partners, that they will only consider a deal if they get a return that helps them now. That’s a lofty objective, considering that the teams that want Bouwmeester are contenders who don’t want to give up players off their roster. The Panthers have not made the playoffs since 1999-2000, and Bouwmeester is a critical member of their team. If they trade Bouwmeester for a first-round draft pick and a prospect and then don’t make the playoffs, general manager Jacques Martin might not be around to see those new players develop. Do you believe Colorado’s Ryan Smyth and Anaheim’s Chris Pronger will be moved before Wednesday? No, I don’t. Smyth is well respected around the hockey world, but I just can’t believe many teams are willing to bring aboard his $6.25 million cap hit for three more seasons, especially with the salary cap expected to fall in 2010-11. If I were the Ducks, I
