Jan. 24: Breaking down the McLaren trade
Almost nine months after requesting to be traded, former Bruins defenseman Kyle McLaren finds himself in San Jose as part of the three-way deal which also included the Canadiens. As we head into another NHL weekend, here's a thought on how each team made out in this multiplayer deal:

Boston Bruins Waiting is the hardest part. And B's fans haven't been waiting patiently for GM Mike O'Connell to pull the trigger. In this case, it was worth the wait. The Bruins get steady goalie Jeff Hackett from Montreal via San Jose. Hackett, who has a 7-8-2 record with a 2.54 GAA and a .926 save percentage, saved the Habs in the early part of the season when starter Jose Theodore struggled to find his game. Now, the B's hope Hackett can help them get back on track. The 34-year-old veteran, who has made previous stops in New York (Isles), San Jose and Chicago, is playing for a new contract. He can be an unrestricted free agent on July 1. If Hackett opts to sign somewhere else, the Bruins still will have Rhode Island-born defenseman Jeff Jillson. Picked 14th overall in 1999, Jillson still has plenty of upside. Like most young defenders, the former University of Michigan All-American needs time to develop. He's young (22), big (6-foot-3, 220) and moves well. Jillson could end up being as good or better than McLaren.

Montreal Canadiens
The Habs hate to see Hackett go to the Bruins, but if they didn't move his $3.6 million salary they would have lost him to unrestricted free agency on July 1. Instead, they get defensive-minded forward Niklas Sundstrom, 27, and a third-round pick in the 2004 draft. According to published reports, the Sharks will pick up some of Sundstrom's $1.8 salary for the remainder of this season and the entire 2003-04 campaign. He was a strong third-line player in San Jose. The Habs figure Sundstrom can help their lowly penalty kill which ranks 27th in the league. Sundstrom (2-10-12) has struggled for much of this season after missing training camp due to a visa problem. He might end up being more help next season.

San Jose Sharks The Sharks win the McLaren sweepstakes, but what do they really get? On the plus side, they get a big, nasty young defenseman. GM Dean Lombardi expects the 6-4, 230-pound McLaren, 25, to be an intimidating force, a la Derian Hatcher, in the defensive zone. However, McLaren has struggled to stay healthy, playing more than 70 games in just two of his seven pro seasons. When you combine his medical history with the fact that players who try to join a season in progress often get hurt, McLaren is a good bet to land on the Sharks' injured list before the year ends. He's not a great skater or puckmover. In fact, McLaren's game might be better suited for the Eastern Conference. The Sharks, who've been pretty shrewd at the drafting table, also get a fourth-round pick in 2004.

See ya Monday.

Jan. 23: Cornerstone ... on Broadway
Mike Dunham might be the most popular hockey player in Tennessee. GM David Poile decided he would build his new team around the former University of Maine and New Jersey Devils goalkeeper and tabbed the 30-year-old goaltender as the first selection in the 1998 expansion draft.

Dunham spent the next four and half seasons stopping a ton of pucks and selling the game of hockey in Nashville. In that time, Dunham started listening to country music and even married a local TV reporter.

Then, on Dec. 12, Poile shipped his cornerstone goalie to the Rangers for forward Rem Murray, defensemen Tomas Kloucek and Marek Zidlicky in an effort to save money, make room for his younger goalies and add a couple of players that could help his team.

On Thursday, a little more than a month after the deal, Dunham returns to Nashville to face his old club. The ex-Predator has been a season-saver for the Rangers, who were desperate for an experienced goaltender after Mike Richter was sidelined with post-concussion syndrome. Since the deal, Dunham has started 16 of his new team's 17 games, going 8-6-2 with a 2.16 goals-against average and an eye-catching .927 save percentage. His stingy goaltending has helped stabilize the Rangers, who seemed destined for another early trip to the golf course.

He has been particularly good since the calendar flipped to 2003. Dunham has won five of his last six games, allowing just seven goals in that span. On Tuesday, he turned back 31 shots -- several from close range -- en route to a 5-0 win over the Islanders.

Dunham's stellar play isn't a surprise to anyone in Nashville. Playing well off hockey's beaten trail, he didn't get much national attention. Still, night after night, Dunham gave the expansion Preds a chance to win.

The locals, no doubt, will remember that when they stand and thank Tennessee's most popular hockey player as he leads another team onto the ice at the Gaylord Entertainment Center.

My kind of town
Is it the hotels? The food? The weather? Well, we doubt it's the latter, but the Coyotes seem to love Calgary.

The Coyotes are 6-0-2-1 in their last nine trips to Cowtown dating back to 1997. They'll try to extend their streak to double digits when the clubs meet on Thursday at the Pengrowth Saddledome.

Ironically, the last Flames' team to record a home ice win over the Coyotes was coached by a Sutter -- Brian Sutter. Brian's brother, Darryl, took over the Flames on Dec. 27. Since his arrival, Calgary is 6-4-2 overall, 5-2-2 on home ice.

Jan. 22: Why they're called 'special' teams
When your special teams are ... well ... special, you have a chance to win in the NHL. Just look at the Kings and Ducks, who meet at the Pond on Wednesday.

Last season, the Kings converted on a league-best 20.7 percent of their power-play chances. They scored more than one-third of their goals (73 of 214) with the extra man. On the flip side, the Kings killed 86.6 percent of their penalties to finish as the league's third best unit.

Those Kings earned a playoff spot with 40 wins and 95 points.

This season, the Kings' special teams have been anything but. Hurt by the defections of assistant coach Dave Tippett (credited with much of the unit's success) and hard-shooting defenseman Philippe Boucher to Dallas, as well as a ton of injuries to key players, the Kings power-play unit currently ranks 22nd in the league, scoring on just 15 percent of its 207 power-play chances. Their penalty-killing unit is only slightly better. Entering Wednesday's game, it ranks 17th in the league with an 82.9 kill rate.

As a result, the Kings are in 10th place and out of a playoff spot in the Western Conference.

The Ducks, meanwhile, are tied for 8th place, after finishing 13th a season ago.

Why? Well, special teams has a lot to do with it. The additions of right winger Petr Sykora, defenseman Fredrik Olausson, center Adam Oates and the healthy return of center Steve Rucchin have helped the Ducks' power-play improve from 30th to 7th in the league. With 35 games remaining, the Mighty Ducks need just four power-play goals to equal last season's total of 43. On the penalty kill, the Ducks were a respectable 7th last season. This season, after 47 games, they rank 4th.

If things stay to 2002-03 form Wednesday, the Ducks' surprisingly special special teams will be the difference against the troubled Kings.

Isles mail it in
Intense Islanders coach Peter Laviolette can't be feeling good after a 5-0 home ice loss to the rival Rangers on Tuesday night. He lost the game as well as goalie Chris Osgood (ankle) and defenseman Eric Cairns (shoulder). Osgood is day-to-day, while Cairns will miss 4-to-6 weeks.

Mysteriously, the Isles have been M.I.A. for their last three Atlantic Division showdowns, losing to the Flyers, Devils and Rangers by a combined score of 14-0. The Islanders get a chance to turn that around when they travel to Philadelphia on Friday.

Jan. 21: Coliseum quandary
Islander fans attending Tuesday's night showdown with the big city rival Rangers will have a decision to make. What should they do when Bryan Trottier's face flashes on the Jumbotron?

In the past, it was no-brainer. They'd rise and cheer the Hall of Fame center who had helped them to four straight Stanley Cups. They'd cheer him as they did on Oct. 20, 2001, when the club finally retired his No. 19.

The past, though, is the past.

In the present, Trottier will stand behind the visitors' bench as the head coach of the Rangers. He has been on that bench before as a member (and assistant coach) of the Penguins and as an assistant coach with the Avalanche. But never has he been on that bench as a part of their most hated rivals.

Thus, the quandary for Islander fans, what to do?

They will have three reasonable choices: cheer, boo or ignore. The last one isn't really an option. New Yorkers don't ignore. So, Trottier will get an interesting -- probably mixed -- reaction when his face hits the overhead scoreboard.

During a preseason interview for NHL2Night, Trottier tried to downplay the situation, telling me the media was making too much out of it. Well, it will be interesting to hear what he has to say after Tuesday's tilt. I think he'll find that we in the media had a good reason to ask.

Western showdown
The rivalry between the Stars and Avalanche is heating up again. On Monday, after the clubs skated to a 1-1 tie at the Pepsi Center in Denver, the Avs were steamed at Stars goalie Marty Turco.

The young goaltender earned the Avs' ire when he clubbed Peter Forsberg upside the head (OK, around his left ear) in the first period. Turco didn't get a penalty on the play, but Avs GM Pierre Lacroix will ask the league to take a look at the game tape. Turco claims the hit was accidental, a result of Forsberg crashing his crease.

The home crowd didn't care for Turco's stickmanship, either, booing him every time he touched the puck. That didn't stop Turco from turning in another strong performance. He stopped 33 of 34 shots. At the other end, Patrick Roy turned back 29 shots in his 1,000th career regular-season game.

The contest also featured some nasty exchanges between Forsberg and Stars captain Derian Hatcher, who later slugged it out with Adam Foote.

The Stars left town with a couple of unbeaten streaks in tact. They're 8-0-3 in their last 11 games and 4-0-3 in their last seven against the Avs.

The clubs don't meet again during the regular season. Let's hope they find one another during the playoffs.

Jan. 20: Penguins' options might be limited
Alexei Kovalev has publicly stated that he would like to stay in Pittsburgh. There's nothing stopping him from doing so. Nothing but a couple of million dollars ... per season.

The 29-year-old Kovalev and his agent Scott Greenspun apparently aren't offering the Penguins a hometown discount. So, the money-conscious Pens are listening to offers for their super-skilled right winger.

The club, feeling they can't re-sign Kovalev, need to deal him before the March 11 trade deadline. If they don't, they might be forced to give him away at a discount price this summer, rather than chance a potentially costly arbitration hearing. Kovalev will be a restricted free agent on July 1.

According to a report in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, which cites two sources, the Maple Leafs, Stars, Rangers, Islanders and Devils are interested in dealing for Kovalev, who is making $4.6 million this year.

Let's give each of these five teams rumored in the hunt for Kovalev the common sense test. In other words, do the pieces fit for such a deal? Remember, the Pens won't want to accept a big money contract in return.

Maple Leafs
Money shouldn't be an issue, but do they have what it takes to get him? You know GM Craig Patrick would ask for Tomas Kaberle ($1.75M) or Bryan McCabe ($2.85M) to be included in any package. The Leafs probably can't afford to deal either of their top two defenders. Also, the Leafs need a second center more than a right wing. Common sense says: unlikely.

Stars
Again, money isn't an issue. This team wants to win the Cup this year and again next year. Earlier in the season, a Kovalev-for-Jason Arnott ($3.65M) trade appeared possible. Now, the Stars are rolling and Arnott is working well with Pierre Turgeon and Scott Young on the second line. Still, GM Doug Armstrong has been aggressive in the trade market since inheriting the job from Bob Gainey. Common sense says: possible.

Rangers
Cablevision is struggling, but the Dolan family could find the cash to re-acquire their old employee. The Blueshirts are loaded with natural centers (Eric Lindros, Petr Nedved, Mark Messier, Bob Holik), but a bit short on skilled wingers -- even when Pavel Bure is healthy. Patrick might want defenseman Tom Poti ($1.8M) and right winger Radek Dvorak ($1.575M) in return. That's probably too much for Rangers GM Glen Sather. Also, Patrick and Sather couldn't make a Jagr-to-N.Y. deal work a couple of years ago. Common sense says: doubtful.

Islanders
Money is an issue on Long Island. They'd likely want to send defenseman Roman Hamrlik ($3.5M) and forward Brad Isbister ($1.8M) to Pittsburgh to even out the transaction. Kovalev would be a great fit alongside fellow Russian Alexei Yashin. Those two offensive wizards could make some magic together. Of course, there's no telling what would be going on in the defensive zone. Patrick and Isles GM Mike Milbury would have to get creative to make this deal. Common sense says: unlikely.

Devils GM Lou Lamoriello, with a $50 million payroll, might be too maxed out to deal for Kovalev. Next summer, Kovalev could earn around $7 million in arbitration, which would blow the Devs' salary structure our of whack. Still, the Devils do have a host of affordable players that might interest the Penguins; and a goal scorer like Kovalev would be just what the doctor ordered for the Devils. If Oleg Tverdovsky ($3.6M) gets healthy, he could be the centerpiece of a deal. Common sense says: possible.

There is always the possibility that another financially-able team could step forward, allowing Patrick to maximize his asset in a bidding war. If he can, he has a chance to make a nice deal. If he can't, though, he'll probably have to accept less to move his expensive winger.

E.J. Hradek writes hockey for ESPN The Magazine. E-mail him at ej.hradek@espnmag.com.