Dan’s Daily Links: Goalie Fight! A #2 for Kovalchuk?

The NHL trade rumors hit a fever pitch Saturday night when Toronto Maple Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe scratched forward Kasperi Kapanen. Fans lurched to the edge of their seats waiting for the big one. We finally have an update on Dustin Byfuglien and Pierre LeBrun put a price tag on Montreal Canadiens winger Ilya Kovalchuk. Oh, and there was a goalie fight.

Montreal does realize it has become a buyer’s market and Kovalchuk is a 36-year-old pending free agent, right?

According to LeBrun, the sticker price on Kovalchuk is a second-round pick.

Belief from some teams that the price to rent out Ilya Kovalchuk from Mtl is no less than a 2nd RD pick; also hearing Habs have discussed merits of keeping him b/c of his positive impact both on ice/in the room. Still 3 weeks to go before Feb. 24 but might be 11th hour decision.

— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) February 1, 2020

Sportsnet reporter Elliotte Friedman offered an update on Dustin Byfuglien. It sounds like he is done for the year. The Winnipeg Sun went further with the report, as it could free Winnipeg to shop for a top-four defenseman (Winnipeg Sun)

It is a Penguins-Capitals day! PHN counts down the top-five moments in the series, from the Pittsburgh perspective of course (Pittsburgh Hockey Now)

Mario sliding into the crease and scoring a goal in the final overtime minute of the 1988 game, which temporarily put the Penguins in a playoff position remains one of the great sports highlights of my life.

Should Boston trade David Krejci? The Boston Globe thinks so (Boston Globe)

For The Atheltic subscribers, here’s a big picture look at the trade deadline. The story is self-described as long and circuitous (and we won’t argue), but for subs, it’s a nice read (The Athletic)

Also from the Athletic (seriously, where is the newspaper coverage up there?!), Minnesota was hammered Saturday night and big changes are needed. Bill Guerin will have his hands full this month (The Athletic)

The NHL trade rumors on Twitter accounts with anonymous and cool sounding resumes went bananas early Saturday evening. Kasperi Kapanen was scratched Saturday night and everyone figured a trade was coming or there was an injury. We were all wrong. (Sportsnet)

Huh, you mean you can’t trust anonymous Twitter accounts which have daily trade talks known only to them?

Trevor Daley was also scratched in Detroit due to an undisclosed issue.

And the best for last. Goalie Fight!  Mike Smith and Cam Talbot dropped the trappers. (NBC Sports)