All Habs Trade Tracker: Monday February 27, 2012

On this day in hockey history…  1970 – Minnesota North Stars purchased 41-year-old goaltender Gump Worsley from the Montreal Canadiens. Worsley went on to play four and a half years with the North Stars, compiling a record of 39-37-24 with 2.62 GAA.

COUNTDOWN TO DEADLINE: All Habs Headlines

►Plekanec on the move?  It’s becoming hard to know whether the MSM is content with reporting the news or is intent on creating it.  Pat Hickey from the Montreal Gazette reported that he had learned that Canadiens center Tomas Plekanec “would be willing to waive the to the no-trade clause which was part of the six-year, $30-million deal he signed in 2010.”

Plekanec’s agent Rick Curran responded saying that Plekanec is not willing to waive his no-trade clause.  Curran added, “We never had a discussion about this. Never. This is not true.”

Plekanec has tallied 12 goals and 30 assists for 42 points in 61 games with the Habs this season.

►Read the tea leaves:  Chris Campoli and Mathieu Darche watched from the press box on Sunday night as both were healthy scratches.  Could that be a sign that they are on the move from Montreal — perhaps a sign that Pierre Gauthier is protecting them from an injury that could sink a deal? Similarly Andrei Kostitsyn, Petteri Nokelainen and Aaron Palushaj all played 11:10 or less.

Or perhaps you see things from the opposite perspective.  Yannick Weber played 18:05 — was he being showcased?

►Post-deadline presser: Pierre Gauthier will hold a press conference at 6:30 pm. today from Tampa to discuss the moves made by the Canadiens at the deadline.

►Who could go?  The Montreal Canadiens are sellers headed into the deadline.  As playoff bound teams are willing to pay a premium for role players and specialists the Canadiens brass would be wise to deal as many assets as they can that don’t fit into the long-term future of the organization.  Here’s some names that are being tossed about (cap hit is specified.)

Unrestricted free agents (as of July 1, 2012)

Andre Kostitsyn $3,250,000

Travis Moen  $1,500,000

Mathieu Darche  $700,000

Chris Campoli  $1,750,000

Hal Gill $2,250,000

Restricted free agents (as of July 1, 1012)

Aaron Palushaj  $883,333

Petteri Nokelainen  $550,000

Continuing contracts

Scott Gomez  $7,357,143

Tomas Plekanec  $5,000,000

Rene Bourque  $3,333,333

David Desharnais  $850,000

Tomas Kaberle  $$4,250,000

►Trade tracker: