Above the 49: No big names expected to move north on deadline day

Hockey Betting Lines

02/21/2012 - Vancouver, BC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The NHL trade deadline on Feb. 27 promises to be one of the most compelling deadline days in years, but not so much if you happen to be a fan of one of the seven teams north of the border.

Among the big names rumored in play this season include Columbus' Rick Nash and Jeff Carter, Anaheim's Corey Perry and Bobby Ryan, Phoenix's Shane Doan and Washington's Alexander Semin, but don't expect any of them to be swapping zip codes for postal codes in the near future.

Only one Canadian team - Vancouver - has virtually guaranteed itself of a spot in the postseason picture, but the Canucks are nowhere in the discussion when it comes to one of the marquee names floating around.

Vancouver would ideally like to add a top-four defenseman or a power forward before the deadline, but it's hamstrung by salary cap concerns and is not likely to part with backup netminder Cory Schneider, who is the Canucks' biggest asset in a potential deal. Mason Raymond's name also has come up in trade speculation.

Toronto has been floated as a potential destination for Nash and would have the ability to maneuver his contract into its lineup, but the Maple Leafs simply don't possess the assets Columbus will demand in return for dealing away its poster boy - namely an elite forward (with the exception of Phil Kessel), a blue-chip prospect and a franchise netminder to replace the struggling Steve Mason.

The Leafs are barely hanging on to a spot in the top eight in the Eastern Conference and may be in selling mode by the time the deadline rolls around. Their 6-2 spanking at the hands of the Canucks on Saturday should quash any thoughts about them being a legitimate Cup contender even with the addition of Nash or another top-tier forward.

Selling season has already begun in Montreal with the Canadiens shipping defenseman Hal Gill to the Nashville Predators last Friday. They'll be trying to move out several more impending unrestricted free agents before the deadline in forwards Andrei Kostitsyn and Travis Moen and defenseman Chris Campoli.

Meanwhile, a major fire sale is expected in Edmonton with Ales Hemsky at the top of the exodus list.

Calgary and Ottawa are likely to remain in a holding pattern through the deadline with the exception of perhaps a few minor upgrades with playoff spots within grasp, but not to the point where they'd be willing to mortgage the future.

Winnipeg has done an admirable job sticking around in the playoff conversation, but the Jets are more likely to go the route of a seller as opposed to be a deadline buyer.

The last Canadian team to add a marquee player at the deadline was the Calgary Flames, who plucked top-line center Olli Jokinen from the Coyotes back in 2009.

Jokinen had eight goals and 15 points in 19 regular-season games down the stretch for the Flames, guiding them to a fifth-place finish in the Western Conference. He was the team leader in playoff points that season, notching five points (2-3-5) in six games in their opening-round series loss to the Chicago Blackhawks.

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FOOTBALL BETTING : Cassel Signs Contract

Kansas City, MO - Kansas City has not officially named Matt Cassel its starting quarterback, but there can be no doubt now.

NFL Betting
After praising his leadership and work ethic through spring workouts, the Chiefs announced Tuesday they had signed the 27-year-old Cassel to a multiyear contract. Terms were not disclosed, but he will almost certainly be one of the highest-paid members of the team.
"We are excited to be able to reach a long-term agreement for Matt Cassel to be a Kansas City Chief for many years to come," owner and board chairman Clark Hunt said in a statement. "His proven leadership on and off the field will be a tremendous asset to the organization."
Patriots made him their franchise player, meaning his salary for this season will be about $15 million.
New head coach Todd Haley, taking over for Herm Edwards after a 2-14 season, refused to name a starter at any position during offseason workouts. But it was obvious to everyone the team belonged to Cassel.
"I go out there each and every day with that focus that I'm the starter," Cassel said during a June minicamp. "Competition brings out the best in everybody."
The signing will come as welcome news to Cassel's new coaches and teammates. Amiable and hardworking, online football betting he appeared to win over everyone at minicamp.
"I think he's got some unique leadership qualities. I think his teammates like him and have respect for him. I think he's doing a pretty good job on the field, too," Haley said last month. "He's doing everything that I'm asking him, that our coaches are asking him to do. I don't have one single complaint how he's carrying himself."
After one workout, wide receiver Devard Darling declared Cassel "a breath of fresh air."
"He has a lot of swagger, a lot of confidence. It's good for us," said Darling. "We trust in him that he's going to go out there and lead us all the way."
nse to accommodate his specific abilities.
Trapped on the bench behind Heisman winners Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart at USC and then unable to unseat Super Bowl MVP Brady at New England, Cassel seemed destined to be a backup all his life. As Brady was helped off the field last September, Cassel seized the opportunity he'd been waiting for since high school.
In his only sustained action since his teens, he hit 349 of 555 passes for 3,949 yards at New England. He had 23 touchdown passes and 13 interceptions as the Patriots, who had gone unbeaten through the regular season the year before, finished 11-5 and out of the playoffs.
Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli, who had been Bill Belichick's assistant in New England, engineered the trade after the Patriots became convinced that Brady would recover fully from his knee operation.
"Since Matt arrived in Kansas City, he has embraced the team and the community," Pioli said. "His work ethic, his ability and competitive presence is what we expect from our players."

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Big 12 Conference betting odds

Work left to do: Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, Kansas State

Texas joins Texas A&M and Kansas as locks after getting league win No. 11. Texas Tech greatly helped its own hopes and crippled OK State's with the two-point win Saturday. Is K-State the last reasonable hopeful? Could be an elimination match in Stillwater on Tuesday, at least for the Cowboys.

Work left to do:

Texas Tech [18-11 (7-7), RPI: 44, SOS: 12] A critical two-point win over OK State leaves the Red Raiders with Baylor and at Iowa State left. Get both and the Red Raiders likely are good to go. Get one and there could be some interesting comparisons with a K-State team that could finish two or three games "ahead" of them in the standings but doesn't have any of the quality wins Texas Tech has. Not a lot in nonconference play (against Arkansas in Little Rock being the best win, by far) to lean on.

Oklahoma State [18-9 (5-8), RPI: 50, SOS: 35] Still without a road win, the Cowboys now need to win two on the road just to get to .500 in conference play. It's hard to recall a team (OK, other than Clemson) falling so precipitously from lock status to almost certainly out of the NCAAs at this point. There are wins to be had in the last three, including a very big home game against K-State on Tuesday, but this team is reeling. Can you tell the pressure to win is getting to them with the way the final possession played out at Texas Tech? There are some good nonconference performances to lean on, specifically beating Missouri State and Syracuse on neutral floors and Pitt in OK City, but if the Pokes don't right this very, very soon, that won't be enough.

Kansas State [20-9 (9-5), RPI: 56, SOS: 96] It pays to be in the Big 12 North. The nine league wins are Colorado (twice), Missouri (twice), Iowa State (twice), Baylor, Nebraska and (a good one against) Texas. That helps explain the middling computer profile. The win over USC is nice, but the nonconference leaves a lot to be desired. The game at OK State in Stillwater on Tuesday is huge, as it could KO the Cowboys and leave K-State with a home date against Oklahoma with which to work.