Christmas Day - Otherwise known as the Trade Deadline

I promise that I will analyze the bigger trades later tonight, but for now, I'm just trying to keep up.

-The Lightning have sent Vaclav Prospal to the Tampa Bay Lightning for defenseman Alexandre Picard and a second or third round pick in 2009. This is a good move for the Flyers who pick up momentum with the win last night against the Sabres. The Flyers are in desperate need of help on the blue line with the injuries Hatcher and Rathje. They sent Jim Vandermeer to Calgary.

- The Devils have acquired Bryce Salvador from the Blues for Cam Janssen. This is well not all that earth shattering, moving on.

- The Leafs have sent Wade Belak to the Florida Panthers for a fifth-round pick. Again, not much news, we'll move on and keep up the updates.

-News coming out being that the Lightning and Stars have a deal in place which will move Brad Richards as long as Richards waives his no trade clause. Its official now, waiting on the terms of the trade. Terms are now:

Lightning - Jokinen, Smith, and Halpern
Stars - Richards and Holmqvist

- Newest trade out is Canadiens send Cristobal Huet to the Capitals for a second round pick. I guess they really have faith in Carey Price. That second round pick is Anaheim's 2nd round pick in 2009.

Back with the updates:

- The Avalanche have sent Ruslan Salei to the Florida Panthers for Karlis Skrastins and a third round pick.

- The Hurricanes have sent Andrew Ladd to the Chicago Blackhawks for Tuomo Ruutu.

- The Senators have picked up Martin LaPointe from the Blackhawks for a sixth round pick.

- The Colorado Avalanche have picked up Adam Foote from the Columbus Blue Jackets for a conditional first round pick for either 2008 or 2009 depending on whether the Avalanche make the playoffs and another conditional pick whether Foote resigns with the Avalanche

- The Washington Capitals have picked up Sergei Federov from the Columbus Blue Jackets for Ted Ruth.

- The Vancouver Canucks have dealt Matt Cooke to the Capitals for Matt Pettinger all contingent on no movement clauses.

To finish up the last trades that happened before the deadline:

- The Blues traded defenseman Christian Backman to the Rangers for a second round pick

- The Leafs traded Hal Gill to the Penguins for a second and fifth round pick.

- The last major trade of the day involved Atlanta's Marion Hossa.

Thrashers - Colby Armstrong, Angelo Esposito, Erik Christensen, and a first round pick
Penguins - Marian Hossa and Pascal Dupuis

- The Wild got Chris Simon from the Islanders for a 6th round pick.

- The Kings sent Brad Stuart to the Red Wings for a second and a fourth round pick.

- The Rangers sent Marcel Hossa and Al Montoya to the Coyotes for Fredrick Sjostrom, David Leneveu, and Josh Gratton

- The Leafs sent Chad Kilger to the Panthers for a third round pick

- The Kings sent Jean Sebastien Aubin to the Ducks for a third round pick

- The Islanders sent Marc Andre Bergeron to the Ducks for a seventh round pick.

That wraps up all of the trades that have been listed as of 3:41 pm which should conclude the trade deadline.