2011 NHL Trade Deadline: Klesla, Byers to Phoenix for Lepisto, Upshall

Good Afternoon Everyone:

Here is your fourth open thread of the day. There will be a new thread at the top of every hour, with updated information from the previous hour.

Let's try and avoid all the Fan Posts and Fan Shots about trades, so we can keep all the information to the threads.

Remember, a full recap of the day's events and more tonight on Blueshirt Banter Radio at 8 PM

Have at it kids.....

Update by Michael Gleich:

12:54 - The Columbus Blue Jackets have traded Radislav Klesla and former New York Rangers prospect Dane Byers to the Phoenix Coyotes for Scottie Upshall and Sami Lepisto.

Phoenix gets a big body defender, but they give up a couple of speedy players who appear to be well liked in the room. This has to be about the injury to Ed Jovanovski and him not returning very soon. Don Maloney makes another move to acquire a piece he helped draft.

Waiver moves: Calgary claims Brett Carson on waivers from Carolina; Atlanta claims Rob Schremp from the Islanders; Ottawa claims Curtis McElhinney from Tampa Bay.

Richards rumor of the hour: Richards has not been asked to waive his NMC to this point and Darren Dreger is reporting that Joe Nieuwendyk has not dropped the asking price at all despite reports that Richards will not sign an extension until the ownership situation has been resolved.

In the end the situation seems as it has all day with a game of chicken going on to see whether Joe N or Sather will blink first and the longer it goes the less likely I think it is that Richards gets moved because it is easier to sell to the fans that they are going for it than that they sold low.

As John and many others have said, the easiest move for Joe N is to make no move at all.