NHL trade deadline: 'Coveted' MacDonald; easing Callahan; signed Scrivens; high-road Halak

Wednesday is the NHL trade deadline. Today is another day before that day. Here is a look at some pre-trade deadline this and that around the league.

Feel free to add your own (with links or citation please) in comments. The armchair GM thing is also welcome, but please keep it loosely based on reality.

'MacDonald is Coveted Everywhere'

That's the line Edmonton Journal writer Jim Matheson used to describe Andrew MacDonald, who shows up as constantly on reported wishlists as he does on bloggers' "this guy is overrated" lists.

Matheson quotes former NHL GM Craig Button saying "To me, MacDonald is like a Charlie Huddy." Which is...I mean Huddy was a guy. (Though come to think of it, Huddy probably would've garnered the same "need that guy" vs. "that guy's numbers are bad" debate back in the day.)

As to the price of things and quotes from former GMs, Matheson also has this:

Former Wild GM Doug Risebrough says most general managers would much rather get another team prospect or two than a draft pick who is four or five years away from the NHL for a rental, but "it’s not going to happen."

"You can ask for young players all you want, but a general manager says ‘I don’t want to do that because in two years, those young players will be on my team at half the money..."

For his part, MacDonald was quoted in Newsday on what seems like an inevitable departure:

"I've only ever been here," he said. "I don't know anything different. You try not to think about it, but obviously it's running through your mind. It's a business and that's just how it is right now, I guess.

"This is obviously not how I'd like to go out."

It's a funny business.

Don't Forget Robidas

Stephen Robidas broke his leg in November and is only recently back on skates, but that hasn't kept teams from inquiring about acquiring him from the Dallas Stars, according to Darren Dreger, who says the defenseman could be back by mid-March.

Callahan, Smurfs Coming Down from their Bluffs?

At ESPN Pierre LeBrun reports the negotiating stances of Ryan Callahan and the New York Rangers have softened somewhat, with Callahan's demand coming down to six years and the Rangers' AAV offfer coming up to $6 million. LeBrun says they're "still not close to a deal," but that direction has the look of two sides that prefer to be with each other than apart.

Oilers Take Scrivens off the Market

Ben Scrivens will not be your next goalie. The Oilers reportedly signed him to a two-year contract extension, according to Aaron Ward.

Halak Takes Haligh Road

Gotta love Jaroslav Halak, two days after the team that said it believed in him shipped him out for a different goalie, he said this:

Halak was asked what awaits Miller in St. Louis.

"Probably less shots," the goalie said. "He’s a great goalie, and he’s going to fit in. We’ll see how that’s going to work out for them. Like I said, I wish them good luck in the playoffs."

Impressive.

Hawks Trade Pirri (bumped by Regin) to Panthers

When the Blackhawks acquired Peter Regin from the Islanders, Brandon Pirri was the odd prospect out. Evidently he requested a trade, a trade that came last night as the Panthers sent a 2014 3rd- and a 2016 5th-round pick for him.

Florida GM Dale Tallon was with the Hawks when they drafted Pirri in the first round of 2009.