from Eric Duhatschek of the Globe and Mail,

If 2012-13 had been a regular 82-game season we would have been immersed in the NHL trade deadline this week, with who knows how many transactions, major and minor, taking place as teams made the annual push to strengthen their lineups for the playoff run. As it is, there are still four-and-a-half weeks to go until the lockout-shortened version of the trade deadline comes to pass on Apr. 3, but the action is heating up, with two interesting trades this week, a controversial offer sheet tendered by the Calgary Flames to restricted free agent Ryan O’Reilly and all kinds of fresh rumours making the rounds.

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