Anohter reason to laugh at ESPN

There was a time when hockey was on ESPN and ESPN2; there was even a time when NHL2nite was an edgy player profiling honest to god hockey show. All of that changed when Versus came into the picture and now, hockey is an afterthought on the ESPN family.

There are some people who still report on hockey but they are few and far between.

John Buccigross is one of them. He's mostly miss in a hit or miss scenario with me and every now and again, he get something right. Yesterday was just not one of them.

He reported that Ottawa traded Heatly to the Sharks as a part of a three way deal with the Kings involving Patty Marleau.

There is just a small problem here - Marleau has a no trade clause that kicked in on July 1. And well, no one has asked him to waive it. Ok, that's no longer a small problem, it's a large problem.

Puck Daddy posted Buccigross' rational as follows:

Here's Bucci, when asked if a trade was actually done:

"Right now, obviously, nothing is officially done or it would have been announced by all parties. What I heard earlier tonight was that it was a three-team trade. First I had heard it was going to be tonight or tomorrow. Obviously they want to move him before training camp. So I sniffed around and my best source, who's been perfect for me, mentioned he got an email from a front office personnel member. He forwarded me the email, and it's a pretty significant name (laughs) in the NHL, and I thought 'Boy, I would have gone on it just with my initial source, because he's been great for me.' Then he showed me this email, and it was completely supporting it.

"So I was surprised when it hasn't come through tonight. Now, things are complicated, there could be other parts to it, but I still believe he will be moved. But it appears, as I was told, is not going to happen tonight anyway."

Buccigross later said that he was comfortable with the story because "it made a lot of sense in a lot of ways," as far as what the teams need. He also said he could see conditions shifting this deal into one directly between Ottawa and Los Angeles.

I know a great deal of reporting these days is based on speculation. But really? When a network like ESPN who doesn't promote/care about hockey tries to get the scoop? Be damn sure there is a scoop to get.