NHL Notes : This Team May Not Make a Capital Gain

Dale Hawerchuk stayed in Winnipeg, Bryan Trottier is still a New York Islander and Denis Savard didn’t escape Mike Keenan’s clutches, but the trades made before Tuesday’s deadline might have a major impact come playoff time.

In the most significant transactions, the Washington Capitals dealt Clint Malarchuk to Buffalo and placed their goaltending in the unlikely hands of Don Beaupre and Pete Peeters, the Minnesota North Stars fortified their offense by acquiring Larry Murphy and Mike Gartner from Washington, the New York Rangers got Ruff (but still aren’t tough) and the Vancouver Canucks gained a monopoly on all the Greg Adamses in the NHL.

The Caps were the big dealers. They came out even with Minnesota, but better off than they were: Gartner for Dino Ciccarelli is a scorer for a scorer, Bob Rouse is a defensive defenseman who should thrive on the tighter play of the Patrick Division and Murphy’s offensive skills are better suited to the wider-open Norris Division.

Whether they come out ahead after dispatching Malarchuk and Grant Ledyard to Buffalo for Calle Johansson is debatable. Johansson, who made the all-rookie team on defense last season, is a slick skater and good passer who moves the puck quickly out of the defensive zone. That fills a need, but will opponents fill the nets behind injury-prone Peeters and Beaupre, who was cast off by Minnesota and languished in the minors until last month? Malarchuk has never won a playoff game and was playing out his option; Caps Coach Bryan Murray and General Manager David Poile have always, but inexplicably, liked Peeters, and Beaupre is a hunch that must pan out for them to keep their jobs.

Shipping Lindy Ruff to the Rangers was a message from Sabres General Manager Gerry Meehan. A rift opened between Coach Ted Sator and his veterans -- the same chasm developed when Sator coached the Rangers -- and Ruff emphasized the depth of the problem by resigning his captaincy Feb. 13. Trading Ruff, a respected 10-year veteran, for the absurdly low price of a fifth-round draft pick was Meehan’s way of backing Sator -- at least for now.

And now for the Adamses, who aren’t family. Vancouver had Greg Adams, the center, and on Tuesday acquired from Edmonton Greg Adams, the left winger. The first Greg Adams has no middle name, according to the NHL Guide, while the former Edmonton player is Gregory Charles Adams. The confusion should be minimal while Adams the center is idled by a broken ankle, but there’s unlimited potential for chaos when he returns.

After trading goalie Ken Wregget to Philadelphia for a pair of first-round draft picks on Monday, Toronto General Manager Gord Stellick was compared with former Rangers General Manager Craig Patrick, who was dismissed before the players he drafted became quality regulars. But Stellick said he doesn’t mind a long wait for a payoff.

“I’m just tired of sneaking into the playoffs every year and people saying, ‘Wow, it’s great.’ It’s not great,” said Stellick, who could have four of the top 23 picks in the June draft. “There’s a better way to do it ... It gives me a chance to draft kids and get some character people in here.”

Stellick got a great deal for a decent goalie. Why Flyers General Manager Bob Clarke felt compelled to give up two first-rounders for Wregget when he already has Ron Hextall is baffling.

The Penguins, who are in a 1-8-2 slump after being bombed by Calgary Thursday night, found a novel way to lose Tuesday in Los Angeles.

Bob Errey, angry that referee Bill McCreary didn’t see Luc Robitaille spear him as the teams struggled to break an overtime tie, threw a water bottle at Robitaille after his shift ended and he had returned to the bench. McCreary didn’t see the toss, but linesman Mike Cvik did and on that recommendation, McCreary called a penalty against the Penguins’ bench for unsportsmanlike conduct. Los Angeles’ Dave Taylor scored on the resulting power play.

With the Penguins in a swoon, it’s difficult to see how Mario Lemieux can again be named MVP. He hasn’t lifted his team during the stretch and has been held scoreless four times in the last two weeks; he’ll still win the scoring title, but other candidates merit consideration for MVP honors.

The man who may deserve it most is Steve Yzerman. Undeterred by the messes created by Bob Probert and Petr Klima, the superb center has smashed Red Wings single-season records for goals and points and has kept them above the Norris rabble.

Wayne Gretzky must also be considered, not only for his feats but because he’s helping almost every player on the Kings have a career season.

Players and agents are incensed that the NHL is considering a proposal from CCM to become the exclusive supplier of equipment. Players who have deals with different manufacturers would have to cover the logos of those companies; Gretzky, for example, would have to blot out the brand name on his Titan sticks and Jofa helmets.

The league recently refused to allow Edmonton goalie Grant Fuhr to wear Pepsi logos on his equipment and wear leg pads that resembled Pepsi cans, and Fuhr’s agent, Rich Winter, is leading the fight against the league’s acceptance of CCM’s offer.

Lemieux outscored Gretzky eight points to three during the two games they faced each other this season. Gretzky missed one game.

The rich get richer: The Flames signed 6-1 defenseman Roger Johansson, who was released by his Swedish team after it was eliminated from the playoffs.

Bruins defenseman Gord Kluzak, who hasn’t played this season, skated last week but experienced swelling in his oft-injured left knee. His playing future is in doubt.

Savard is out of Chicago’s lineup again because of his troublesome left ankle. “Without my skating, I’m a very average player,” he said.

The Blackhawks are 1-2-5 in their last eight games and have blown two-goal leads in four. Keenan imposed a midnight curfew after Chicago’s 7-5 loss to the Devils Wednesday and scheduled two practices Wednesday. Former Islander Greg Gilbert, unaccustomed to that pace, became ill during the first skate.

Toronto defenseman Al Iafrate, on his inability to tell any of his teammates about the trauma of his separation from his wife: “There’s one guy, Kenny (Wregget). But he was going through the same thing I was. Our wives are living together.”