Calgary Acquires Rene Bourque? Cujo to Toronto?

James Mirtle is reporting that the Flames have acquired left-winger Rene Bourque from Chicago. He also reports that Toronto will sign Curtis Joseph to back up Vesa Toskala.

News You Can Use Late in the Day

1. Rob Ramage has received a 4 year jail sentence for his part in the crash that killed Keith Magnuson.
2. The Hurricanes have traded Craig Adams to the Blackhawks for a conditional draft pick.
3. Dan Pollard of TSN gives a shout out to Tobias Enstrom.
4. Gene Principe notes the irony of Michael Nylander going out for the season with a shoulder problem just before playing the Oilers, a team he reneged on last summer after his wife twisted his arm.
5. The NHL and IIHF propose to raise the Euro transfer age to 20, meaning no more young Euros playing in the minors.
6. A resurgent Denver Pioneers team has its sights set on the NCAA tournament.I hope they don't contract the plague of so many other pioneers, the dreaded dysentery.
7. Brandon Nolan credits coaching for his break out year, and the AHL is considering an outdoor game, with Winnipeg as a possible venue. Evidently, the AHL braintrust has never visited Winnipeg in January.
8. Anze Kopitar is living the single life in LA, with his parents for roommates. Sounds perfect for my sister in law.
9. Iggy and Vinny have been named All-Star Captains.
10. The Fargo Force is going to attempt to "tap" Fighting Sioux fans. I bet they are. Just don't disturb my wife during Project Runway. Trust me, I tried that two weeks and one testicle ago.
11. Taking Note gives us the complete run down of WHL news from Wednesday night.
12. Adam Proteau tells us that Brian Burke will listen to offers for the 1st round pick he acquired from Edmonton in the Dustin Penner deal.
13. Jay Feaster gives us his thoughts on the trade deadline in his blog.
14. Chris Pronger alleges that Edmonton fans burned his rental furniture. Still no cure for gap-toothedness.
15. The latest installment from the Year of the Rams.
16. David Staples with a very funny look at his likes and dislikes about each Oiler.
17. The Score gives the low-down for everyone involved in fantasy hockey.
18. Edward Fraser notes that the Oklahoma City Blazers are giving away livestock as a promotion for fans attending their games. They should try this in Calgary. Even Flames fans deserve a little action now and again...
19. A mildly entertaining (Think Flames vs. Wild on a Wednesday night) work of fiction on how Cujo was wooed to Cowtown.
20. Battle of California makes a heartfelt plea to Ottawa to take Rob Blake off the Kings' hands.
21. In a follow up to RP's Ovechkin editorial, Tyler Dellow of the MC79 blog offers up his detailed analysis on AO.
22. The Blackhawks have signed Patrick Sharp to a 4-year contract extension.
23. Thursday's water cooler notes from nhl.com.
24. A profile on Bruins prospect Pascale Pelletier, recently recalled to Boston.
25. George Johnson thinks the mind games will start in Calgary with Curtis Joseph's arrival. Likely the first and only time the phrase "mind games" will be used to refer to Calgary.

EURO CURVE

Euro Curve chronicles the latest international hockey news.

As everyone continues to enjoy their holiday season, Illegal Curve provides hockey fans with excellent insight and analysis on the two major international hockey tournaments which take place every December; the 2008 U-20 World Junior Hockey Championships from Pardubice, Czech Republic and the 2008 Spengler Cup Hockey tournament, held in Davos, Switzerland.

- Canada is three-time defending champion at the 2008 World Junior Championships, and won their 19th consecutive game on Wednesday afternoon, defeating the host Czech Republic 3-0, on the strength of two John Tavares goals. The 17-year-old Oshawa General, who isn't draft eligible until 2009, leads a new youth movement for the Crazy Canucks, which also features 2008 draft hopefuls Steven Stamkos and Drew Doughty, two other 17-year-olds who played impressively in their first WJC games respectively.

Canada didn't bring their A-game for the opening contest but played well enough to win. Los Angeles Kings goaltending prospect Jonathan Bernier was the star of the game, stopping 44 shots and earning the goose egg. Canada will play Slovakia tomorrow morning, a team they beat in exhibition play last week.

Other Scores:

Sweden 4 Slovakia 3
USA 5 Kazakhstan 1
Russia 7 Finland 4

Tomorrow's games:

Canada vs. Slovakia, 10 a.m. ET, Pardubice Arena
Kazakhstan vs. Russia, 10 a.m. ET, Tipsport Arena
Czech Republic vs. Denmark, 2 p.m. ET, Pardubice Arena
Finland vs. Switzerland, 2 p.m. ET, Tipsport Arena

- The opening match at the Spengler Cup Tournament was entertaining to say the least, as Canada needed the overtime shootout to beat HC Pardubice 4-3. Dale MacTavish and Captain Serge Aubin had the shootout goals for Team Canada while Curtis Joseph provided superb goaltending, stopping everything in the extra fame. Manitobans Kirby Law and J.P Vigier put Canada ahead 3-2 late in the second period but the Czech Republic squared the contest in the third period on a 5-on-3 man advantage.

In the only other game of the day, Adler Mannheim upset host club HC Davos by a score of 3-2.

Tomorrow's games:

HC Moller Pardubice vs. Salavat Yulaev Ufa, 9:00 a.m. ET.
HC Davos vs. Team Canada, 2:15 p.m. ET.

For Illegal Curve, I'm Ezra Ginsburg.

EURO CURVE

Euro Curve chronicles the latest international hockey news.

You won't find pictures of Jessica Simpson here, but you will find Team Canada's roster for the upcoming 2008 Spengler Cup hockey tournament (December 26-31) to be played in Davos, Switzerland. The Spengler Cup is an annual hockey tournament played in Davos, Switzerland which features Canucks playing in Europe (along with others imported from the AHL, ECHL, etc), a club team from Switzerland [HC Davos], Russia [Salavat Yulaev Ufa],Germany [Adler Mannheim], Czech Republic [HC Moeller Pardubice].


Canadian Roster

Coaches: Sean Simpson (head), Dougy Gilmour (assistant), Jim Koleff (assistant)

Goaltenders

Wade Flaherty (Terrace, BC)
Curtis Joseph (Keswick, Ontario)


Defensemen

Andre Benoit (St.Albert, Ontario)
Mark Giordano (Toronto,Ontario)
Shawn Heins (Eganville, Ontario)
Curtis Murphy (Kerrobert, Saskatchewan)
Mike Siklenka (Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan)
Danny Syvret (Milgrove, Ontario)
Yannick Tremblay (Pointe-aux-Trembles, Quebec)

Forwards

Ramzi Abid (Montreal, Quebec)
Serge Aubin (Val-d'Or, Quebec)
Hnat Domenichelli (Edmonton, Alberta)
Simon Gamache (Thetford Mines, Quebec)
Travis Green (Castlegar, British Columbia)
Kirby Law (McCreary, Manitoba)
Dale McTavish (Eganville, Ontario)
Marty Murray (Deloraine,Manitoba)
Domenic Pittis (Calgary, Alberta)
Yves Sarault (Valleyfield, Quebec)
Jeff Toms (Swift Current, Saskatchewan)
J.P Vigier (Notre Dame de Lourde, Manitoba)


Expert Analysis: This team is experienced in goal with Joseph and Flaherty, solid on the bluelines with the likes of Tremblay, Heins, Giordano and Syvret and packed with Euro and Spengler experience at the forward positions with Domenichelli, Pittis, Aubin and Murray.
Look for Canada to be in heavy contention for the Cup this year.

For Illegal Curve, I'm Ezra Ginsburg.