This from Steve Zipay at Blue Notes...

That's the word in hockey circles in Toronto, where rumors bounce up and around in a major media echo chamber. Rangers are not confirming anything, not even whether a decision on whether to sign or reject the right winger's $3.9-million arbitration award is coming today.

               Do the whispers make sense?

               Perhaps. Leafs czar Brian Burke needs scoring and has an excess of defensemen. Zherdev can put up 25-plus on the first line. although the press scrutiny will be intense.

                For the Rangers, there wouldn't be a No. 1 center coming back, and realistically, Burke and the rest of the GMs can gamble that the Rangers won't sign Zherdev by tomorrow and he'll be un unrestricted free agent.

                Ian White, 25, is one of those extra Leafs D. He was playing 20-plus minutes at the end of last season (including on the PP) and filled in on the wing. He was 10-16-26 and plus 6. And forward Lee Stempniak (UFA after 2009-10 season) seems like a spare at $2.5 mil (14-30-44 in 75 games, including with the Blues).

                Just sayin'.....

I wouldn't mind a trade Toronto. Ian White is a very capable Defenseman that can eat up alot of minutes and hold his own in his zone. Although I would not want Stempniak, as I feel he would take up a roster spot for one of our prospects. What do you guys think of this? What are your feelings on this situation?