RDS hockey reporter Renaud P. Lavoie reports the Washington Capitals are shopping veteran defenseman Roman Hamrlik.

Hamrlik, 37, has appeared in 55 games for the Capitals this season (2G-8A-10PTS) but has fallen in and out of favor with head coach Dale Hunter. Back in December, Hunter made Hamrlik a healthy scratch for the first time this season, and he’ll once again be a healthy scratch tonight against Ottawa.

“You want him to be a defensive defenseman. He’s giving up too many chances, so he’s out of the lineup,” Hunter told the Washington Times. “Giving up too many scoring chances; he took a bad penalty last game. So we’re going to put someone else in.”

The Phoenix Coyotes have acquired center Antoine Vermette from the Columbus Blue Jackets for a 2012 second-round draft pick, a conditional fifth-round pick in 2013 plus minor league goalie Curtis McElhinney. Two sources with knowledge of the deal told ESPN.com.

The trade needed the NHL’s blessing, another source said, because the Coyotes still are owned by the league as it continues to find a new owner.

Vermette has three more years left on his deal after this season, with an annual $3.75 million salary and cap hit.

“This is moving forward,” Howson told the Columbus Dispatch. “We have to move forward. It wasn’t working this season as we expected. We’re going to move forward and this is part of the process of reshaping the team.
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Ottawa Senators General Manager Bryan Murray most recently hinted he would rather not trade Filip Kuba. Unless there’s a fabulous offer on the table, of course.

“I think he’s one of our best defensemen, if not the most steady guy at this point in time,” Murray told the Ottawa Sun. “He’s played penalty-killing, power play, been Erik Karlsson’s partner. (He) plays a lot of minutes, has great respect on the team. I’m not sure why his name has ever come up, but at this point in time, unless I got something awfully, awfully good, it wouldn’t do us any service to not keep him here.”

Update: A source has told Chris Botta that the New York Islanders are offering Evgeni Nabokov the choice of a one- or two-year contract. The Islanders’ preference being the veteran goaltender signs for two years.

The Islanders are in the midst of contract negotiations with goaltender Evgeni Nabokov, a source confirmed to ESPN NewYork.com’s Katie Strang.

The 36-year-old Nabokov, who has missed the last three games due to the flu, is 14-14-0 for the Islanders this season with a 2.24 goals-against average, .925 save percentage and two shutouts.

Earlier this month, Islanders General Manager Garth Snow told Strang that he has “no intention” of trading Nabokov.

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According to The Detroit Free Press the Detroit Red Wings will announce a two-year extension for forward Todd Bertuzzi as early as Thursday.

Bertuzzi’s agent, Pat Morris, told the Free Press today that “we’re working at it, and getting closer.” The sides have been talking for the past month.

Bertuzzi, 37, is in the last of a two-year deal that’s averaged $1,937,500. His new deal is for closer to $2.2 million a season, and is backloaded.

General manager Ken Holland told the Free Press last month that “I think Bert’s been great all season.” The Wings like how Bertuzzi has developed into a two-way player.

Bertuzzi has 12 goals and is plus-21 in 54 games this season.

Although there’s no guarantee he’ll be re-signed for the long haul, Zach Parise can take comfort knowing he will at least finish out the season with the New Jersey Devils.

As reported by Mark Everson of the New York Post, Devils General Manager Lou Lamoriello confirmed Tuesday the Devils’ captain wouldn’t be traded before the February 27th trade deadline. A sentiment expressed earlier in the day by head coach Pete DeBoer.

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Damian Cristodero of the Tampa Bay Times reports Tampa Bay Lightning have acquire forward Brandon Segal from Chicago Blackhawks for minor-leaguer Matt Fornataro.

TSN’s Bob McKenzie is reporting the Tampa Bay Lightning have traded defenseman Kyle Quincey to the Detroit Red Wings for a first-round pick and minor leaguer Sebastien Piche.

TSN’s Bob McKenzie is reporting the Tampa Bay Lightning have traded forward Steve Downie to the Colorado Avalanche for defenseman Kyle Quincey.

The 24-year-old Downie has 12 goals and 28 points in 55 games with the Lightning this season. Quincey has 5 goals and 23 points in 54 games with the Avalanche.

Defenseman Luke Schenn may not be all that available after all.

A popular player in terms of recent trade speculation, the young blueliner for the Toronto Maple Leafs might be able to enjoy a deep breath. David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period claims to have it on “good authority” that the Leafs haven’t offered the 22-year-old to a single team. And, barring an “amazing offer”, the club insists Schenn is staying put.

If that’s the case, fellow Leafs’ Defenseman Carl Gunnarsson could be on the move before February 27th, trade deadline. Looking to add a big, top-six forward before the deadline, Leafs General Manager Brian Burke has an excess of NHL-capable defensemen to offer in exchange.