The New York Rangers and Calgary Flames were expected to announce a trade that would send centre Olli Jokinen and forward Brandon Prust to the Rangers in exchange for forwards Ales Kotalik and Christopher Higgins, but the deal appears to be stalled.
Sources told TSN Sunday night that New York was awaiting Calgary's final sign-off before the trade call was to be made.
Jokinen was originally acquired by Calgary from the Phoenix Coyotes at last year's trade deadline. The 31-year old veteran has 11 goals and 24 assists in 55 games with the Flames this season.
Prust, 25, will potentially land in New York after taking a circuitous route between Calgary and Phoenix so far in his career. He was drafted by the Flames in the third round of the 2004 draft, and was traded to Phoenix at last year's trade deadline in the deal that brought Jokinen to Calgary. Prust was then traded back to the Flames last summer for Jim Vandermeer. The native of London, Ontario has one goal and four assists in 42 games this season in Calgary.
Kotalik, 31, had been sent home from New York's road trip earlier on Sunday after being told by the team that he would be traded. He has been scratched by head coach John Tortorella in eight of the club's last nine games. Kotalik was signed to a three-year, $9 million deal as a free agent by New York last summer.
In 45 games, Kotalik has eight goals and 14 assists, with a plus/minus of -18. His best offensive season was with the Buffalo Sabres in 2005-06, when he scored 25 goals and added 37 assists.
Higgins, 26, is in his first season with the Rangers after he signed with New York last summer. Originally, the Montreal Canadiens had traded his rights to the Rangers prior to the July 1 free agent signing period.
Starting in 2005-06, Higgins had three straight seasons in which he scored 20 or more goals with Montreal, but his production dropped to 12 last year in an injured-shortened season. This season he has six goals and eight assists in 54 games.
