Rutherford likes pre Olympic trades

It doesn’t surprise Carolina Hurricanes General Manager Jim Rutherford one bit that a few big names already have changed addresses as teams look to get the jump with some early wheeling and dealing in anticipation of the Olympic roster freeze.

While the NHL trade deadline is March 3 at 3 p.m. ET, a trade freeze is in place during the Winter Olympic break — Feb. 13-28. That leaves only three days for general managers to swing deals prior to the deadline and, as a result, many teams would prefer to get something done prior to the Games in Vancouver.

That certainly was the case with Toronto GM Brian Burke Sunday. Burke shook up the makeup of his dressing room with the acquisition of defenseman Dion Phaneuf as part of a seven-player deal with Calgary and then swapped goalies with Anaheim to get Jean-Sebastien Giguere.

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