Non-Rumor Rumor Of The Day

CNNSI.com's Allan Muir has thrown together a list of deadline "deals that make sense" (i.e. won't happen), and the last of these trades involves the Caps and their need to shore up the blueline with a stay-at-home defenseman:

Columbus sends Adam Foote to Washington for Chris Bourque, Josh Godfrey, 2008 second-rounder

What the Capitals really need is a solid No.1 goalie to replace Olaf Kolzig, the respected veteran whose play suggests he's well past his best-by date. But since there are no viable options to fill that role, an upgrade on defense would help minimize his exposure. Foote's a bit long in the tooth himself, but he's a great leader and remains solid if unspectacular in his own end. Neither Bourque nor Godfrey is a high-end prospect, but both could become contributing NHLers for Columbus given the proper tutelage. Bourque, a short, stocky center, has elite hockey sense and could mature into a useful checker. Godfrey has tremendous offensive upside, but has a lot of work to do to become a reliable option in his own end.

To me, that's far too much to give up for a rental - perhaps just the 2nd in a deep 2008 draft could get it done - but as Muir notes, "[I]f it seems like your team is taking it in the shorts in one of these deals...well, that probably means it's fair." Somehow, though, I don't think Jackets fans would be opposed to such a deal... which probably means it isn't all that fair after all.