Trade Deadline

The New Jersey Devils and the Dallas Stars swung a four-player deal just before yesterday's NHL trade deadline, capping a day in which 17 trades were completed. In all, 35 players were involved. Dallas sent Joe Nieuwendyk and Jamie Langenbrunner to New Jersey for Jason Arnott, Randy McKay, and a first-round draft pick. Boston made three trades, as did the NHL's worst team, Atlanta. Columbus made two. Pittsburgh sent Darius Kasparaitis to Colorado; the New York Rangers acquired Tom Poti and Rem Murray from Edmonton for Mike York; the Montreal Canadiens ended their search for a backup goalie by acquiring Stephane Fiset from the Los Angeles Kings; and the New York Islanders picked up defenseman Darren Van Impe from the Florida Panthers.

INDIANAPOLIS - Over the past week, as today's trade deadline crept closer, 76ers president Rod Thorn has been pestered repeatedly by reporters as to whether his team would be an active participant. Usually his answer has been the same, saying that nothing major appears to be on the horizon. Speaking with Thorn yesterday afternoon, it was pretty much the same, although he did seem to get into a little more detail that makes you think the Sixers might do something before today ends.

If the statistics are any indication, the Eagles didn't have a lot of confidence in their depleted running backs corps yesterday. With Duce Staley missing the first game of his career because of a foot injury, the Eagles ran the ball only 18 times, with the tailbacks getting only 11 carries. The Eagles finished with 79 yards and a 4.4 yards-per-carry average yesterday, but 43 of those yards came from quarterback Donovan McNabb. Now, with Staley out indefinitely and possibly for the season, the Eagles are in a little bit of a jam. The NFL trade deadline is tomorrow at 4 p.m. Coach Andy Reid said he and Tom Modrak, director of football operations, would look at the game film and decide whether additional help was needed.

Who's left to audition for Phillies manager Jim Fregosi in the last two months of the season? Which prospects does he still have questions about? The none-too-surprising answer is nobody. That's why as tomorrow's trades-without-waivers deadline approaches, virtually all Phillies veterans, particularly Terry Mulholland and Benito Santiago, are considered to be available for the right prospects. Other than soon-to-be-promoted third baseman Scott Rolen, the cupboard is bare of players who could help next season.

The 76ers, who weren't especially eager to make a deal before last night's NBA trade deadline, walked away without making one. Did they come close? Sort of. A source close to the situation indicated that the Sixers shopped guard David Wingate, but were unable to drum up any interest. Wingate is currently on the injured list, recovering from soreness in both knees and is believed to have visited a doctor in the Baltimore area. Sixers general manager John Nash would not address a rumor that Wingate had fallen into disfavor with owner Harold Katz.

The weakest division in the NBA suddenly looks a little stronger, with Antoine Walker back on the Celtics and Chris Webber with the Sixers. The NBA trade deadline passed yesterday with a total of 11 deals involving 35 players being agreed to in the final 24 hours before the cutoff. Baron Davis was traded from New Orleans to Golden State for Speedy Claxton and Dale Davis, Keith Van Horn went from Milwaukee to Dallas for Calvin Booth and Alan Henderson, and Houston acquired several veterans to add to the league's oldest roster.

As the 76ers finished their game-day shoot-around yesterday, the KeyArena clock read 12 noon, the NBA trade deadline on the West Coast. Amazingly, no one disappeared. Allen Iverson was still a Sixer. So was Aaron McKie. Ditto Eric Snow. Billy King, the Sixers' president and general manager, had feverishly worked the phones over much of the last month. He had fielded several calls in the last two days inquiring as to Iverson's availability in light of the all-star guard's rift with interim coach Chris Ford.

Two members of the Phillies organization laughed when told of the latest rumor sweeping through cyberspace yesterday - that lefthander J.A. Happ was involved in talks for Cubs lefthander Ted Lilly. Lilly, a free agent after the 2010 season, would be a 2-month rental. Happ, meanwhile, has at least 4 years until he reaches free agency. But while the Phillies are not willing to pay a premium price for a rental player, one person familiar with the Phillies' thinking said yesterday that the team has been readying backup plans in case they are unable, or unwilling, to pull the trigger on a deal for Astros righthander Roy Oswalt before Saturday's trade deadline.

Jaromir Jagr scored off his skate in his Bruins debut and Tuukka Rask stopped 40 shots to lead host Boston to a 1-0 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Thursday night. Acquired from Dallas at the trade deadline on Wednesday, Jagr quickly endeared himself to the Boston fans. Brad Marchand's centering pass went off Jagr's left skate and past Martin Brodeur to give the Bruins a 1-0 lead with 80 seconds gone in the second period.   Capitals top Islanders Mike Green scored his fifth goal in four games, Braden Holtby made 35 saves and then was perfect in the shootout, and the Washington Capitals' long, slow comeback toward a playoff spot took another big step with a 2-1 shootout win over the visiting New York Islanders.

PAUL HOLMGREN is not very fond of the NHL's trade deadline. Last year, on Feb. 27, hockey's annual frenzy came and went without the Flyers actively participating. The Flyers general manager made his moves in the weeks prior, adding Nick Grossmann and Pavel Kubina. The year before last, on Feb. 28, 2011, the Flyers barely snuck a trade under the 3 o'clock wire with Tom Sestito joining the crew from Columbus. For as much as there is a perception of the Flyers making franchise-altering trades at the deadline, there have only been two since 2000: Dan Carcillo for Scottie Upshall in 2009 and nearly an entire draft's worth of picks in 2002 for playoff rental Adam Oates.

This is a post on Daily News staff writer Frank Seravalli's Frequent Flyers blog on philly.com. WHILE THE NHL'S general managers convened for their annual meeting in Toronto on Wednesday, the most interesting thing is not that they are discussing the state of the game, and perhaps the possibility of adding a coach's challenge. It's the fact that all 30 of them are crammed into one boardroom 2 weeks before the trade deadline. The Flyers are likely not considering any foundation-shaking trades - such as moving a key, young piece - before the April 3 deadline, but a minor move may be in order.

Seconds after the Flyers' 2-1 shootout win over New Jersey ended Friday, coach Peter Laviolette was more animated than usual, high-fiving his players as they walked through the tunnel and into the locker room. They may have just saved his job. Oh, general manager Paul Holmgren had said the previous afternoon that Laviolette was not on the hot seat, but if we all had a dollar every time a coach was given a vote of confidence and was fired within the next week, we would be able to buy some pretty choice property in South Florida.

PHOENIX - It took less than 5 seconds after the Phoenix Suns' practice ended before Markieff Morris was approached by a media member and had to say the five words he has repeated all his life. "I'm not Marcus," he said, shaking his head. "Try again. " But there wasn't a hint of anger, or even annoyance, in his response. The mistake was honest, and the reason was awesome - because "The Twins" are back together once more. Fraternal twins, close friends and basketball teammates from grade school to Prep Charter to Kansas University, Philadelphia's Marcus and Markieff Morris were forced by the 2011 NBA draft to do what no one had done to them before - separate.

It appears this much is clear when it comes to the 76ers: The new ownership, led by Josh Harris, is willing to do pretty much anything it can to make this organization relevant again. It proved as much when, after the team tickled the fans' fancy with a two-round playoff run last season, the front office blew up the roster and landed a prized possession in Andrew Bynum. The claim was that the move was done because the roster that took them to a Game 7 against the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference semifinals had maxed out. It was a gutsy move, but one that proved to the city that the owners were all in - that winning now was the goal and that taking risks wasn't going to be something that restrained their decision-making.

LeBron James led four Miami players in double figures with 26 points as the visiting Heat defeated the Chicago Bulls, 86-67, Thursday night. Dwyane Wade added 17 points, Chris Bosh had 12, and Ray Allen added 11 off the bench for the Heat (38-14), who have won nine in a row.   Knicks to sign Martin The New York Knicks traded swingman Ronnie Brewer to the Oklahoma City Thunder, opening up a roster spot that will be used to sign veteran forward Kenyon Martin. Team president Glen Grunwald said Martin will be signed to a 10-day contract with the hopes that he could remain for the rest of the season.

The 76ers made a minor deal Thursday before the NBA's trade deadline, acquiring second-year guard Charles Jenkins from the Golden State Warriors for cash and a protected second-round draft choice. Jenkins, who will turn 24 on Thursday, averaged 1.7 points and 6.2 minutes in 47 games for the Warriors this season. Golden State was trying to get under the luxury tax limit of $70.3 million. Jenkins' salary is $762,195. The Warriors also sent Jeremy Tyler, who has a similar salary, to Atlanta.

THE BIG MOVE that the 76ers made during the summer - remember that one? - is the one they are apparently sticking with (or stuck with) at least for the time being. The NBA trade deadline came and went Thursday afternoon and, with the exception of giving up a second-round pick to the Golden State Warriors for backup combo guard Charles Jenkins, all was quiet. Though Evan Turner's name was apparently mentioned to - and by - general manager Tony DiLeo, the third-year swingman is still here, as is everyone else on the roster, including Andrew Bynum.