Kaberle

The price for those second-tier defensemen the Boston Bruins and many of their closest foes in the Eastern Conference are pursuing leading up to today’s 3 p.m. trade deadline might’ve just increased.

Toronto’s Tomas Kaberle, a top-tier defenseman who was somewhat on the block (albeit for a huge bounty general manager Brian Burke) might have been knocked off the block last night. He reinjured his hand, did not play the third period of the Maple Leafs’ loss to New Jersey and was scheduled to have X-rays today.

Paul Hunter of The Star has the story, in addition to the story behind the Leafs scratching a healthy Nik Antropov and Dominic Moore in preparation for trade-deadline day.

Kaberle broke his hand in January and was playing just the second game of his return to the line-up.

MK: No wonder Phoenix, Colorado, etc., haven’t dealt their trade-bait blueliners. It seems the price goes up every minute.

Elsewhere in the division:

•Montreal’s going to go back to Carey Price, for one night at least, in its net.

•Ottawa lost, but Jason Spezza stood up to Dion Phaneuf and might’ve won fans both in the captial of Canada and around the league (take note scouts).