short takes

Gain through pain

As much as it stings for the Chicago Blackhawks and for hockey now that Patrick Kane won't become the first American to lead to the league in scoring, the timing of Kane's broken clavicle could have been worse.

Because the injury occurred before the trade deadline, the Blackhawks were able to put him on long-term injury relief, meaning the Hawks can go over the salary cap ceiling by Kane's salary. So not only did the Hawks acquire defenseman Kimmo Timonen on Friday, they're looking at Antoine Vermette, Chris Stewart or Curtis Glencross. Kane can return in the playoffs because there's no cap in the playoffs.

Money men

Oh, to be a big-market team with an endless supply of money,

The Toronto Maple Leafs pulled off the impossible by trading David Clarkson's $36.75 million contract to Columbus. In return, they get Nathan Horton's $37.1 million contract. Horton may never play again because of a degenerative back. So, the Maple Leafs will have to pay Horton — not a concern because owner Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment practically prints money — but they will place Horton on LTIR so they can spend over the cap ceiling by his salary.

The deal worked for Blue Jackets because at least now they're paying a player who can play.

Etc.

• The best tidbit from last week's Jaromir Jagr-to-Florida trade is that Jagr, 43, has been playing in the NHL since before the inception of the franchise in 1993.

• The Winnipeg Jets were one of the teams that tried to trade for Florida's Sean Bergenheim, who was dealt to Minnesota for a 2016 third-round pick. The next day, the Jets acquired Jiri Tlusty from Carolina for a third-round pick and a sixth-round pick.

• Washington Capitals coach Barry Trotz on the number of buyers vs. sellers at the trade deadline: "It takes two to dance. We're going to the dance and there's 30 guys and only like eight girls."