A Fitting Hossa Rumor for Montreal

Finding fresh information at the trade deadline leads to some fascinating sources and leaps of faith. I've read rumors that have come from security guards at NHL arenas and from random family connections to players that recall Darth Helmet's "I'm your father's brother's nephew's cousin's former roommate" line from "Spaceballs." But this one about Marian Hossa originates from Montreal La Presse writer and hockey author Mathias Brunet, who writes in the French-language publication that the Canadiens are preparing for a potential trade with Atlanta. According to Habs Hockey-Talkey's translation, Brunet's reporting that the Habs are getting Hossa's gear ready:

Mathias Brunet of La Presse reports that the Montreal Canadiens have gone ahead and processed an order to have equipment fitted to Marian Hossa's measurments fabricated. The order does NOT necessarily mean a deal is made and pending announcement; it simply means that SHOULD the ongoing talks between Gainey and Waddell sprout into a deal for Hossa, his equipment (in Habs colours) will be awaiting his arrival.

There was a similar situation in the past, 2 years ago to be exact, as the Canadiens had pre-ordered the development of equipment for Chicago Blackhawks members Nikolai Khabibulin and (then) Adrian Aucoin, as a deal was nearly made to acquire them in exchange for Jose Theodore, Mike Ribeiro and Pierre Dagenais. The deal was apparently accepted by both parties, but fell through when Khabibulin suffered a serious knee injury before it was made official.

Montreal is fairly loaded on the right side, and seeing pending UFA Michael Ryder in a package for a potential rental of Hossa wouldn't be out of the question. That is, unless Ryder finds himself in Calgary instead.