On the San Jose Sharks …
Kevin Kurz: Sharks fans should keep an eye on Mike Richards. Coach Pete DeBoer loves Richards. Maybe a fourth line center.
On the St. Louis Blues …
Chris Nichols: Darren Dreger: If the Blues don’t re-sign David Backes, they could consider Loui Eriksson.
On the Dallas Stars …
Mike Heika: Stars GM Jim Nill‘s plan right now is to allow their UFAs to test the market and then revisit them later – like they did with Vern Fiddler.
On the Buffalo Sabres …
Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News: Sabres GM Tim Murray on free agency.
“The best player available at any position, I’m going to listen to,” Murray said. “We have holes but we’re going to chase the big fish. As we get close on them or let down by them, then we’ll change direction.”
If Steven Stamkos is looking to win, his best chance is with the Lightning, but it doesn’t seem like they’ll go much past $9 million a year.
The Sabres and Maple Leafs could be willing to go maybe $11 to $12 million on a seven-year deal. That would make Stamkos the highest paid player in the league.
“You have to find out if there’s interest from their side. That’s the big thing,” Murray said. “I think there’s a lot of free agents today that have an inkling on where they want to go. … It’s a feeling-out process. If there’s mutual interest, then you get deeper into it.”
The Sabres are still hopeful of signing Jimmy Vesey before he becomes a free agent.
“You salivate a litte bit with the possibility of adding a top-six winger to your team,” Bylsma said of Vesey. “We thought we were in the mix come Aug. 15 regardless but I thought it was a great move to get his rights to show him how much we want him to come.”
