Smid-Blum deal in the works? Should the Caps move Semin? Canucks considering moving Hodgson? Scout out in full force
  • Joshau Cooper via twitter: The Predators are looking for a defenseman as their group isn’t healing as fast as the team had hoped. Dan Tencer via twitter: The Oilers and Predators could be working on a Ladislav Smid for Jonathan Blum trade.
  • Kevin Paul Dupont of the Boston Globe: Bruins GM Chiarelli,

    “The one thing you want is some depth, and that’s the one place we might have hurt ourselves a little bit last year. Krejci was hurt and Savvy was just coming back . We got thin pretty quick and I think that really took away our chances and hurt us a lot in that area. So I think we are trying to cover that right now and if he brought people in it would just mean more depth.’’

    Depth on the blueline in case of an injury or to replace one of their young defenseman, Adam McQuaid or Steven Kampfer.

  • Washington Post: Capitals GM George McPhee hasn’t ruled out make a deal before the trade deadline, but he hasn’t tipped his hand in what he might want to add. A 2nd line center and a defenseman may be two areas they may look at. Craig Custance of the Sporting News: Custance wonders if it’s time to turn Alex Semin into an impact center or defenseman. Bob McKenzie said that McPhee hasn’t had one offer for Semin since he signed the 1 year extension in late January.
  • Iain MacIntyre of the Vancouver Sun: Cody Hodgson is on a 4th line audition with the Canucks, but only had 4 shits at 4:39 and nothing in the 3rd period. Rumors that the Canucks may be after a 4th line center have been around for awhile, but rumors that they may be thinking of trading Hodgson are
    new.
  • Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal: Oilers GM Tambellini thought it was worth a shot in putting Sheldon Souray on re-entry waivers, but now that he went unclaimed, he’ll likely spend the rest of the year in the AHL unless someone calls to work out a trade. Nobody has called yet to work out a trade that would send a contract back to Edmonton. Tambellini continues to talk to other teams about potential trades.
  • Helene Elliott of the LA Times: The LA Kings will be getting Marco Sturm back to their lineup, and he’ll be joining Kopitar and Simmonds on the top line. The 2nd line would be Smyth, Stoll and Brown; the 3rd line of Williams, Richardson and Handzus; 4th line is still undecided.
  • Tom Reed via twitter: Scouts at last night’s Blue Jackets-Predators game were from the: Thrashers, Rangers, Minnesota, Kings, Oilers, and Stars.
  • David Pagnotta via twitter: Scouts at last night’s Maple Leafs-Islanders game were from the: Thrashers, Bruins, Blackhawks, Avalanche, Kings, Wild, Canadiens, Penguins, Lightning and 2 from the Coyotes.