- Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun: The Blue Jackets are going to have to pay a big price to re-sign Sergei Bobrovsky. He could be looking for something similar to Pekka Rinne, $7 million a season. He is arbitration eligible and both sides would rather not go there.
There was talk that the Blues were looking to trade T.J. Oshie, but that may not the case anymore. Talk still surrounds Patrik Berglund.There is lots of talk about Antoine Vermette getting traded, but there is still a chance that he stays. GM Don Maloney will try to re-sign him.
Maple Leafs GM Dave Nonis has been working the phones. They may have been seeing what interest there was in Joffrey Lupul before he got hurt. He carries a $5.25 million cap hit through 2017-18.
Sabres GM Tim Murray is still trying to see who wants Chris Stewart. The Penguins aren’t in the mix anymore. The Flames, Bruins and Senators have talked to Murray about Stewart.
A league executive: “Wait a few weeks until teams start falling out of the playoff race, then trades will happen. Until then, it could be quiet.”
Belief is still that Oilers GM Craig MacTavish is willing to make more moves. Talk may focus on Jordan Eberle as he appears to be the odd man out. Teams are also calling on Taylor Hall and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. Knowing that they’ll get another top forward in the draft, he may be more willing to move a forward off his roster. Defenseman Jeff Petry will be traded before the deadline.
Teams have shown interest in Mike Richards and his $5.75 million cap hit through 2019-20, as long as the Kings retain some of his salary.
The Canadiens, Red Wings and Blue Jackets all had talks with the Oilers about David Perron.
- Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press: Red Wings Tomas Tatar will be a two-time 20-goal scorer by the age of 24. He could be used in a package for Sabres Tyler Myers – a right-handed the defenseman the Wings covet. Packaging Tatar with Jakub Kindl and a 2nd round pick might work.
- Steve Simmons: Simmons thinks Brendan Shanahan needs to make a decision on GM Dave Nonis and Randy Carlyle soon: “Either the Leafs roster is right or Randy Carlyle is the right coach and this is the wrong roster. It can’t be both. Not anymore”
Joffrey Lupul is all but untradeable. It could become problematic as Cody Franson and Nazem Kadri need to be re-signed with raises.
- Jason Botchford: Scouting the Canucks-Red Wings: Maple Leafs, Coyotes and Oilers.
