- Kevin Paul Dupont of the Boston Globe: 3 ex-Bruins are still on the market: Sergei Samsonov, Nick Boynton, and Paul Mara. Dupont brings up the word ‘collusion’, as he wonders about no one putting forth an offer sheet for Steven Stamkos as “they simply opt not to violate the wink-wink, nudge-nudge gentlemen’s agreement that mysteriously has GMs unwilling to raid their competitors’ rosters.” A realistic comparison for RFA Brad Marchand could be Lightning’s Teddy Purcell who signed a 2 year deal with a cap hit of $2.36 million. Could also do a 3 year, $9 million deal. The Winnipeg Jets told Manitoba native Shane Hnidy that there may not be room for him on their blueline after he asked them if they needed help. The Lightning have a lot of money tied up in there top 3, and not a lot left to for $2-3 million 3rd liners. Ryan Malone and his $4.5 million cap hit could be moved. Rumors have Craig MacTavish possibly coaching Vancouver’s AHL affiliate in Chicago.
- Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun: Simmons also throws out the ‘collusion’ word with regards to Stamkos and Drew Doughty. “it’s not the job of hockey general managers to act as the conscience of the game. It’s their job to make their teams better.” There were no offers made to Stamkos and there haven’t been any exploratory calls to Doughty.
Stamkos, we’re told, would have seriously considered signing a one-year, $12-million deal. But the problem with an offer like that is that Tampa would have matched it. The longer-term, larger-money deal, might have been too rich for the Lightning to match. That’s probably where the Leafs had to go if they wanted to play that game.
- Tampa Bay Lightning via twitter: Lightning PR on Ryan Malone: “The 4-6 months is inaccurate. He did have shoulder surgery, but he should be fine for the start of training camp.”
- Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch: The long-term injury to Kristian Huselius led to the Blue Jackets signing Vinny Prospal to a 1 year deal worth $1.75 million.
