On the Dallas Stars …
Sean Shapiro of The Athletic: (mailbag) Kari Lehtonen is finished in Dallas. Have been told that they don’t plan on re-signing him and will go in a different direction for their backup next season. would target Michael Hutchinson.
Valeri Nichushkin could have a top-six role next season and wouldn’t use him in a trade to get rid of Jason Spezza’s contract.
The Stars believe there is a trade market for Spezza without them having to retain salary.
Radek Faksa can be the Stars second line center, but they need to improve on the wing.
Antoine Roussel likely won’t be back next year due to the cost to re-sign him. He’ll likely get overpaid by some team.
Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News: Jason Spezza has one-year left at $7.5 million. Spezza didn’t fit in with coach Ken Hitchcock and saw his ice-time drop by three minutes per game.
The Stars will have the option to try and trade him this summer, and they will likely do all they can to move him. They are able to retain 50 percent of his salary. They could also consider buying him out at $5 million over two years.
With a new coach coming in, the Stars could also hold on to him and hope that he bounces back.
On the New York Rangers …
Larry Brooks of the NY Post: At the trade deadline, the New York Rangers gave Henrik Lundqvist the option to be traded if he wanted. Lundqvist told them he wanted to stay and was committed to their rebuild.
“We told Hank that if he didn’t want to ride it out through this process, we’d find a good landing place for him,” Dolan said during a conversation at his MSG office. “But he said that he wanted to stay and see it through.
“I’m very happy that’s the way he feels. I think with him at the top of his game, that gives us our best chance of competing for a playoff spot next year.”
