NHL Rumors: Ribeiro, Bruins and Oilers
  • TVA Sports: (google translate) Renaud Lavoie is reporting that Mike Ribeiro should make a decision on his future this week. He could have interest from a team in the West and a team in the East. Retirement is unlikely for the 34-year center.
  • Joe Haggery of CSNNE: If the Bruins can sign their first round pick, David Pastrnak, he’ll be a training camp. There appears to be chance, that depending on his how he does, he could make the team.

    “You never know. You don’t want to place too much of a burden on this kid’s shoulders, but he was good. The hesitation you have is that he’s 170 -173 pounds, but he’s wiry strong, so you never know,” said Chiarelli. “Speed, skill, sense is all there. It would be nice , but we’ll see. But he’s young and to throw someone like that at that age, at that weight , but there have been guys who have done it.”

  • Steve Conroy of the Boston Herald: The Bruins signed RFA Matt Bartkowski to a one-year, one-way $1.25 million contract, but it remains to be seen if he is in their long-term plans. The Bruins may have as many as nine NHL or NHL-ready defenseman. The Bruins only have about $4.5 million to re-sign RFAs Reilly Smith and Torey Krug, and to replace Jarome Iginla and Shawn Thornton. They also need to add a 13th forward. With one-year left on his contract, Johnny Boychuk’s ($3.366 million) name has been in the rumor mill. Bartkowski could also be traded.
  • Jonathan Willis of the Edmonton Journal: If the Oilers are not able to find another top-nine center, they may have to use two from Leon Draisaitl, Mark Arcobello and Anton Lander for their second and third lines. The Oilers want to use Boyd Gordon on the fourth line with Matt Hendricks and have them focused on defensive zone starts. Some remaining UFA centers that could be an option: Derek Roy, Mike Ribeiro and Andrei Loktionov. Some have mentioned Peter Mueller, but he is a winger and not a center.