On the Ottawa Senators …
Don Brennan: The Maple Leafs put Milan Michalek on waivers yesterday and the Senators could do worse than making a claim on him. He does carry a $4 million cap hit and will be a free agent at the end of the season.
On the Vancouver Canucks …
Iain MacIntrye of the Vancouver Sun: Canucks GM Jim Benning confirmed over the weekend that Russian defenseman Nikita Tryamkin refused their request to be sent to the AHL instead of sitting out. Tryamkin would head back to the KHL if sent down.
“There is no possibility that he will play in the American Hockey League,” Benning said between weekend games against the Los Angeles Kings and the Anaheim Ducks — the sixth and seventh games that Tryamkin has been a healthy scratch. “We’ve explored that. We’ve talked to him and his agent and he has said no. In a perfect world, we’d like him to get some games (in the minors). But it is what it is. He is working hard in practice and doing extra work.”
Benning said that in order to get Tryamkin to come over the NHL last season, he had to give him an out clause to return to the KHL if he doesn’t make the Canucks NHL roster. Benning added that Tryamkin won’t accept a temporary conditioning assignment.
On the Los Angeles Kings …
Chris Johnston: Reports from Sweden have goaltender Anders Lindback joing the Kings organization.
Luke Fox of Sportsnet: The Kings are without Jonathan Quick for a couple months and backup Jeff Zatkoff is out a week or so. They will ride Peter Budaj for now. They don’t have a lot of cap space, $1.02 million. Seven options that the Kings should at least consider: Ondrej Pavelec (WPG), Jonathan Bernier (ANA), Reto Berra (FLA), Steve Mason or Michal Neuvirth (PHI), Mike Condon (PIT) and Thomas Greiss (NYI).
