- Alessandro Seren Rosso: Wojtek Wolski signed with Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod of the KHL.
- Renaud Lavoie: The Sabres signed John Scott to a one-year deal at $750,000.
- Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press: The Red Wings would like to extend Damien Brunner.
- Adrian Dater of the Denver Post: A source confirmed that Patrick Roy is a strong candidate for the Avalanche head coaching position. Roy was offered the position in 2009, but turned it down.
- Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal: Ales Hemsky’s days with the Oilers could be coming to an end. GM Craig MacTavish isn’t going to pay $5 million a season for a second line winger with world-class ability. His knock is missing too many games due to injury.
“I don’t think there’s a market for him … I shouldn’t say there’s no market,” said former NHL general Craig Button, who now works for TSN. “But the salary cap is coming down to $64.3 million. He makes $5 million for one more year. Would the Oilers pick up half of that to trade him, 50-50 (with another team)? That would still free up $2.5 million in cap space for the Oilers.
“I don’t know if they can get something tangible in return for Hemsky. Andrew Cogliano got the Oilers a second-round draft (pick). I don’t know if they can get that for Hemsky,” Button said.
“He’d be rolling along, on pace for 80 points, and bang, he gets hurt. He’s not reliable (to possible trade suitors).”
Western Conference teams that might be interested: Predators, Blue Jackets, Red Wings, Blues, Coyotes and Jets (moving next season). If the Red Wings lose Valtteri Filppula, Hemsky could be an option if they only have to pay $4 million.
