On the Tampa Bay Lightning …
- Tom Jones of the Tampa Bay Times: Steven Stamkos on his ‘liking’ of a tweet that the Toronto Maple Leafs should pursue him in the offseason.
“Probably doesn’t look great,” Stamkos said. “But I’m telling you guys it was an accident, and that’s the last time I’m going to answer questions about Twitter.”
Lightning coach Jon Cooper doesn’t think Stamkos’s contract uncertainty has any effect on his team.
“That never goes on. Whatever happens outside and in the media, that’s for you guys to assume or speculate. But with our team and inside our locker room, it has no effect.”
Jones notes that this story will only get hotter and hotter the longer Stamkos remains unsigned. Both Stamkos and the Lightning need to realize the questions won’t be going away until it’s resolved.
On the Ottawa Senators …
- Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun: Garrioch wonders if Chris Phillips’ career might be over. He’s been skating for the past three weeks after offseason back surgery, but it’s not sounding like much progress has been made.
“Chris is a ways away,” Murray said. “He’s trying really hard, he’s in the gym and doing some skating but I would say, in my estimation, he’s a longshot to come back.”
Senators GM Bryan Murray said that he would talk to Mikael Wikstrand over the holidays to see if he’d change his mind and report to Binghamton of the AHL.
On Philadelphia Flyers prospect Travis Konecny …
- Chris Hofley of the Ottawa Sun: There are OHL rumors over the past few weeks that Flyers 2015 1st round pick Travis Konecny could be moved by Ottawa, but they have been shot down. 67’s Coach/GM Jeff Brown.
“It’s crazy, all these rumours,” Brown said. “There’s been no discussion (about trading him). Travis Konecny is our captain … I don’t know where that stuff comes from.”