- Jon Rosen of LA Kings Insider: The Kings have opened up preliminary contract extension talks with Tanner Pearson. The 22-year old is a pending RFA. Martin Jones could be next after Pearson. Talks with Tyler Toffoli are expected to take longer than the others. Other RFAs for the Kings include Andy Andreoff and Nick Shore. Pending UFAs include Justin Williams, Jarret Stoll, Robyn Regehr, Jamie McBain and Andrej Sekera.
- Nichols on Hockey: Darren Dreger of TSN 1050 on the Leafs trade talk with the Senators about Nazem Kadri.
“Yeah, they have had a number of conversations and some are going to be surprising when we divulge them. I’ll tell you that one was with the Ottawa Senators. And that shouldn’t come as a surprise for those of us who covered that Kadri draft; we know that the push for the Ottawa Senators was to draft Nazem Kadri and the Toronto Maple Leafs beat him to it.
“So there was considerable back and forth between Toronto and Ottawa, among others.”
Could the Leafs-Senators revisit trade talks this offseason.
“Not for what Toronto was looking for. Toronto was looking for a piece that they’re not going to get. They might’ve back last summer, but it’s not going to happen now (laughs).”
- TSN Insider Trading: Bob McKenzie: The Sharks would have liked to trade Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau, but they’ve said they don’t want to go anywhere. The relationship with Thornton has been fractured for a while. Doubtful that the events the past couple days will speed up his departure. He wants to stay in San Jose and plans on out-lasting some people there, including the GM and coach. He doesn’t want to go anywhere.
A lot of teams are watching the Mike Reilly and Blues Jackets situation. He could become a UFA 30-days after he declares or on June 1st, which ever is later.Darren Dreger: There were talks last summer between the Maple Leafs and Senators about a Nazem Kadri for Mika Zibanejad trade. It doesn’t really make sense for the Senators at this moment. The Leafs have wanted more than Zibanejad in the deal. The Senators got cold feet.