Rask wants to play this season and possibly next
Jimmy Murphy: Free agent goaltender Tuukka Rask said on WEEI/NESN radio that he plans on playing later on this season and possibly next year as well.
He said he will only play for the Boston Bruins and that it’s not about the money. He wants another run or two with the Bruins.
Jimmy Murphy: Rask when asked by host Greg Hill to confirm that he’d play for less:
Hill: “So you’ll play for $250,000?”
Rask: “Yes and tons of Bud Lights!”
The Penguins still have some holes to fill
Dan Kingerski on Pittsburgh Hockey Now: The Pittsburgh Penguins do have some holes in the lineup which is a little surprising at this point in the offseason. Don’t expect Penguins GM Ron Hextall to make any trades in October and November.
In Hextall’s four years as the Flyers GM he made only 14 trades. While Jim Rutherford was the Penguins GM for four years, he made 53 trades and 15 in his last 18 months.
The Penguins could use a proven right-handed defenseman and haven’t added much offense this offseason. You won’t find any offense on the free agent market now. They are little light down the middle, especially if Evgeni Malkin misses any time during the season.
The Blues holding on to Tarasenko makes some sense
Benjamin Hochman of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Everyone knows that Vladimir Tarasenko has requested a trade, but it doesn’t mean that the St. Louis Blues will trade him before the start of training camp. Determining his trade value has been tricky as he brings risk with his shoulder issues.
Are the Carolina Hurricanes, New York Islanders or New Jersey Devils still interested?
Tarasenko has two years left on his deal at a $7.5 million salary cap hit.
The Seattle Kraken passed on him in the expansion draft, for either to keep or trade. The return may not have been as enticing as defenseman Vince Dunn.
The Blues have around $3.5 million in cap space with Robert Thomas left to sign. Moving Tarasenko would give them more space to work with.
Keeping Tarasenko to start the season and show teams that he is healthy could make some sense, with GM Doug Armstrong even suggesting it back in July. It would definitely be awkward in training camp and at the beginning of the season, but it may increase his trade value and trade interest.