- Q&A from Edmonton Oilers: Ales Hemsky is under contract until 2011-12 at a resonable cap number of $4.1. No name was given as to who answered the fans questions, but whoever they are thinks Hemsky is not an untouchable, and 15 teams would easily pay a good price for him.
- Derek Van Diest of the Edmonton Sun: In keeping with the Ales Hemsky, he left last night’s game after taking a hit from Michal Handzus. He’ll be re-evaluated today. Coach Quinn said after the game “That second one, he was sent full-force into the boards. That was a hard hit and he got hurt. It doesn’t look real positive right now.”
- Dan O’Neill of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: O’Neill doesn’t come out and say it, but hints that coach Andy Murray’s days could be numbered, even after finishing 2nd in Jack Adams voting last season.
- Rob Longley of the Toronto Sun: Burke is getting tired off all this draft pick talk, both acquiring high picks to make up for the traded picks, and the fact that the picks they gave away could be top 5.
But you can talk all you want about Taylor Hall and Tyler Seguin — the consensus top two picks for next spring’s entry draft — Burke did as well before he pulled the trigger to land Phil Kessel.
“We discussed it internally,” Burke said yesterday. “We said: ‘what if the pick turns out to be Taylor Hall or Tyler Seguin?’ and I was fine with that.
“We certainly didn’t expect and don’t expect it will be a No. 1 pick, but we knew going into it that it could be a possibility. But we also knew it would be the 15th overall pick. That’s the risk you take.”
Trade talks have slowed down, mainly just ‘tire-kicking’, and said his hands are tied because of the salary cap.
- Stephen Harris of the Boston Hearld: Tim Thomas is close to returning to the Bruins lineup. Backup Tuukka Rask has gone 7-2-1 this season.