Mark Easson

21363 Articles

NHL Trade: The Oilers Acquire Rights To Nikita Nikitin

The Edmonton Oilers acquire the rights to pending UFA defenseman Nikita Nikitin from the Columbus Blue Jackets. Do you think the Oilers will be able to sign him, and what will it take?

Mark Easson

NHL Rumors I: Penguins and Panthers Closing In On Coaches

9:00 AM Darren Dreger: Hearing that Willie Desjardins may no longer be a slam dunk in Pittsburgh following their meeting last night. Ulf Samuelsson? 8:40 AM Elliotte Friedman: Willie Desjardins interviewed by phone on Wednesday and they are now bringing…

Mark Easson

NHL Rumors IX: Rangers, Senators and Blues

Craig Custance of ESPN: Priorities for Rangers this offseason. 1. Use a compliance buyout on Brad Richards: It's more about the math and not about his performance. They can't risk the cap recapture penalty. 2. Sign Anton Stralman: His playoff…

Mark Easson

NHL Rumors VIII: Leafs To No. 1? Stralman, Smith, Kesler, Spezza, and Thornton

Gare Joyce of SportsNet: The Panthers No. 1 pick might be available, but they won't move it for anything along the lines of the rumored Maple Leafs No. 8, Jake Gardiner and Nazem Kadri. The Leafs would then draft Aaron…

Mark Easson

NHL Rumors VII: Maple Leafs, Bolland, Gardiner, Boyle, Avs, Stastny and O’Reilly

Steve Buffery of the Toronto Sun: Maple Leafs GM Dave Nonis on moving up in the draft: Yeah, we would depending on the price. We think, like I think most teams think, that it’s fairly deep in terms of quality,…

Mark Easson

NHL Rumors VI: Thornton, Rangers, Flames, Cammalleri and Phaneuf

David Pollak: "Understand skepticism and disbelief surrounding #SJSharks "rebuild," but that is the message. Yea, could be just diminishing expectations.  Or getting someone -- pick a name -- to agree to waive a no-movement clause. #SJSharks seem to be serious about…

Mark Easson

NHL Rumors V: Bertuzzi, Red Wings, Lehner, Kane, Jets, Gaustad and Tanev

Ansar Khan of MLive: Red Wings GM Ken Holland said that Todd Bertuzzi won't be getting a contract offer from them. Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press: The Wings currently have about $50 million committed towards next seasons…

Mark Easson

NHL Rumors IV: Boyle, Nabokov, Gaborik, Markov, Callahan, Leafs, Caps and Flyers

Pierre LeBrun of ESPN: The Islanders are aggressively shopping the rights to Dan Boyle. The Sharks received 2015 5th round pick from the Islanders earlier this month for Boyle's rights. "Garth's done a great job, he's kept us abreast of…

Mark Easson

NHL Rumors III: Spezza, Kesler, Campbell and the Islanders

Bruce Garrioch: The Maple Leafs and Canadiens are not on Jason Spezza's 10 team no-trade list as he knows he likely won't be sent to either place. Aaron Portzline: As best as Portzline can tell with the Blue Jackets regarding…

Mark Easson

NHL Rumors II: Edmonton Oilers Edition

Jason Gregor: Oilers Sam Gagner's trade value is low after a tough season. Gregor can see him returning next season as a winger. Jason Gregor: Oilers GM Craig MacTavish: "We have our own draft value chart based on historic records and…

Mark Easson

NHL Rumors I: Coaching Updates – Panthers, Kings, Canucks, Penguins and Hurricanes

George Richards: The Panthers expect to have an official announcement on a new head coach by Monday. HabsLinks: Pierre McGuire said on TSN 690 that the Panthers made an offer to a coach, but that coach has not (yet) accepted…

Mark Easson

NHL Videos: Kypreos Links Oshie-Kesler, Berglund-Spezza, Leafs-Berglund … Coaching Talk

Kypreos links TJ Oshie to any Ryan Kesler talk, and Patrick Berglund to the any Jason Spezza talk. The Maple Leafs have asked about Patrick Berglund, and Kypreos drops Nazem Kadri's name. Dan Bylsma in Vancouver sparks coaching rumor mill.

Mark Easson