- Jim Gintonio of the Arizona Republic: Not re-signing Ilya Bryzgalov opens up some new windows for the Coyotes.
“It’s an opportunity to potentially spend less, hopefully find a way to be as good and use that excess resource in other ways to put a better team in front of our goaltending,” Maloney said. “So this to me isn’t something that we’re staring into our lemonade and going, ‘Woe is us.’ “
Coyotes GM Don Maloney has a 3-pronged strategy for his goaltending search. 1. Acquire top young goalie by trade: “There’s three or four in other organizations that may be available in a trade that would cost a good asset but may potentially solidify your goaltending for a long time; that’s one obvious way to look at it.” 2. Sign a UFA: “There’s two or three players in that grouping that we like. We think in our system with (goaltending coach) Sean Burke would be good fits for us.” Tomas Vokoun’s price may be too high. 3. Bring in a veteran goalie: “I’ve had a couple conversations (this week) regarding some very good established goaltenders on other clubs that for financial reasons they might be looking to make some changes.” The Coyotes expect to re-sign RFA Keith Yandle, and expect to pay a high price. Re-signing Vernon Fiddler, Radim Vrbata and Lauri Korpikoski are also on the Coyotes wish-list. Ed Jovanovski’s return is doubtful, Maloney hasn’t spoken with Jovo or his agent.
- Jesse Spector of the NY Daily News: The decision has been made by the Rangers to buyout Chris Drury, a source added “He’s gone.” The buyout will save the Rangers $3.3 million, he was scheduled to have a $7.05 million cap hit. Ryan Callahan contract talks are “just beginning”
- Eric Stephens of the OC Register: Ducks goalie Jonas Hiller will resume skating in July. Hiller has been bother by vertigo since Feb.
“He’s fine,” Murray said. “He’s in good spirits. We talked about a couple of things. He’ll be skating on the ice sometime around the middle of July. “He’ll be doing a camp early in the week and then skate with some pros after that.”
Ducks GM Bob Murray hasn’t spoken with UFA goalie Ray Emery. “I haven’t really thought about it at this time,” Murray said when asked about re-signing Emery. “We have Jonas and Dan Ellis. Until something tells me we don’t have that, then I’ll deal with that.”
- David Staples of the Edmonton Journal: Edmonton Oilers GM Steve Tambellini has been ‘talking out loud’ about the possibility of trading the 1st overall pick in the 2011 NHL draft. “I’ve had a few calls of people kicking the tires of how they can help me make the Oilers a better team,” Tambellini told reporters. “For me to move the No. 1 pick would have to be something exceptional. This is a huge building block again.” Staples thinks that if they were to trade the 1st pick, they would still need to pick in the top 5 or 6. The Oilers top scout sees Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Adam Larsson as a cut above the rest (Jonathan Huberdeau, Dougie Hamilton, Gabriel Landeskog or possibly Sean Couturier).
- TSN: Forbes magazine is reporting that Gary Bettman has told Jim Balsillie that he could get an NHL team if he does not “create any more spectacles or bad publicity for the league”.