- Pierre LeBrun of ESPN: On Sidney Crosby rumors that his season or career could be over.
“Sidney is doing very well, he’s training, he’s going in the right direction,” agent Pat Brisson of CAA Sports told ESPN.com Friday. “The idea of retiring or shutting him down is not even in our vocabulary. Far from that.”
“Absolutely zero truth to these rumors,” added Penguins general manager Ray Shero to ESPN.com on Friday.
Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke tries to make a trade splash in January, well in advance of the trade deadline.
“We are listening to a lot right now and there is a good chance something will happen but I don’t think it’s going to happen today or tomorrow,” Burke said. “This is like hunting. Sometimes when you’re hunting, you get a feeling you’re going to stumble on something, or birds are coming in and you get a sixth sense something is about to happen. I don’t sense that here right now. We’re talking to a lot of teams about a number of things — mostly we’re listening because we like our group — but I can’t sense if something is imminent or not. Right now I’d say it’s not.”
Burke would like to add some size upfront, and they are not talking to anyone right now about adding a goaltender.
Lightning GM Steve Yzerman may have to wait until the offseason to get a young starting goalie and a top 4 defenseman.
“I think I look at both, short-term and big picture,” Yzerman said. “I’m not going to do something out of desperation that’s going to hurt us in the long run, by trading draft picks and a good prospect or something like that. Any deal has got to make sense for us long term. So that makes it tricky.”
Ducks GM Bob Murray:
“What I said is what I said, right now I’m listening to everything,” Murray told ESPN.com. “It would be very difficult to make the type of deals I want, but I’m listening for sure. I still think we have a decent core here, but we’re maybe going to have to change a piece or two.”
“But sometimes blockbusters happen at the trade deadline, you never know,” Murray said.
Blackhawks GM Stean Bowman has been looking for a deal for awhile. He’d like to acquire a 4-5 defenseman and a center that could play in the top 6.
“Ideally, I’d like to find a center man,” Bowman said. “It doesn’t have to be a top center man, but somebody that can play and complement top players.”
- Nick Kypreos of Sportsnet.ca: Kypreos thinks that Sidney Crosby’s season is over based on his long-term health and the potential of a new contract. Crosby has one more year on his deal and can begin negotiations on July 1st. Crosby’s career could be in jeopardy with another concussion, and the next contract won’t come with an insurance policy that covers the Penguins from a career ending concussion. If Crosby is a “Penguin for Life,” the Penguins would be on the hook for the full amount, which could be as much as 10 years, $100 million.
- David Pagnotta via twitter: According to someone close to the Penguins, Sidney Crosby is doing better and is training. His goal is to back this season, though the timeline is still unclear.
- Scott MacArthur via twitter: Maple Leafs coach Ron Wilson expects Dion Phaneuf to play tomorrow. No break after taking puck in the face. Colby Armstrong suffered a setback on his concussion recovery and needs a few days away from the rink. David Alter via twitter: Mike Komisarek and Mike Brown will return to the Maple Leafs lineup tomorrow.
- Josh Yohe via twitter: Penguins winger Pascal Dupuis will be playing tonight. Paul Martin is in. Arron Asham is out. Zbynek Michalek and Richard Park are ‘iffy.’
- Sam Carchidi via twitter: Kimmo Timonen is day to day. Flyers put Matt Walker on waivers.
- Dallas Stars via twitter: The Stars are looking to get Sheldon Souray back on Tuesday.
- Damian Cristodero vai twitter: Lightning forward Brett Connolly is returning to the team, and could play on Saturday.
- Dan Murphy via twitter: Cory Schneider will start in net for the Canucks against the Bruins.
- Jeremy Rutherford via twitter: Brian Elliott will start in net on Saturday against the Avalanche.
- Mark Stepneski via twitter: Kari Lehtonen will start in net tomorrow for the Stars.
- Chris Botta talks with Darren Dreger about the current trade market.
