- Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch: By trading Rostislav Klesla (3 years remaining), and bringing in Scottie Upshaw (UFA) and Sami Lepisto (RFA), the Blue Jackets gained some financial flexibility for next season, even though the salaries for this year are basically even. Fedor Tyutin and Kris Russell are the only 2 defenseman under contract for the Blue Jackets next year. Jan Hejda and Craig Rivet are UFA’s. Marc Methot, Grant Clitsome, Anton Stralman and Lepisto are RFA’s. Mike Commodore is likely to be bought out after the season. UFA defenseman the Blue Jackets could consider: Kevin Bieksa, Eric Brewer, Christian Ehrhoff, Steve Eminger, Ed Jovanovski, Tomas Kaberle, Andrei Markov, Steve Montador, Shane O’Brien, Joni Pitkanen, Ian White and James Wisniewski.
- Dave Caldwell of the NY Times: Zach Parise has been skating for a week, and is wanting to get back to practicing with teammates, though it won’t happen anytime soon. He’d love to get into a game this season, but won’t return until he’s 100%, and will live with it if he can’t return.
- Chris Kuc of the Chicago Tribune: Blackhawks forward David Bolland left last night’s game after taking an elbow to the head from Pavel Kubina. Brian Campbell was a late scratch with a lower body injury.
- Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun: Air Canada, one of the leagues biggest corporate backers, isn’t happy with NHL head shots …
“We are contacting you to voice our concern over incident involving Max Pacioretty and Zdeno Chara at the Bell Centre in Montreal,” wrote Vandal . “This is following several other incidents involving career-threatening and life-threatening headshots in the NHL recently.”
“From a corporate social responsibility standpoint, it is becoming increasingly difficult to associate our brand with sports events which could lead to serious and irresponsible accidents; action must be taken by the NHL before we are encountered with a fatality.
“Unless the NHL takes immediate action with serious suspension to the players in question to curtail these life-threatening injuries, Air Canada will withdraw its sponsorship of hockey.”