- Greg Brady via twitter: The Canadiens will be buying out Scott Gomez according to Louis Jean on the Brady & Lang radio show.
- Chris Kuc of the Chicago Tribune: The Montreal Canadiens have chosen Marc Bergevin to be their new GM. Bergevin was the Blachhawks assistant GM this past season.
- Detroit Free Press: Yahoo! Sports is reporting that the Maple Leafs and Red Wings will do “HBO 24/7: Road to the NHL Winter Classic”
- Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal: The Oilers have the 1st overall pick for the 3rd year in a row, and there is speculation that they may trade it, more from fans and blogs than for anyone within the organization. They would have likely taken a defenseman with the #2 pick, but now at #1 they’ll likely draft Nail Yakupov. Many fans think they should flip 1st rounders with Blue Jackets, Canadiens, Islanders or Maple Leafs and get a roster player like Jake Gardiner or P.K. Subban as well. A deal with the Penguins for Jordan Staal is the recent trade buzz. Staal will be a UFA after next season and likes it in Pittsburgh. They can’t talk about a new deal until after July 1st. The Oilers wouldn’t trade the 1st overall pick for Staal unless they knew he would sign an extension with them, and he may not want to do that when there will be many teams bidding for his services. Staal has never have more than 50 points (behind Crosby and Malkin), but how high is his offensive upside? If the Oilers were to do a 1st for Staal, they would have to get one of the Pens young blueliners as well, Joe Morrow or Simon Despres. There is no way Montreal would do the #3 and Subban for the #1. The Blue Jackets at #2 may not want to draft another Russian. The Islanders want a defenseman at #4. Jake Gardiner is likely untouchable in Toronto.
- Gary Lawless of the Winnipeg Free Press: Ak Bars Kazan’s club director confirms they made an offer to Alex Burmistrov.
“Shamil Khusnutdinov, the club’s director, is confirming that Kazan has also offered a contract to Alexander Burmistrov of the Winnipeg Jets,” wrote Adler. “Khusnutdinov would not reveal any more details other than the club’s representatives have already talked to Burmistrov who is now in training with Team Russia for the world championships.”
Burmistrov was rushed to the NHL by the Thrashers, he doesn’t like being told by veterans or coaches his flaws.
“He doesn’t like to be told what to do. He response is always, ‘No respect, no respect,'” said one Jets veteran, when asked this season about Burmistrov. “His English isn’t great and he gets his back up. He gets defensive. The only guy that can talk to him is Antro (Nik Antropov).”
He might be best served to get some time in the AHL, but his salary would go from $1.5 million to $67,500.
- George Richards of the Miami Herald: With the fairly successful season, the Florida Panthers will only be looking to tweak their roster. Panthers UFAs are: Scott Clemmensen, Jason Garrison, Krys Barch, John Madden, Mikael Samuelsson and Wojtek Wolski. Tallon said re-signing Garrison and Versteeg is a priority.
“We want to keep the team together,” Tallon said. “We’re going to start talking to agents now and sign the guys we need to get signed. They want to be here and we want them here.”
Florida isn’t expected to go after big name free agents like Zach Parise or Ryan Suter.
- Pat Hickey of the Montreal Gazette: Canadiens P.K. Subban injured his knee in an exhibition game with Team Canada against Switzerland and will be out for the remainder of the World Championships.