- Brad Ziemer via twitter: @JSportsnet said he thinks the Canucks and Maple Leafs have a Roberto Luongo trade all but done and are just waiting for the CBA situation to be resolved.
- Jason Botchfordof the Vancouver Province: The Maple Leafs had offered Luke Schenn to the Canucks for Luongo at the draft, but the Canucks countered with Jake Gardiner-plus-plus-plus. There was a time they thought a deal was almost done, but then rumors surfaced Luongo would only waive his no-trade clause to head to Florida. When Luongo met with the Canucks in September, they told him Florida was all but out. Gillis said then that Toronto had several assets that could get a deal done, and with John Shannon’s report on Wednesday night, the Leafs may now be willing to move one of those assets. Multiple Canucks sources are downplaying the report.
“The definition of close is different for everybody,” Gillis told The Province and TEAM 1040.
“I’m not sure why John would say that because that’s certainly not the case.
“Everybody is also entitled to speculate on whatever they want to speculate on.
“We’ve moved very slowly on any discussions with Roberto –- we’ll trade him when we get want we want to get for him, or we won’t trade him, and either way it’s fine with me.
“You know, if we can get something that’s going to help us and move our team forward in different areas, we’re certainly going to consider it.
“But that hasn’t occurred yet, so I’m not sure why that would be said.”
The Canucks wanted Nick Bjugstad from the Panthers. The closest thing the Maple Leafs have to Bjugstad is Joe Colborne. The Canucks need cap space and youth. In the weeks leading up to the CBA expiring, the Canucks were getting offers from the Oilers and a mystery team (not the Blackhawks or Blue Jackets).
- Adam Jahns via twitter: Patrick Kane was close to heading overseas.
“Yeah, I would say I was close maybe a week or two ago to going over,” Kane said.”But it was just kind of wait for the right situation and things like that. You hear about this game and you hear the negotiations are going better and you don’t want to make any rush to get over there and have to come back in a couple weeks. We’ll see what happens with the negotiations.”
- Stephen Whyno via twitter: Nicklas Backstrom’s agent confirmed that he’s going to Dynamo Moscow.
- Mike Heika of the Dallas News: If the season started on November 2nd, Stars center Derek Roy would be out for 10 to 12 games. Jamie Benn is still an unsigned restricted free agent, so there may not be a lot of time to get a deal with him. Comparable like Jordan Eberle, Taylor, Tyler Seguin, Jeff Skinner and Evander Kane all signed deals before the CBA expired in the $5.25 to $6 million range, which may be a concern for the Stars. The rules of the new CBA could come into play as the NHL is looking to control players second contracts.
- Matias Strozyk via twitter: Aki Berg joins SM-liiga as one of their equipment managers.