- Bucky Gleason of the Buffalo News: Sabres goalie Ryan Miller has taken his fair share of criticism this season. The better he plays, the more tempting it is for the Sabres to keep him. Will the Sabres trade him to improve in other areas or do they risk keeping him and he has another season like this one?
“If they came to me and said they wanted to move me, I would want to know why,” Miller said. “That hasn’t been the case. No one has ever asked about my feelings regarding players and movement, especially with myself. People think there’s more discussion being done behind the scenes than there really is.”
“I hold true to the statement, I’m not going to ask for a trade,” he said. “Even if the situation was really, really horrible, I made a commitment. I would like to have some kind of solution before it ever gets to that point.”
- Bob Mitchell of the Toronto Star: A month ago before the Ducks 9-1-1 turnaround, there was trade speculation that the Leafs could send Tyler Bozak, Nazem Kadri and Luke Schenn for Ryan Getzlaf. The Leafs may have had to toss in Joe Colborne or a 1st round pick. Another rumor had Nikolai Kulemin, Schenn, Brad Ross and a 1st rounder. Mitchell thinks there is a 50% chance of the Leafs landing Getzlaf.
- Lance Hornby via twitter: Maple Leafs center Mikhail Grabovski’s agent is in Toronto, and could be talking contract extension. Grabovski’s agent, Gary Greenstin:
“Brian Burke has to do the best for the team. I have to do the best for my player. Right now, the best for my player is to stay with the Leafs.”
- Ed Willes of the Vancouver Province: Cory Schneider is a RFA with arbitration rights this summer. It’s unlikely the Canucks would trade him in-season due to Roberto Luongo’s playoff history.
- Nick Cotsonika via twitter: “Read and hear about lots of teams with lots of cap room looking to add. That means high prices. They better hope more teams fall out soon.”
- Josh Rimer via twitter: Darren Dreger said the Maple Leafs will likely take another run at James van Riemsdyk.
- The Fourth Period: The Blue Jackets are likely to keep center Derick Brassard. Jeff Carter has said he’s never asked for a trade. The Blue Jackets could move Vinny Prospal, Kristian Huselius and Antoine Vermette.
- Ed Tait of the Winnipeg Free Press: Dustin Byfuglien and Alex Burmistrov will be game-time decisions for tonight.
- Andy Strickland of True Hockey: The Blues may not know until tomorrow if Andy McDonald and Alex Steen will be able to return to the lineup. If they can’t go Friday, Hitchcock expects to see them back on Saturday.
- Helene Elliott via twitter: Scouting the Kings-Blue Jackets game were the Canucks, Rangers, Blues, 3 from Bruins, Ducks, Predators, Leafs and Coyotes. Not all showed up, as some went to the Ducks game. The Wild and Blues scouted the Ducks game according to Lisa Dillman.
- David Pagnotta via twitter: The Kings, Avalanche, Senators, Canucks and Blues were scouting the Leafs-Penguins game.
- Mike Chambers of the Denver Post: J.S. Giguere will start in net for the Avalanche tonight against the Wild.