- TSN: The NHL is planning on having 6 outdoor games next season. Things could change and details still need to be worked out, but the proposed dates and teams are:
Jan. 1st – Maple Leafs and Red Wings at Michigan Stadium
Jan. 25th – Ducks and Kings at Dodger Stadium
Jan. 26th – Devils and Rangers at Yankee Stadium
Jan. 29th – Islanders and Rangers at Yankee Stadium
March 1st – Penguins and Blackhawks at Soldier Field
March 2nd – Senators and Canucks BC Place
- Elliotte Friedman of CBC: The Oilers could have a different look next season.
“I’m an impatient guy and I bring that impatience to this situation. We’re at the stage… that we have to do some bold things,” Craig MacTavish said at Monday’s news conference introducing him as the Oilers’ new GM. “We have to expose ourselves to some semblance of risk to try and move the team forward in a rapid fashion. We’ve got a lot of primary pieces here, but we’ve got to add some depth to help these young players.
“We’ve got to add competitiveness. I think we lack a true understanding of just how difficult it is to have success at this level.”
The Oilers will go after defenseman Mark Streit if he hits the open market, but so will many other teams. There will be Ales Hemsky rumors. They could look at moving either Sam Gagner or Nail Yakupov. They would like to re-sign RFA Gagner. The Oilers could let teams talk to Gagner to see if a deal could be worked out, then talk to the team about a trade. Friedman thinks the Oilers would listen to a “massive offer” for Yakupov.
Friedman thinks that the Avalanche have talked to Joe Sakic about an increased role with the team, but decided that he wasn’t ready. He wants to sure that he’s ready and he still wants to be around his family, he has three kids.
Sabres GM Darcy Regier said he wasn’t close to trading either Ryan Miller or Thomas Vanek at the deadline as “the value wasn’t there.” Both will be UFAs after next season, and if an extension can’t be worked out, they’ll be dealt. They’ll meet after the season and see where things go.
Friedman wonders if the Flyers buyout Daniel Briere, would the Sabres bring him back?
Sabres Steve Ott on licking Jeff Halpern’s visor: “I was just with him.”
Friedman spoke with Pavel Datsyuk’s agent who said that he’s talked with GM Ken Holland. Rumors are that Datsyuk will head back to Russia after next season. Sounded like the sides may have have talked about the possibility of a contract extension.
For the 2014 Sochi Olympics, NHL and NHLPA estimate travel cost to be between $4-7 million and insurance cost between $7-10 million.
NHL denied reports that the Maloofs are looking to bring a hockey team to Vegas. They haven’t talked about that in about five years.
- John MacKinnon of the Edmonton Journal: MacKinnon thinks the Oilers could look at trading defenseman Ladislav Smid and Magnus Paajarvi before dangling Sam Gagner.
- Bob McKenzie: The Senators-Bruins has been rescheduled to Sunday, April 28th. The 27th was the previous last day of the schedule.
- Bob McKenzie: College free agent Antoine Laganiere has signed with the Ducks.
