- Gary Lawless of the Winnipeg Free Press: Two sources have said that Jets RFA forward Alex Burmistrov has no-intention of re-signing with the team. Burmistrov wanted to be traded at the deadline and the Jets were trying too. Head coach Claude Noel and Burmistrov have had issues for two years, and hit a low when he was made a healthy scratch for four straight games. Names that reportedly came up when the Jets held talks with the Senators (Jakob Silfverberg), Sabres (Drew Stafford) and Islanders (Kyle Okposo). GM Kevin Cheveldayoff won’t let him go for nothing, but his market value is getting muddy. Burmistrov’s agent Mark Gandler would only say that he wasn’t going to sign in the KHL. The Jets haven’t held talks with RFA Zach Bogosian.
- David Staple of the Edmonton Journal: Should the Oilers buyout Shawn Horcoff? The 35-year old Horcoff’s game has been on the decline and he’s been injured in two of the past three seasons. Horcoff could also be blocking Anton Lander, if the Oilers feel he’s ready. If his salary cap hit isn’t an issue this year, than he still may be a valuable bottom-six forward to have. His salary cap hit may become an issue for season, so if he’s bought out, it would likely be next year and not this summer.
- John Vogl of the Buffalo News: Jhonas Enroth on whether he’s ready to be the No. 1 in Buffalo if Ryan Miller is moved: “I’m ready.”
“I’ve been growing a lot,” Enroth said. “I want to play more. My goal is to be a starter one year in the NHL, and right now Ryan is the starter here. It’s kind of hard to take the job from him here, but we’ll see what happens.”
The Sabres could be dealing at the draft, which could include Miller, though moving goaltenders isn’t always easy.
“We get to the draft, and everything’s unpredictable,” Miller said. “I mean, everyone thought Luongo was going to get traded, and look where he is. He’s right where he is. … It’s just a weird landscape.”
- Elliott Pap of the Vancouver Sun: Pap lists possible coaching candidates for the Canucks: Dallas Eakins, Lindy Ruff, Dave Tippett, Scott Arniel and Tom Renney.
