- Dan Rosen: If the Senators win Game 5 tonight, Game 6 will go on Sunday at 7:30 pm, moving the Kings-Sharks to 10 pm. If the Penguins win, the Kings-Sharks will be at 8 pm.
- Josh Cooper: Cooper points out that Patrick Roy and Alexander Radulov had a good rapport when Radulov was in Quebec. The Predators have been unable to trade Radulov for the last year.
- Jon Rosen: Kings Jarret Stoll rode the stationary bike on Wednesday. He was at the area yesterday but not skating.
- Tim Campbell of the Winnipeg Free Press: Jets Evander Kane won’t need surgery for his wrist problem and lower leg/foot nerve damage. Tobias Enstrom’s bad back only needs rest. Mark Stuart’s sports hernia doesn’t require surgery. Zach Bogosian missed the final three games of the season with a concussion.
- Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch: The Blue Jackets and goalie Sergei Bobrovsky contract talks have stalled.
“We’ve talked. We’ve exchanged ideas,” general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said this week. “But we haven’t made any progress, really. It’s been pretty quiet for a while now.”
The RFA will be looking for a nice raise from this $1.7 million he made last year. The Blue Jackets will send him a qualifying offer, but he’ll reject it. Bobrovsky could get an offer sheet, with the Blue Jackets having seven days to match.
“That’s something we can’t control,” Kekalainen said. “It’s obvious what we’re going to do if it goes that far. We have great ownership; committed ownership. We would match any offer there might be, but I’m optimistic we won’t get to that point.”
- Aaron Portzline: Portzline wonders if the Bobrovsky talks drag into July, would the Flyers try to sign him to an offer sheet.
- Craig Custance of ESPN: Custance wonders if Marc-Andre Fleury’s days in Pittsburgh could be numbered. GM Ray Shero could trade Fleury and his $5 million salary cap hit through 2014-15, and go with Tomas Vokoun and a young, cheaper goalie. It’s a move that may upset the balance in a close Penguins dressing room.
“Guys will bleed for him. I wouldn’t hold your breath to think Pittsburgh is going to do something rash,” one NHL source said. “Marc-Andre Fleury has one thing in his corner — that’s called the Stanley Cup. Once accomplished, you know he can get it done.”
The Blackhawks may have to consider putting Ray Emery to see if he can spark the Hawks. GM Stan Bowman may look at his goaltending situation in the summer if they lose to the Red Wings. Emery will be a UFA this summer. The Hawks are just over $2 million under the cap for next year with 21 players signed. Other UFA goalies this year: Mike Smith, Niklas Backstrom, Nikolai Khabibulin and Evgeni Nabokov. Emery could be a great fit with the Islanders or Coyotes if they don’t re-sign Smith, possibly the Sabres if they trade Ryan Miller or the Wild if they don’t keep Backstrom.
- Katie Strang: The Cap Advantage Recapture Rule could really hurt the Rangers, as well as many other veterans. If Brad Richards were to retire in 2017, it would cost the Rangers $5.66 million in 2017, $8.5 million in 2018 and $17 million in 2019.