- Adrian Dater of the Denver Post: Dater thinks that the Avalanche will have to trade one of their centers at some point. Paul Stastny and Ryan O’Reilly are likely the two they’ll consider trading. O’Reilly can’t be moved until Feb. 28th of next year. If the Avalanche don’t finish last and therefore the No. 1 pick, they could try to trade up. They could offer up Stastny and their first for the No. 1 pick and a roster player.
- Jerry Sullivan of the Buffalo News: It looks like Ryan Miller’s time with the Buffalo Sabres may be at the end of the line. It’s hard to see Miller coming back next season after the way Friday’s game ended. Miller has a year left at $6 million, and there is little chance that he gets an extension from the team. He’s been very good through stretches, but only average in others. Miller said after Friday’s game that it reminded him of what Patrick Roy went through in Montreal.
“Well, I would love to have what happened after that,” Miller said. “Just saying. It doesn’t mean I want to leave, but if that’s what you’re getting at. won two Stanley Cups after that so, hey, why not?”
Trading Miller would allow the Sabres to see if Jhonas Enroth could be a No. 1 goalie.
- Brendan Savage of MLive: The Red Wings will have to figure out if they want to re-sign Damien Brunner, and if so, for how much. He started off with 10 goals and six assists in the first 19 games, but only has 1 goal and 5 assists since. GM Ken Holland said that talks were put off until the offseason. Ansar Khan thinks they should re-sign him, but possibility to a shorter term contract and maybe for in the $2.5 million per year range. Savage is thinking a 4 year, $10 million deal.
- Robert Tychkowski of the Edmonton Sun: Oilers coach Ralph Krueger said UFA Ryan Jones needs to show that the Oilers should keep him around for next season and beyond.
“It’s very important for us to take a really good look at Ryan Jones,” said Krueger, who scratched the winger five times this season. “Give him the opportunity to be the player he can be for the Edmonton Oilers.”
Jones, also needs to decide if he wants to stay in Edmonton.
“It’s a two-way street,” he said. “It’s a matter of the team trying to decide whether or not I have a role here, and also me trying to decide whether or not this is going to be a place that’s best for my career moving forward.
“I like being here and I’m passionate about the organization, but it has to be healthy for me as a person and moving forward in my career. It’s not an automatic. It’s a two-way street and we’ll deal with it when the season ends.”