- Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun: Simmons thinks that Leafs GM Brian Burke has one year left to turn things around. Burke does have 2 more years under contract, and next season will be his 5th year leading the Leafs. It’s unlikely that Patrick Roy takes any position with the Montreal Canadiens. Simmons thinks he’s waiting for a possible relocation of the Coyotes to Quebec City. If the Maple Leafs draft around #5, it might be high enough to draft Alex Galchenyuk, who some think is better than Nail Yakupov. Devils GM Lou Lamoriello appears convinced he’ll be able to re-sign Zach Parise.
- Damien Cox via twitter: The Maple Leafs draft plan is to get one of Mikhail Grigorenko, Alex Galchenyuk or Radek Faksa up the middle. With their 2nd pick to draft Tom Wilson of Plymouth.
- Fluto Shinzawa of the Boston Globe: If teams think he can handle a starter workload, teams may look at Predators Andres Lindback. Lindback will be a RFA at the end of the season.
- Dave Hutchinson of the Star Ledger: Devils center Travis Zajac will return tonight and could center Ilya Kovalchuk and Alexei Ponikarovsky. Zach Parise could be on a line with Patrik Elias and Danius Zubrus. Adam Henrique, David Clackson and Petr Sykora could make up the 3rd line. Martin Brodeur will start in net.
- Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times: Blackhawks Jonathan Toews practiced with the team yesterday for the 1st time in over a week.
“I feel like I’m getting back to that stage to where I’m progressing and getting closer to feeling the right way,” Toews said. “I’m just staying positive, hoping that this is the time that hopefully we break through.”
“Mostly, just when you wake up, you feel . It’s not like there’s much there that’s bothering me on daily things. But when I come to the rink and try to do what I do, it’s all those things that just kind of set in. You just don’t feel right. You don’t feel like yourself.”
- Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun: Senators owner Eugene Melnyk is still waiting for his case to be heard with regards to getting his $4 million back. Dany Heatley blocked a trade Edmonton, which ended up causing the Senators to pay him a $4 million bonus.