- Jeff Gordon of the St. Louis Post Dispatch: Blues Chris Stewart name is in the rumor mill. There were rumors that the Rangers and Senators have inquired. Stewart has another year left at $4.2 million, which may appeal to some teams who don’t want to pay the rental price for Thomas Vanek, Matt Moulson and Mike Cammalleri. The Blues are deep up front and have some RFAs they’ll need to give raises too.
Sabres Ryan Miller is said to be looking for “Henrik Lundqvist money” (7 years and $59.5 million).
The Senators would like to add a scoring winger and have a surplus of offensive-minded defensemen.
The Blue Jackets have shown interest in Ryan Callahan, but not as just a rental.
The Canadiens have made several attempts to land P.A. Parenteau.
- Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post Dispatch: Rutherford says the Blues have some interest in Sabres Ryan Miller, but isn’t sure what the Sabres want in return.
- Arthur Staple: Islanders Frans Nielsen will be out for a month with a broken hand.
- Travis Yost: (Feb. 10th) Senators GM Bryan Murray: “..there’s a couple of guys on our team who seem to be a target for other managers. they are not people that I want to move.”
- Joe Haggerty of CSNNE: The Bruins could use some more speed and a “big, strong veteran defenseman that can block shots and throw bodies around in the defensive zone.” Those types of top-pairing guys are tough to find. They could trade a could trade a couple non-first round picks for Andrew MacDonald, but he’s not the big Dman they would prefer. They won’t be interested in Dan Girardi if the Rangers want a first round pick. The Senators won’t be dangling Chris Phillips to anyone. The Bruins could consider someone that has term on his contract. Haggerty mentions Mark Giordano, but they would have to give up some good assets to get him. Henrik Tallinder, Willie Mitchell and Mark Stuart could all be available, but they are not really an upgrade to their current top-six.
“There are really not that many players available, so beggars can’t be choosers really at this point,” Chiarelli said. “With each passing game, I see our D maturing, I see them making fewer mistakes, and it makes it a little easier on me. But I always feel that we need eight good NHL defenders going in to the playoffs.
“While I’m certainly not going to replace Seidenberg, he’s too good and those players aren’t available, you’d like to think that there is a player with a little bit of Seids’ defending that we could find, and help us. But this year’s been a story about our depth, and I’ve been happy with it.”
- Jason Botchford of the Vancouver Province: The Canucks have been struggling and will be without Mike Santorelli for the rest of the season, and their blueline has dealt with injuries to Dan Hamhuis, Kevin Bieksa and Chris Tanev. GM Mike Gillis isn’t losing faith in the team though.
“We’re going to be all right,” Mike Gillis valiantly predicted.
- Ansar Khan of MLive: Red Wings Stephen Weiss continues to rehab from sports hernia surgery. He will be skating with the OHL’s Plymouth Whalers instead of skating on his own and his hoping to be able to return to the lineup on Feb. 26th.
- Tim Panaccio of CSN Philly: (Feb. 9th mail bag) Panaccio hasn’t heard any rumbling of the Flyers looking for offense leading up to the trade deadline. He doesn’t see the Flyers doing anything major until the summer. The Predators have stocked up on young defenseman and they could be willing to trade Shea Weber this summer. If it happens, the Flyers will be a major player. He won’t be moved at the trade deadline as the Predators will be able to get more at the draft.
- Scott Cruickshank of the Calgary Herald: Flames Shane O’Brien is waiting for a trade as he’s playing in the AHL.
“Obviously, I believe I’m an NHL player,” O’Brien is saying Thursday afternoon from Abbotsford where — after an uninterrupted 528-game stretch in the National Hockey League — he’s again skating in the minors. “So I’ve got to work hard, play hard. Hopefully, some teams see me and are willing to give me another chance. I’m only 30 years old, so I feel I’ve got a couple good years left in me, anyway.
“Obviously, I realize I’m a (team’s fifth or sixth defenceman) and I’m going to play against the bigger, tougher lines. I’m OK with that.
“I feel that I can be a regular in the NHL again.”
O’Brien has another year left on his deal that pays him $2 million. GM Brian Burke has told O’Brien that he’s trying to trade him.
- The Fourth Period: TVA Sports reported that Devils GM Lou Lamoriello met with Martin Brodeur to discuss his playing future. Brodeur has indicated that he’d be willing to accept a trade if it were to help the team. The Blackhawks and Wild are reportedly interested according to TVA Sports.
- The Fourth Period: The Panthers and Canadiens have talked several times throughout this season. TFP reported at the end of January that the Canadiens showed interest in Brad Boyes and Dmitry Kulikov.
- David Pagnotta: (Feb. 8th) The Blue Jackets will be looking to be buyers by the trade deadline. They will also have to decide whether to keep or trade Marian Gaborik.
- David Pagnotta: According to Aaron Portzline, there have been no contact talks between Marian Gaborik and the Blue Jackets.
- Ben Kuzma: Elliotte Friedman said that Canucks owner Aquilini was with the team on their last road trip. He’s obviously concerned about his struggling team.
- Larry Brooks of the NY Post: The Devils and goalie Martin Brodeur will have some decisions to make leading up to the trade deadline.
The issue is for Brodeur is two-fold: whether, a) he would feel comfortable leaving the Devils and joining a new team three-quarters of the way through the season; and, b) whether there is a playoff contender with the need for a goaltender of his pedigree to start at least half of its games.
The Wild or Predators could be an option. The Blue Jackets sent two scouts to watch the Rangers on Thursday and Friday to likely watch Ryan Callahan.
- Pat Pickens of SportsNet: P.A.Parenteau was a healthy scratch last week and has been in the rumor mill, but adds he hasn’t had an issue with head coach Patrick Roy.
“I have a really good relationship with him,” Parenteau said. “He’s a really good communicator.
- Jonas Siegel of TSN: Leo Komarov is eyeing a NHL return.
“I want to get back,” Komarov said of the NHL. “It’s a big goal for me for next season. I’m going to see how it’s going to work out. Dynamo is playing pretty good right now so it’s like everything is good there too, but I really enjoyed it in Toronto. It was really good.”
Komarov will be a UFA and is open to returning to Toronto. He hasn’t received any offers yet.
- The Fourth Period: (Feb. 7th) The Oilers and Flyers could be talking about a deal. Top members of the Flyers management scouted the Oilers game in New Jersey. Last year at the draft they talked about a Braydon Coburn deal. The Flyers have been interested Jordan Eberle and Ales Hemsky in the past. The Oilers have been linked to Coburn, Sean Courier and Luke Schenn. The Oilers have been shopping Hemsky, Ryan Smyth and Sam Gagner. They are also getting interest in Eberle and Nail Yakupov.