- Guillaume Lefrancois of CBC: The Canadiens will have to decide if they will buyout Rene Bourque this offseason. A buyout would cost them $3.67 million in total. Salary cap numbers would be $1.67 million for the first two year and $833,333 for the next two. If bought out, they would have 14 players under contract at a $44.96 million cap number. That number doesn’t include P.K. Subban (RFA) and Andrei Markov (UFA).
- Josh Cooper of the Tennessean: Cooper wonders if this is summer the Predators will go after a big-name scorer. Avs Paul Stastny would fit the Predators style, but he will likely command a lot of money. The Preds could also go the trade route, looking to bring in some skill for some of their grit.
- Randy Miller of NJ.com: Jaromir Jagr’s agent, Petr Svoboda.
“I don’t want to jump the gun, but I think there’s a really great chance that he’s going to be a New Jersey Devil next year,” the Montreal-based agent told NJ.com.
“Basically, Jags is very, very happy where he’s at, and I think it’s vice versa,” Svoboda said. “I don’t see why he should not be going back to New Jersey next year.”
Jagr will be looking for a one-year deal and is not looking to break the bank.
“I’ll put it to you this way: We’ve never gone to the highest bidder the last three years,” Svoboda said.
“We’ll see when talks take place. If Lou decides to come to me before the season ends … basically it’s up to him. If Lou wants to talk after the season … whatever. Like I said, Jags really likes it there.”
- Josh Yohe of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: Penguins Jussi Jokinen is a pending UFA, but he hopes to remain with the Pens.
“You know, I really do like it here,” Jokinen said. “I like everything about this place.”
With a week free agent class and his versatility to play all three forward positions, it could put him in a higher demand.
“I just figure that it will take care of itself in the summer,” Jokinen said. “I don’t mind if we don’t talk until the summer, either. I really don’t care. There are a few free agents on this team, so I know they’ll be busy making decisions.
“There is a lot they have to handle. So I totally understand that. But I do want to stay here.”
- Aaron Portzline: The postponed game between the Blue Jackets and Stars will be made up, but dates haven’t been settled on. A third team may be asked to change a date so that they can fit the game in before the season ends on April 13th. Both teams are in the playoff race, so the game would/could affect both conferences.
- David Staples: “I will be astonished if Garth Snow gives up his first this year to #Sabres. He will bet on his team being better next year.”
- John Shannon: On Tim Bozon: “He remains in ICU, however doctors have indicated his condition remains critical but stable and improving.”
- Adrian Dater: Avalanche have signed John Mitchell to a three-year extension worth $5.4 million and Reto Berra for three-years and $4.35 million.
- Tom Gulitti: “Jagr now has 1,000 career professional goals from KHL, NHL, Czech league and international play (including playoffs).”
- Capitals PR: “The #Caps improved to 22-8-3 this season when scoring first and 19-0-3 this season when leading after two periods.”