- Nick Kypreos: It is believed that Martin St. Louis asked for a trade when he was left off team Canada. Kypreos has been told that some teams are not sure if he feels the same now. St. Louis does have a no-movement clause through next season. As reported by Larry Brooks, Lightning GM Steve Yzerman is not interested in a rental player.
- Larry Brooks of the NY Post: The Rangers should get lots of interest in Dan Girardi, and some for Brian Boyle. Girardi is asking the Rangers for six years and about $5.75 million per season. GM Glen Sather is offering five years and lower than $5.75 million per. Sather has told teams he’ll move Girardi instead of losing him for nothing.
- Brett Cyrgalis of the NY Post: Thomas Vanek on some Austrians staying out late partying.
“Some of the headlines, especially in Europe, that to me was sad and ridiculous,” Vanek told The Post after the Islanders’ Sunday practice in Syosset, his first since returning. “They’re making it sound like there was 25 guys. It was just a few guys stayed out later, and even that, it wasn’t the smartest thing to do, but it wasn’t an issue.
“We had a practice the next day, Monday night, I think everyone focused all day Monday,” said Vanek, who admitted to staying out until about 2 a.m., but not being affected by game time. “Can you say, ‘Was it a distraction?’ I don’t know, maybe. But we lost the game to a good team, a team that we could have beat, and that makes it even more hard and tough. But the story made it bigger than it was.”
GM Garth Snow is looking to get a first round pick, as well as a second round pick or high-level prospect for Vanek. Vanek has already turned down a seven-year, $50 million offer from the Islanders. Islanders defenseman Andrew MacDonald has already turned down a four-year, $16 million deal. Snow is hoping to get a first round pick for MacDonald.
- Kevin Kurz of CSN Bay Area: Don’t expect the Sharks to make any major moves leading up to the trade deadline. The Sharks will be getting Logan Couture and Raffi Torres back from injury.
“On paper, when you add people that you don’t know, you hope that it works. But when you add people that have had playing time together, you know that it works,” Wilson said. “You just hope they’re healthy enough to do it.”
The Sharks will have to clear some cap space when Couture and Torres return to the lineup as they will be about $1 million over. GM Doug Wilson doesn’t seem eager to trade prospects and/or picks for rental players.
“We’re still in refresh/reset,” Wilson said, repeating a term he coined at last year’s deadline.
“We’re in the phase where, yes, we’re trying to win. We think our team, when it’s all healthy, is as good as anybody. We haven’t had the luxury of seeing it all together, but you’ve got to project at some point.
“Are we going to use our young assets when we’re two-thirds of the way through a reset/refresh? Unlikely. I never say never, but, unlikely.”
- Wes Gilbertson of the Calgary Sun: Five potential landing spots for Flames forward Mike Cammalleri: Ducks, Kings, Devils, Penguins and staying with the Flames.
- Adrian Dater: (answering twitter questions) Very unlikely that the Avalanche will do anything at the trade deadline. Doesn’t see the Avs trying to replace Alex Tanguay or at least picking up a replacement. Ryan O’Reilly is definitely not being traded.
- Adrian Dater: The Avs would still be interested in a Dmitri Kulikov type defenseman, but the Panthers are wanting too much for him.
- Adrian Dater: The Avs want to remain a young team. They will not be looking to bring in older (30-years old) players.
- Dennis Bernstein: The Flyers are buyers, but they are not desperate.
- Andy Strickland: Strickland thinks it will be interesting a Tim Thomas market starts to develop.