- TSN Insider Trading: Dreger: doesn’t think that Nail Yakupov will be traded this year. They have no intentions of trading him.
McKenzie: Stars Vernon Fiddlerwent to the team and said he wants more ice time and bigger role. If they couldn’t fulfill the request, to let him do it elsewhere. He’s making $1.8 million will be a UFA at the end of the season. There is interest in him, but the stars are doing well. Dreger: The Maple Leafs are one of the teams that talked to the Stars about Fiddler, but are concerned with his age and money.Dreger: Maple Leafs have had talks with Hurricanes about John-Michael Liles, but nothing imminent.
McKenzie: Five Panthers who likely won’t be traded are: Aleksander Barkov, Jonathan Huberdeau, Nick Bjugstad, Eric Gudbranson and Marcel Goc. Shawn Matthias or Dmitry Kulikov could be getting interest, not so much for their more expensive veterans.
LeBrun: The Predators have had talks with the Ducks regarding Jonas Hiller, but are waiting to learn more about Pekka Rinne’s health before making a decision. If it looks like Rinne’s health will keep him out longer, they may look to move on a goalie.
- Hope Smoke: Darren Dreger on TSN Radio: “I don’t get the sense that talks have heated up between the Leafs and Fiddler. Leafs leaning towards vet depth forward”
- Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal: The Flyers are “vigorously” shopping Luke Schenn and Andrej Mezsaros. Schenn has $3.6 million cap hit for the next three years and Mezsaros has a $4 million cap hit for this season.
- Dan Rosen of NHL.com: Ray Emery when asked by Gary Bettman last week if he would have went after Holtby if there was a 10-game suspension:
“He goes, ‘What, are you crazy?'” Commissioner Bettman said.
Bettman added.
“There are things you can do if you believe that is not the appropriate thing,” Bettman continued. “There are lots of people who believe that with the amount of equipment that goaltenders wear and the importance that they have that there should be a rule, and that’s something we’ll discuss. But us just throwing out lightning bolts because of the spur of the moment, you have to be better and more consistent than that when you’re running a sports league.”
- Mike Harrington: Sabres call for a 10:30 AM major press conference. John Shannon: Sounding like the Sabres will announce a new position, President of Hockey Operations. Joe Yerdon: “If the insiders are right and it is to announce a head of hockey ops, that’s a big deal. Someone who slots in above Darcy Regier? Yeah, big.” Bob McKenzie: Sounding like Pat LaFontaine will be named the Sabres new president of hockey operations. Bucky Gleason: Hearing that Darcy Regier and Ron Rolston are out with LaFontain in and possibly Ted Nolan returning as coach.