- Larry Brooks of the NY Post: With little progress on talks with Ryan Callahan and Dan Girardi, the Rangers have been looking at what might be available for their pair of pending UFAs. GM Glen Sather is committed to trade both if he can’t sign them to contract extensions. Callahan is believed to be looking for a seven year deal worth between $45 and $50 million, with the Rangers offering five years around $30 million. It is thought that Sabres could be interested in meeting Callahan’s asking price in the offseason. The Rangers are looking for one NHL player and either a prospect or high draft pick for Callahan. The Rangers would trade Callahan straight up for Martin St. Louis, but GM Steve Yzerman is not interested. Sather is not willing to include a young asset or draft pick. The Rangers are getting closer to Girardi’s asking price of six years and $5.5 million per season that he reportedly proposed in November, but Girardi may have changed his mind on those numbers.
- John Vogl of the Buffalo News: If/when Ryan Miller (and others) is traded, it’s likely the Sabres will look get a goalie back. Their minor league goalies, Matt Hackett and Nathan Lieuwen, are not NHL ready yet.
“We have a couple good young goalies here, and if one of them is the goalie of the future, it’s not the near future,” General Manager Tim Murray said in Rochester this month while watching the Amerks. “It’s a little bit down the road. I don’t think either one of them is ready to step in and start for the Buffalo Sabres.”
Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun: The Senators have some interest in Blues Chris Stewart. Stewart could also be included in a deal for Callahan.
- Don Brennan of the Ottawa Sun: Could Daniel Alfredsson play another season?
“I’m going to wait until the end of the year and re-evaluate, especially how the body feels,” said Alfredsson. “I had a couple of minor injuries where I missed some time, but if I feel I’m playing at a level where I’m not struggling too much, I still think it’s fun, I’m contributing, I’ll definitely consider playing another year, there’s no question.
“But the moment, I don’t have an answer and I haven’t thought about it too much. I think that was my mindset, and it has been for a few years, that if the body feels it’s not too much work to get prepared every day for practice and games, I’ll continue.”
- Joe Haggerty of CSNNE: Source confirms that the Bruins have some interest in Islanders defenseman Andrew MacDonald. The price is high, which means the Bruins may not be as interested. They have no desire to trade their first round pick. Ryan Spooner, Zach Trotman and Matt Bartkowski won’t be moved for a rental. Likely that Alex Khokhlachev, Jordan Caron and David Warsofsky are names that could come up in any trade talks. Could move draft picks other than their first. The Bruins could be looking for a “big-bodied, physical defenseman,” which doesn’t really fit MacDonald’s description.
- Hope Smoke: When Bob McKenzie brought up that the Blues may be willing to trade Ty Rattie in a Ryan Miller expanded trade, he also brought up Mikhail Grigorenko as a player who could be involved.
- Mike Chambers: Scouting the Avalanche – Kings: Flames, Cancks, Blue Jackets, Penguins, Hurricanes, Canadiens (2), Red Wings, Lightning and Maple Leafs. A Canadiens and Flames scout live there, and the Canadiens play the Kings next week.