- Damien Cox of the Toronto Star: Cox thinks the Maple Leafs are done trading until the deadline unless there are more injuries. Despite the trade rumors, Cox doesn’t think Nazem Kadri is any more available now than he was at the start of the season. If they are offered a young center in return, they would listen.
- Craig Custance of ESPN: (mailbag) The Canadiens would match any offer sheet for P.K. Subban as they have money and cap space. Custance doesn’t see the Devils having motivation to trade Jaromir Jagr at the trade deadline. Without their first round pick from the Ilya Kovalchuk punishment, they will push for a playoff spot.
- Adrian Dater: Hearing that the Rangers have asked the Avalanche about Tyson Barrie.
- Darren Dreger: With the Rangers in Toronto, you can expect Michael Del Zotto’s agents (Newport) to meet with management to discuss the Rangers efforts to trade him. Nothing official has been planned, just convenient since they are in town.
- Hope Smoke: Darren Dreger: “It hasn’t been the right fit though for him so far. Any team that is looking for a little extra playoff boost should look at Briere.”
- Scott (@Wham_City): Elliotte Friendman on the radio on Wednesday talking about Brian Burke and Bobby Ryan
Brian Burke has had something with Bobby Ryan for a long time. A few years ago before Luke Schenn was traded for James van Riemsdyk, I heard a rumour that they were going to trade Luke Schenn to Anaheim for Ryan. And in history, it made kind of sense because that’s the player they kind of got, a scorer. And so I looked into it, and somebody who would know told me “there is no freaking way Brian Burke is making that trade because he hates Ryan, never liked him, didn’t want to draft him and wanted Jack Johnson instead.” So, I went to check on it and I was told no, and I never went with it. It was probably going to go in one of my 30 Thoughts blogs or something, and I couldn’t prove it. And today or actually last night after the team got announced and those articles appeared online as I was driving back to my hotel from Ann Arbor, I got a call from the guy who told me that, and he was like “see? I told you, never doubt me.”
- Frank Provenzano of ESPN: (Dec. 26th) Top trade targets. Scoring Forwards: Marian Gaborik (CBJ), Matt Moulson (BUF) and Thomas Vanek (NYI). Potential teams looking for scoring forwards are: Kings, Canucks, Canadiens, Rangers and Wild. Two-way/Playoff grit forwards: Steve Ott (BUF), Vernon Fiddler (DAL) and David Legwand (NSH). Potential teams looking for two-way forwards are: Penguins, Lightning, Hurricanes, Maple Leafs and Red Wings. Top-four defenseman: Cody Franson (TOR), Dmitry Kulikov (FLA) and Stephane Robidas (DAL). Potential teams looking for a top-four defenseman: Capitals, Avalanche, Coyotes, Hurricanes and Flyers. Goaltenders: Ryan Miller (BUF) and Martin Brodeur (NJ). Potential teams looking for a goalie are: Penguins, Blues and Capitals.