- Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News: The Sabres and Ryan Miller haven’t had any contract talks.
“I still don’t know what to say. There’s been a change here even since there was a change here before,” he said, referring to the hiring of new GM Tim Murray. “So it’s like I’m waiting to see what the plan is and waiting to see what they have to offer. We haven’t talked about anything with regard to contracts and we haven’t talked about anything with regard to trades. They’re doing their business.”
On if Miller has said he wants out or if he’s willing to stay.
“That’s not really something I want to discuss with you guys,” Miller said. “It’s a private conversation about a business transaction. Really, that’s what it comes down to. I’m waiting to see kind of what the plans are around here. that would kind of give a little more indication.”
- TSN Insider Trading: Dreger: Ryan Callahan could be looking for a seven-year contract in the $6.5 to $7 million range. That is too much money for the Rangers. 50/50 that he gets moved before the Olympic break. A Callahan to the Blues for a Chris Stewart package deal is still there. If Dan Girardi doesn’t get done soon, could mean he’s interested in testing the market.
Bob McKenzie: Looking like Thomas Vanek wants to at least test the free agent market. Islanders GM Garth Snow will continue to try and sign him, but he’s at least talking to teams to see what he could get for him. The Kings and Penguins are looking for a scoring winger. The Penguins have cap issues.
Bob McKenzie: The Canucks blueline is dealing with some injuries, so the Raphael Diaz acquisition may not mean another defenseman is on his way out, ie, trying to get Alex Elder to waive his no trade clause.
Bob McKenzie: The Predators are trying to get a 1st or 2nd round pick for David Legwand.
- TSN Insider Trading: LeBrun: It’s possible that the Islanders trade Vanek before the deadline and save themselves his salary. The Kings and Penguins are interested, but with being so close to the cap, it’s harder for them to take him on beforehand. The asking price is three assets, any combination of a first-round pick, a young player, and a prospect.
Bob McKenzie: The Islanders have another asset in defenseman Andrew MacDonald. They could try to sign to a deal in the $4 to $5 million range, but they have lots of young defenseman in the pipeline.
Bob McKenzie: A lot of teams are calling the Sabres about Steve Ott, maybe more so than Matt Moulson. Other Sabres who could be on the move are Ryan Miller, Henrik Tallinder, Drew Stafford and Cody McCormick.
Darren Dreger: The Leafs have three options with Dave Bolland: re-sign him now, if they don’t like his salary wishes they can use him as their own rental, and lastly they could look to trade him.
- Craig Davis of the Sun Sentinel: Panthers goalie Tim Thomas would consider re-signing with the Panthers if they want him back.
“I’m certainly willing to entertain the idea. I haven’t talked to the club about that,” Thomas said Monday as the Panthers returned to work following three one-sided losses on the road.
“I was hoping by this time to be seeing more team success. That’s been a little bit difficult. Having said that, it’s a process. I knew coming into it where the team was last year. I bought into this process, and what we’re trying to do is turn it around.”
- Tom Gulitti of the Bergon Record: The Devils are showing interest in Flames Mike Cammalleri according to Elliotte Friedman. The Flames are looking for prospects and/or draft picks. The Devils don’t have 1st round pick or a 4th round pick.
- Sarah McLellan of the AZ Republic: Stars Ray Whitney is in the last year of his deal, and the Coyotes could be interested. Both the player and the team are familiar with each other. With also wanting to score 400 career goals, he could play another season.
- Brian Compton: Arthur Staple saying that Thomas Vanek turned down a seven-year deal worth $50 million.
- Ken Campbell of the Hockey News: Thomas Vanek carries a big salary cap hit, so it might take some creativity for a team to add him. The Sabres retained $1.4 million of Vanek’s salary cap hit, bringing it down to $5.75 million for the Islanders. If the Islanders retained half of that, he would be about a $2.9 million hit for a new team. With about 80 percent of the season done by trade deadline day, he would only cost about $590,000. A reason the Islanders may want to do something like that as a team, like the Wild , may offer a little more like Charlie Coyle, Jason Zucker, Justin Fontaine, Matt Dumba or Mario Lucia. There is talk that the Wild could get Vanek for nothing in the summer, but they are in the playoff race. Another reason of the Wild is not to let the Kings or Penguins get him. The Wild would then be able to offer an eight year deal if they acquired him by trade.
- Tony Gallagher of the Vancouver Province: Gallagher wonders if the Canucks could get into the running with Thomas Vanek. It would give the Sedin’s a sniper. Ryan Kesler could then center Zack Kassian and Alex Burrows or Chris Higgins. To get Vanek they would likely have to lose someone from their blueline and likely more. Would be a difficult move to make.
- John Vogl of the Buffalo News: The Sabres and Bruins talked trade at last years draft, but a Vanek for Tyler Seguin deal fell through. The Bruins were looking for another NHL-ready player off the Sabres roster.
- Kevin McGran of the Toronto Star: Leafs Nikolai Kulemin’s name keeps coming up in trade talk as they look to clear cap space for Dave Bolland’s return. The Oilers and maybe the Panthers could be a good fit. The Leafs would be looking for picks and prospects.
- Erik Erlendsson: Steven Stamkos’ return on Saturday is still not set in stone, still may not happen until after the Olympics.
- Mark Spector: Elliotte Friedman reporting that the Kings and Oilers could be talking Sam Gagner. If Spector were the with the Oilers, he’d want Dwight King.
- Dan Tencer: The Kings need scoring help and Tencer thinks the Oilers would be nice trading partners.
- Dennis Bernstein: The Kings will need to work on their blueline this summer. Options if they don’t sign before hand could be Andrew MacDonald, Dan Girardi and Brooks Orpik. They currently don’t have a true No.2 to play with Doughty. Jake Muzzin will be a solid 2nd pairing in time, but he is still developing.
- Jason Gregor: There are only five times that are more than four points out of the playoffs (before last night’s games): Islanders, Panthers, Flames, Oilers and Sabres. Should be a sellers market.
- Pittsburgh Penguins: No update on Penguins Kris Letang’s illness and will not travel with the team to Buffalo.
- Mike Heika: Scouting the Coyotes – Stars: Blue Jackets, Leafs, Ducks, Canucks, Lightning, Flyers, Rangers.