- Elliott Pap of the Vancouver Sun: Canucks GM Mike Gillis said that term is not an issue with contract talks with the Daniel and Henrik Sedin.
“No,” Gillis replied when asked if contract length was the key to a deal. “The process has been very respectful from both sides. We’re trying to figure out what the cap is going to be next year and the upcoming years and really that’s the key. Those guys have been fantastic people, No. 1, for this organization. They’ve been great players and it’s really a function of how you allocate money in a cap system and we’re just trying to ensure we do the right thing for the entire organization and for Daniel and Henrik.”
Gillis on if talks could drag on until the July 1st deadline.
“Right now, I can’t say but I don’t foresee that happening again. You never know but I don’t see it happening again.”
- The Fourth Period: Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff has been looking at the trade market to help get his team out of their struggles. They would like to add a top-line right winger. They might have to trade one of their younger NHL-proven players to get one. It is unclear if anything is imminent.
- Elliotte Friedman of CBC: Sabres Darcy Regier said he’s had no offers for Ryan Miller, and basically nothing since the summer.Some teams are watching pending Islanders UFA defenseman, Andrew MacDonald.The Jets had three scouts at Thomas Vanek’s last game in Buffalo.The Blues and Alex Steen did talk about a contract extension in the summer, but he decided to wait and concentrate on the season.
- David Staples of the Edmonton Journal: Quotes from Bob Stauffer of Oilers Now. On Devan Dubnyk.
“I actually don’t think that goaltending is an immediate problem. I might be completely out to lunch here, but I think Dubnyk has shown in the past that he can string together a number of good games. He needs to be able to prove that he can do that again.”
On Oilers team defense.
“The biggest issue to me is they have to find a way to upgrade their Top 4 defence. That is an absolute given … The defence is an area of priority for me. It’s not good enough. That’s all there is to it. It’s simply not good enough. They have potential on the right side with Justin Schultz and Jeff Petry. Those two guys, in theory, should be able to play 45 minutes a game. Justin Schultz needs a Marc Methot, stay-at-home, experienced defenceman that allows Schultz to jump up and activate.”
Stauffer suggested the Oilers could try to trade for Blue Jackets Nikita Nikitin.
“I do think there’s a guy out there they can get who would be a heavier top four defenceman. It’s a former Western conference team, a team that’s deep in defence prospects and might be able to slide somebody in, a guy like Nikitin might make sense here. … I don’t think the cost would be too severe.”
Stauffer on the Oilers forwards.
“The players need to be put into a position to succeed…. Nail Yakupov needs to play on the right side. Ales Hemsky when he played for Hull played on the left wing. … When you have young players you put them into a position to succeed, so they’re not swimming upstream all the time, so if Yakupov is more comfortable playing on the right side as a left shot and Hemsky has played left wing in the past, why isn’t it Hemsky that plays left wing and Yakupov goes to the right side…. When did his game take off last year? When Hemsky went out and Nail Yakupov played top six right wing. Let’s get back to that.”
- Hockey Central panel talks about rumors and rumblings including contract talks involving Dion Phaneufand the Sedin twins.