Friedman’s 30 Thoughts Roundup …
- Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet: Heard that the Senators had looked at Blue Jackets Fedor Tyutin, but decided on Dion Phaneuf.
- As of yesterday, nothing imminent with regards to a Justin Schultz trade, but his time with the Oilers is nearing an end.
- Hard to see the Rangers trading Keith Yandle until Ryan McDonagh’s injury situation clears up.
- Dan Hamhuis’s name will come up more in the rumor mill now. The Stars make a lot of sense for Hamhuis. The Capitals are another team that might be interested, but with Brooks Orpik returning soon, hard to see them being able to fit his contract in.
- Friedman doesn’t think the Jets are willing to go higher than six-years and $36 million for Andrew Ladd. Heard over the weekend that they may have been within $750,000 a year, with another source saying it was closer than that.
- Numbers don’t really add up for the Jets to re-sign Dustin Byfuglien, Ladd, and non-bridge contracts for Jacob Trouba and Mark Scheifele. Could the Jets do Byfuglien, Ladd and Scheifele if they trade Trouba? Teams are thinking Ladd will be traded.
- Several executives said they would traded both Byfuglien and Ladd, but some admitted that it was unrealistic for Winnipeg.
“They could have made two trades that helped in three years, but everyone might be fired before then,” another GM laughed. “Wrong time to do that.”
- Friedman isn’t sure if a Travis Hamonic for Jacob Trouba deal works. Islanders GM Garth Snow tends to draw hard lines with RFAs.
- Wouldn’t be a surprise if the Islanders keep pending UFAs Kyle Okposo and Frans Nielsen.
- Hurricanes GM Ron Francis will wait until closer to the deadline to see where they sit in the standings before deciding on whether to sell off some assets.
- Will Pekka Rinne’s struggles lead the Predators to consider adding a goalie? If they do, would likely be a rental like Jonas Hiller, Kari Ramo or James Reimer.
- Contract extension talks between the Panthers and Vincent Trocheck are expected to pick up over the next week or so.
- There were rumors that Flames were angry about the length of Dennis Wideman’s suspension as they were close to trading him. There were some trade talks, but a trade was no close to completion.