Canucks still working on Markstrom, don’t qualify Stecher
Rick Dhaliwal: There are lots of rumors about Jacob Markstrom going around, but the Vancouver Canucks and Markstrom are still trying to get a deal done.
Rick Dhaliwal: Eustace King, the agent for Canucks defenseman Troy Stecher who wasn’t qualified: “It is disappointing that Troy did not get qualified in his hometown but we look forward to the opportunities that lie ahead.’
Rick Dhaliwal: It was a tough decision for the Canucks to not qualify Stecher. The flat salary cap help lead to the decision. He would have a good case if they went to arbitration. The Canucks didn’t try to re-sign him yesterday.
Sharks GM on their pending UFAs
Curtis Pashelka: San Jose Sharks GM Doug Wilson on their pending unrestricted free agents Melker Karlsson, Stefan Noesen, and Joe Thornton:
“The conversations are ongoing.” “We certainly have to make some decisions. Free agency is a two-way street. We have the opportunity of signing and talking to somebody. They have the opportunity of going to market.”
Quick hits by Maple Leafs GM Dubas
Terry Koshan: Toronto Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas on the idea of considering size when drafting: “We would love to have players who are very big and very talented … we can address that in free agency and trade. I know it gets a lot of chatter and discussion.”
Lance Hornby: Leafs GM Dubas said that they are looking to gain some more salary cap space but added that they don’t really have any big contracts that they don’t like from a performance standpoint.
Chris Johnston: Leafs GM Dubas: “Agents I think that have a deep read of the market are preparing for the fact that this may not be free agency as usual and, it isn’t, because there’s been no cap growth.”
Chris Johnston: Dubas said again yesterday that they are looking to improve their defense and that they want to become a hard team to play against “particularly in the lower end of a forward group.”
Watch on TNT or truTV or Max or CBC or SportsNet or TVAS