On the Arizona Coyotes …
Bob McKenzie: The Coyotes are one of the multiple teams that have serious interested in Rangers center Derek Stepan.
On the Nashville Predators …
Darren Dreger: Sounding like there isn’t much progress being made on the Predators getting the Golden Knights to stay away from players they want to keep.
The Fourth Period: The Predators are likely to protect eight skaters for the expansion draft, potentially leaving James Neal, Colin Wilson, Calle Jarnkrok, Craig Smith and Colton Sissons exposed. GM David Poile is taking calls on Neal and Jarnkrok and could make a move if the right offer presents itself. It’s unclear what they are looking to get back.
On the Detroit Red Wings …
Darren Dreger: Don’t expect the Red Wings to make a trade today. When the lists are made public, they will reassess things.
On the New York Islanders …
Darren Dreger: Islanders GM Garth Snow is talking to teams and hoping to acquire a top-six forward, but doubt that anything “big” goes down today.
Arthur Staple: (off of Dreger’s tweet) Sounding like all of the players the Islanders are interested in could be staying put today. Could revisit after the expansion process.
Arthur Staple: If the Islanders don’t announce a trade before today’s deadline, raises the likelihood that they have a deal in place with Vegas to avoid selecting certain players.
Arthur Staple: Would it take the Islanders first or second round pick to not select some of the players the Islanders want to keep?
Arthur Staple of Newsday: There is lots of trade talk around the Islanders leading up to today’s trade freeze.
Rumors of the Islanders looking to move defenseman Travis Hamonic or Calvin de Haan. The Islanders have been tied to Edmonton Oilers winger Jordan Eberle and they’ve like Colorado Avalanche center Matt Duchene.
Trading a defenseman would help alleviate some of their expansion concerns.