Will Rask even be back next season?
NHL Watcher: Joe Haggerty was on TSN 690 talking about Tuukka Rask: “The speculation out there is that he might not even play after next year…I don’t think hockey is all that important to Tuukka, I think he has other interests, I think he has other things he likes to do.
I don’t think it burns inside his belly like it does in all those other Bruins players and it’s why you see these things from him from time to time…I just think hockey’s not as high up on the list as it needs to be for a guy you’re paying that kind of money to.”
Senators owner said they aren’t trading their two top draft picks
Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun: There was speculation over the weekend that the Ottawa Senators might be interested in the New York Rangers No. 1 pick in the 2020 NHL draft and that they might be willing to offer the No. 3 and No. 5 pick in the draft.
Senators owner Eugene Melnyk:
“The idea of trading our 3rd and 5th picks for the No. 1 pick is nonsensical,” Melnyk said in an email to Postmedia on Monday. “We’re very excited to welcome our many new Ottawa Senators that will come to us via the upcoming draft.”
The report originated in Los Angeles last Friday, that some league executives thought the Senators may offer the picks.
The Senators will likely be calling the Rangers about the No. 1 pick, same with the Montreal Canadiens.
Senators GM Pierre Dorion is expected to sit down with Brady Tkachuk to see if they can hammer out a contract extension. The New York Post speculated over the weekend that may be the Senators would be Tkachuk in a offer for the No. 1 pick.
The Senators might consider trading a second-round pick or some of their later picks for players that would help them out immediately.