On the Florida Panthers …
- Gary Lawless: The Jets, Devils, Coyotes and Canucks are among the teams asking the Panthers about Brandon Pirri. He’s a pending RFA with arbitration rights.
- Gary Lawless: Multiple offers for Pirri. One team offered a 2nd round pick, another offered a 3rd and 4th round pick.
- George Richards: Word is the Oilers-Panthers had talked about a Teddy Purcell for Brandon Pirri trade before Pirri injured his ankle. Oilers coud be a landing spot.
On the Arizona Coyotes …
- Sarah McLellan of the Arizona Republic: Pending UFA Mikkel Boedker on the approaching trade deadline.
“It’s difficult, definitely,” Boedker said. “Uncertainty in life is hard. It doesn’t matter what it is or when it is. So uncertainty is really hard. I think that part’s been difficult but then again, it’s a job and you gotta do it to the best of your capabilities.”
Darren Dreger reported earlier this week that the Coyotes have backed off their previously tabled offer. Boedker said he wasn’t sure if that was true. Source confirmed that it was the case.
Source added that a six-year contract was discussed, but Boedker’s camp wasn’t looking for $6 million a year.
On the Chicago Blackhawks …
- Mark Lazerus of the Chicago Sun-Times: Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman has been unable to trade Bryan Bickell’s $4 million cap hit. Plan B is that Bickell could help them in the playoffs.
“Anything’s possible,” Bowman said when asked about the chances that Bickell could be traded or be a factor in the playoffs. “I can’t handicap either of those scenarios.
“I gotta credit Bryan for what he’s done. He’s gone down to Rockford. He’s playing well. He’s getting his game going — that was the thing we spoke of when we went him down was he wasn’t playing a lot of minutes when he was here. It’s hard to recapture your confidence and your swagger when you’re not playing a lot.”