On the Chicago Blackhawks …
- Mark Lazerus of the Chicago Sun-Times: The Blackhawks don’t have a lot of salary cap space leading up to the deadline. They gained a bit more room by sending Rob Scuderi to the AHL.
A No. 4 defenseman could be option, but GM Joel Quenneville said he’s okay with their blueline and would rather add a forward or two at the deadline.They could use a top-line left winger and Marian Hossa will be out for a couple weeks.
Andrew Ladd, Mikkel Boedker, Kris Versteeg and P.A. Parenteau are options they could look at.“As a team, if there are some areas where we could help our team, we’d be definitely looking at,” Quenneville said. “If there’s some players coming in, I”m not opposed to that one bit. … I think up front we could use a player or two.”
- Chris Nichols: Bob McKenzie: “There’s no question in my mind the
#Blackhawks would like to try and do something (as) significant as possible.” … “I don’t think there’s any question (#Blackhawks) have interest in Andrew Ladd”
- Chris Nichols: McKenzie: Mikkel Boedker “has a lot of the elements that a team like the Chicago
#Blackhawks would want.”
- Brian Hedger: “Here’s the scary part for opposing teams … Teravainen could get hot &
#Blackhawks might add top 6 fwd w/o having to deal him. Good luck.”
On the Calgary Flames …
- Eric Francis of the Calgary Sun: Johnny Gaudreau will be a restricted free agent at the end of the season. His agent, Lewis Gross, is in Calgary meeting with Gaudreau and the Flames. A framework of a new deal could be drawn up this week. GM Brad Treliving wouldn’t comment on the process, but did say that he would be talking with Gross.
“It’s good to have him out here to sit down and chat about things and what will happen next year,” said Gaudreau, who insists he and Gross haven’t discussed numbers much at all this NHL season.
“Honestly, we haven’t talked about (the contract) much, but now that he’s out here, it might come up a little more now. We’ve been kind of struggling on the ice lately, so we haven’t been worrying about it too much because we’re trying to hop back up in the standings.”
Gaudreau on his contract status.
“(A new contract) is just something to get out of the way,” said the 22-year-old Jersey boy who leads the Flames with 22 goals and 32 assists in 54 games.
“Whatever is best for the Flames and whatever is best for us, we’ll come to an agreement and we’ll figure something out.”
Vladimir Tarasenko’s eight-year, $60 million, $7.5 million cap hit could be a comparable.