On the Colorado Avalanche …
Adrian Dater: (Kevin Allen of USA Today thinks that the Blue Jackets, Hurricanes, and Canadiens are his top potential landing spots for Matt Duchene) agrees with those three teams and adds the Nashville Predators and Boston Bruins.
Adrian Dater: Have heard that contract talks between the Avalanche and RFA defenseman Nikita Zadorov have the sides apart by $500,000 a season … Have heard that Zadorov wants $2.5 million a season and the Avalanche are offering $2 million … The sides are only discussing a short-term contract. thinks that it will be ridiculous if they can’t get a deal done … The Avalanche can’t enter training camp bickering over only $500,000 with one of their important young defensemen … The Avs didn’t have a problem handing out lots of money to veteran defensemen like Brad Stuart and Francois Beauchemin. No idea why they are being this way with Zadorov … Still expect Zadorov to sign with the Avs, guessing a one-year deal at $2.1 million.
On the Philadelphia Flyers …
Sam Carchidi of the Philadelphia Daily News: Philadelphia Flyers 2017 1st round pick, Nolan Patrick, has been cleared to return to the ice. Patrick had his second abdominal surgery 10 days before the draft. Patrick will have to earn a spot on their roster, and GM Ron Hextall has already said they don’t have keep him up and won’t force it.
“He’s got to do the same thing as all the other kids. He’s got to come in and show us that he can help make us a better team and that it’s the right thing for us,” Hextall said. “It’s truly that simple. We’ve got numbers. We don’t have to have him. We’ve got other kids who can play and we have veterans, so we’re in a good position with him.”
The Flyers have depth down the middle which could force Jori Lehtera and Valtteri Filppula to the wing.
With the young players the Flyers have in their system, they felt they could go with the youngsters over adding through the free agent market.
If the Flyers decide it’s best for Patrick to spend another year in the WHL with Brandon, then that is where he’ll go.