On the Arizona Coyotes …
John Shannon: Hearing that the Coyotes could be close to making an announcement regarding a site for their proposed new arena. Announcement could come as early as this week.
On the New York Islanders …
The Fourth Period: Sources saying that a Jaroslav Halak trade is not imminent after a week of Halak being on the trade market. Two teams last week were interested, but those talks have cooled.
The Islanders are looking for scoring, and may have to add to the deal to get what they are looking for.
Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun reported over the weekend that the Islanders put Calvin de Haan on the trade market.
On the Vancouver Canucks …
Ben Kuzma of the Vancouver Province: Canucks defensemen Chris Tanev and Alex Edler are injured, the team ranks last in basically every offensive category, they’ve lost games in a row and the fans are looking for a change.
“We’re in a transition period and that’s why I’m looking at different things,” said Benning. “If it makes sense, we’ll look at it, but I’m not moving our Grade-A prospects.”
Jannik Hansen was injured on Saturday. Loui Eriksson and Sven Baertschi haven’t scored this season.
GM Jim Benning will say that he’s talking to teams on a daily basis, and if a trade presents itself that makes sense, he’d make it. He doesn’t want to trade prospects Thatcher Demko, Brock Boeser and Olli Juolevi, or give up a high draft pick, and core players like Chris Tanev are non-starters.
When asked if he’d make a bold move and trade a core player like Tanav, Benning said:
“Not at this time,” he said. “We’ve rebuilt our defence over the course of the last two years and we have some depth. Tanev is a big part of our group and we’re not looking to move him. Chris is still young (26) and one of our better defencemen and you saw the other night (Saturday) when Tanev and Edler didn’t play.
“It all starts with your D-men and getting out of your own zone fast and getting through the neutral zone. We miss Chris when he’s not playing.”
Tanev carries a $4.45 million cap hit for the next three years.
