Teams want the Stars to retain salary
Pierre LeBrun: There are teams that will be interested in Dallas Stars goaltender Anton Khudobin but would like the Stars to retain salary or take a contract back, wich was why he wasn’t claimed.
Canucks won’t move high picks
Thomas Drance: Vancouver Canucks GM Jim Rutherford: “It’s not the cycle we’re in to trade high draft picks.”
World Cup of Hockey?
Pierre LeBrun: NHL Deputy commissioner Bill Daly said that NHLPA executive Don Fehr brought up a few weeks ago the World Cup of Hockey.
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said it’s not on the front-burner but it’s some the NHL and NHLPA could look at, at some point.
Predators should extend Forsberg, not trade him
Dan Rosen of NHL.com: (mailbag) Nashville Predators forward Filip Forsberg is a pending UFA and would draw a bigger trade package if it’s a sign-and-trade. That may land the Predators an NHL player and a high draft pick. If it’s just a ‘rental’ trade, it would likely be a prospect and/or a draft pick.
That said, signing the 27-year old should be a priority. Question is, does he want to re-sign? If he won’t sign before the trade deadline, should they keep him if they are in the playoff race?
A blue line and two goaltending options for the Oilers
The Fourth Period: Elliotte Friedman said the Edmonton Oilers could be looking for a goaltender, a left defenseman, and a third-line center. GM Ken Holland said on HNIC that he’d like to be a buyer but they need to start winning.
The Oilers don’t have a lot of salary cap space to work with.
It’s not known who the Oilers are looking at, but if they could get the Montreal Canadiens to retain some salary, defenseman Ben Chiarot ($3.5 million) could be an option. It’s believed the Canadiens are looking for a first-round pick for Chiarot. Would GM Ken Holland want to move his first-round pick?
Goaltending options could be pending UFAs Joonas Korpisalo (Blue Jackets) and Marc-Andre Fleury (Blackhawks).