Ducks-Silfverberg talks progressing
Pierre LeBrun: Contract talks between the Anaheim Ducks and pending UFA Jakob Silfverberg are progressing. The Ducks would like to keep him but they need to know if they can get a deal done before the trade deadline later this month.
Canadiens scouting the Jets-Ducks
Mike McIntyre: Montreal Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin was at the Winnipeg Jets and Anaheim Ducks game on Saturday.
A few teams that could still be interested in Brassard
John Shannon: Six teams were talking to the Pittsburgh Penguins about Derick Brassard before he was traded to the Florida Panthers.
The Winnipeg Jets, San Jose Sharks, and Columbus Blue Jackets were among the other teams.
Leafs trying to move Zaitsev
Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun: says he would trade forward Kasperi Kapanen or Andreas Johnsson for Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith, but notes he’s been told the Maple Leafs wouldn’t.
The Maple Leafs will try to include defenseman Nikita Zaitsev in almost every trade conversation they have leading up to the deadline.
They won’t trade 2018 first-round pick Rasmus Sandin.
The Leafs are getting some interest in 2017 first-round pick Timothy Liljegren.
Penguins bide some time with early move
Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: The Pittsburgh Penguins have around $1 million in salary cap space left after their trade with the Panthers on Friday.
It won’t stop GM Jim Rutherford from trying to make another move as he hasn’t been happy with their play of late.
“We have a few weeks here to watch it and for somebody to convince me otherwise what I’m thinking now.”
Adding Nick Bjugstad and Jared McCann bides Rutherford a bit of time.
“I like the fact that we were able to make this move early,” Rutherford said. “We’ll watch our team real close. I don’t feel any urgency to get back on the phone tomorrow, to go and do something else.
“But as we know, at this time of the year, there’s things that come along that you don’t expect. I’m sure that there will be. We’ll see where it goes now.”