On the Carolina Hurricanes and Eric Staal …
Tom Gulitti: It doesn’t sound like the door isn’t completely closed on Eric Staal returning to Carolina, but at the moment he’s looking at other options. He’s been talking to other teams, but he’s not ruling out the Hurricanes if they show interest in bringing him back.
Chip Alexander: Hurricanes GM Ron Francis on Eric Staal – it would be “unfair to us and to him to bring him back and ask him to accept a different role than the one he had.”
Chip Alexander: Francis added the Staal was “a great player in our market for a long time” and “We wish him the best.”
On the Chicago Blackhawks and Dallas Stars …
Brian Hedger: Hearing that the Blackhawks biggest competition for defenseman Brian Campbell could be the Stars.
On the Chicago Blackhawks …
Scott Powers of The Athletic: Former Blackhawks Andrew Shaw wasn’t being unreasonable with his asking price during talks with the Blackhawks according his agent.
“The Blackhawks did everything they could to sign ‘Shawzsy,’” Brisson said in a phone interview on Tuesday. “They just don’t have the cap space. Contrary to reports, we didn’t ask for $4.5 million.”
Source saying Shaw was looking for a seven or eight year deal at around $3.2 million. The Blackhawks couldn’t go over $3 million.
The Blackhawks traded Shaw to the Canadiens who signed him for six years with a $3.9 million cap hit.
“I think we were pretty close, but they have cap issues and it’s tough to get around,” Shaw told reporters on a conference call. “Especially this time of year with the draft coming, free agency coming, it was tough.”
The Blackhawks have about $7 million in cap space with 15 players under contract.
Defenseman Brian Campbell could be interested in returning. GM Stan Bowman said on the weekend that he was looking to sign a veteran defenseman.
