Several teams willing to trade their first-round pick
@Account4Hockey: Frank Seravalli said on Sportsnet 960 radio that the Columbus Blue Jackets at No. 4 are open for business, and same with the Ottawa Senators at No. 7 and the New Jersey Devils at No. 10. The Montreal Canadiens are open to moving down in the 5-11 range.
Do the top pending UFAs have their next team locked down already?
Taj: Darren Dreger on TSN First Up radio show said that an executive told him yesterday that he believes 75-90% of the top pending UFAs basically already have their next team locked down.
Tampa unlikely to trade up into the first three rounds
Eduardo A. Encina: Tampa Bay Lightning GM Julien BriseBois when asked about the possibility of them trading up in the draft as they don’t pick until the fourth round: “It’s possible, but I don’t have anything right now that would lead me to believe that it’s likely. But this time of year things change in a hurry.”
Some free agent options for the New York Rangers
Vince Z. Mercogliano of Lohud: The New York Rangers have about $12.8 million in projected salary cap space. They also need to re-sign RFAs Ryan Lindgren and Braden Schneider.
Sources say the Rangers are looking to free up additional cap space by possibly trading forward Kaapo Kakko and/or defenseman Jacob Trouba.
Pending UFAs who might interest the Rangers include:
Top-line Wingers – Viktor Arvidsson, Tyler Bertuzzi, Jake Guentzel, Patrick Kane, Jonathan Marchessault, Steven Stamkos, and Tyler Toffoli.
Out of reach centers – Matt Duchene, Elias Lindholm, and Chandler Stephenson.
Bottom-six grit – Max Domi, Brandon Duhaime, Steven Lorentz, Kevin Stenlund, and Yakov Trenin.
Defensemen – Brenden Dillon, Joel Edmundson, Derek Forbort, Chris Tanev, and Nikita Zadorov.