On the Calgary Flames and Marc-Andre Fleury …
Eric Francis of Sportsnet: Now Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, said that back at last year’s trade deadline, had Pittsburgh Penguins GM Jim Rutherford worked out a trade to send him to the Calgary Flames, Fleury would have likely waived his no-trade clause.
“I heard all the rumours – Winnipeg, Calgary and Vegas,” said Fleury of the trade deadline talk.
“I didn’t know what was going to happen. At the trade deadline I couldn’t sleep that night, wondering, ‘where am I going?’”
On trade deadline day GM Rutherford told Fleury that he wouldn’t be going anywhere that day.
On the Vancouver Canucks and offer sheets …
Chris Nichols of FanRag Sports: Elliotte Friedman was on Sportsnet 650 and was asked why someone hasn’t offer sheeted Detroit Red Wings RFA Andreas Athanasiou. Friedman says that Athanasiou is still unproven and teams would have to worry about the repercussions offer sheeting someone. Friedman then goes into the Vancouver Canucks and the offer sheets they’ve dealt with – Ryan Kesler, David Backes and Steve Bernier.
“I’ve talked about this story before, about how the Vancouver team had a big decision years ago, right before the 2012-13 lockout – they considered offer-sheeting Jamie Benn, and I think they were really legitimately thinking about doing it. At the end of the day, they just decided not to because A) they thought Dallas would match, and B) I think they were worried about the repercussions.
“I believe at one point – I think I told that story on the morning show last week – and then somebody reached out to me and said that he’d heard at one point in time that Evander Kane had walked into the Canucks’ office and had tried for an offer sheet. And I think the Canucks considered it, but again, same thing. Not to the same level they considered Benn. They really considered that one. And then at the end of the day they considered not to do it.”
Friedman notes that some GMs think offer sheets are coming as the free agent market isn’t what it use to be. Some people thought that Toronto Maple Leafs forward Connor Brown might have got one this summer.