Panthers and Blues interested in Chiarot
NHL Watcher: Elliotte Friedman on The Jeff Marek Show: “I’ve heard Chiarot rumoured with Florida, I have heard a little bit of St. Louis.”
Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet: Wonder if the St. Louis Blues will look to go all-in this season and see if they could acquire someone like Ben Chiarot.
Jeremy Rutherford: The Blues will need to decide how much they want to spend at the trade deadline on defenseman. Current defenseman Nico Mikkola is showing so far that he can handle his own.
Kings notes on Quick, Kopitar, Doughty, Brown, Blake and Kempe
Lisa Dillman of The Athletic: (mailbag) Trading a goaltender like Jonathan Quick at the trade deadline doesn’t happen often. An injury could change that – see Edmonton Oilers and Mike Smith.
The Kings have invested a lot in winger Adrian Kempe so they likely won’t be selling at the deadline.
Believe that Anze Kopitar will retire a King, just like Ryan Getzlaf will with the Ducks.
Teams that might be interested in defenseman Drew Doughty likely don’t have the salary cap space to add him. Dustin Brown should finish his career with the Kings.
There could be a lot more selling at the trade deadline this year than in the past.
The Fourth Period: Dennis Bernstein and John Hoven were talking with Los Angeles Kings GM Rob Blake on “Kings of the Podcast.”
Blake is in the last year of his contract with the Kings and said that he hopes to return, and indicated that when the times comes, he and Luc Robitaille will work on an extension.
They are looking to improve the Kings and that it could happen at the trade deadline.
“I fully anticipate moves going forward will have impacts on the roster to make us better.”
Forward Dustin Brown is a pending UFA and the sides have had brief talks.
They are not expected to have any contract talks with Adrian Kempe‘s camp until after the season. He’s a pending UFA.
