On free agency interview period…
James Mirtle: Hearing the the NHL free agent interview period is now like July 1st where teams are pushing for decisions with some of the players they’ve spoken with. Teams/players can’t do anything officially until July 1st, but unofficially teams could get a lot done before free agency officially opens.
On the Tampa Bay Lightning …
Joe Smith: The Lightning have talked to Kevin Shattenkirk‘s camp but not yet with Karl Alzner or Cody Franson
On the Columbus Blue Jackets …
Aaron Portzline: The Blue Jackets confirmed yesterday that Vladislav Gavrikov signed a two-year deal to remain in the KHL. The Blue Jackets were blindside as Gavrikov had just arrived in Columbus on Sunday for a visit. The Blue Jackets didn’t send him home and plan to continue with their original plans with him.
Aaron Portzline: GM Jarmo Kekalainen on what it does to their depth chart: “It’s something we have to consider. If he had signed with us he’s on our team and he would have been one of our seven or eight. Now that he’s not, we’ll have to sort things out differently.”
On the Boston Bruins
Steve Conroy of the Boston Herald: GM Don Sweeney wasn’t able to land a left handed defenseman at the draft and he’ll likely continue his search when free agency opens on Saturday.
The Bruins don’t have to get one, but it would help.
The Bruins were tied to the Minnesota Wild and Marco Scandella at the draft, but their level of interest isn’t clear. Scandella has three years left at $4 million per.
GM Sweeney could look to Vegas and their surplus of defensemen. Would he be interested in any of Jason Garrison, Alexei Emelin, Luca Sbisa, Brayden McNabb, Clayton Stoner, and Jon Merrill?
On the free agent market Penguins defenseman Trevor Daley and third-line center Nick Bonino might interest Sweeney.