On the Vegas Golden Knights …
Steve Carp: thinks that Jack Capuano could be the front-runner for the Golden Knights head coaching job. He has a good relationship with GM George McPhee. They won’t break the bank for their coach.
On the Los Angeles Kings …
Dennis Bernstein: Kings prospect Adrian Kempe is not untouchable. The Kings could consider trading him in a deal for a player that has term left on his contract.
David Pagnotta: Not confirmed but sounding like Devin Setoguchi may not report to Ontario (AHL) after he cleared waivers.
On the Colorado Avalanche and the Pittsburgh Penguins …
Chris Nichols of FanRag Sports: Elliotte Friedman on NHL Network talking about the asking prices for Colorado Avalanche forwards Matt Duchene and Gabriel Landeskog.
“It’s high, there’s no question about that,” said Friedman. “These are players who have terms left on their contract, and these are guys who are good players. Good players are really hard to find. They’ve made it very clear they’re looking for young defensemen. They feel that if there’s a position they’re thinnest it’s there. They want to get a young defenseman or two in exchange. They’ve also let it be known they’re not sure about their goaltending over the next few years with Varlamov having the kinds of injury problems that have knocked him out for the season. So they’re looking for that as well.
“They want young players with term that can help them either in goal or on defense, and they are determined not to make this deal unless they get something like that that really helps them.”
Friedman talked to Penguins GM Jim Rutherford last week.
“Jim Rutherford – I talked to him on Friday. I didn’t ask him specifically about Duchene, but one thing he did say to me that was interesting was, ‘I will do anything it takes to win, and I’ll deal with whatever I have to deal with in the off-season, if that’s what I have to do.’
