Martin Necas wouldn’t have signed an extension with the Columbus Blue Jackets
Mark Scheig: Frank Seravelli on a potential deal between the Columbus Blue Jackets and Carolina Hurricanes involving Martin Necas.
“They had a deal on the table with Columbus, and he wouldn’t sign an extension there. That’s my understanding. The deal died right then and I think it involved the number four pick.”
Barry Trotz hit his target, and he still has assets to use
Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic: The Nashville Predators added Brady Skjei, Jonathan Marchessault and Steven Stamkos on the first day of free agency. Juuse Saros was extended for eight years.
NHL Rumors: Montour, Predators, Stamkos, Bruins, Teravainen
Heading into free agency GM Barry Trotz had some targets in mind.
“Well, I had a couple of targets,” Trotz said. “Whether it was a center or a top-six forward, I was also interested in (Elias) Lindholm and (Chandler) Stephenson and (Sean) Monahan.”
The Predators originally targeted two Golden Knights in Marchessault and Stephenson, but Stamkos availability bumped Stephenson out.
They’ve held on to their prospects and have some draft picks to use as well.
“It’s really important,” Trotz said of not having to give up assets in order to upgrade his roster. “We have prospects coming, I mean, legitimate prospects.
“We have two first-round picks next year — which we can either take the picks or use them to get better players. We’ve got two seconds and two thirds next year in a very good draft.”
The Toronto Maple Leafs were close on Jeff Skinner, and Nick Robertson wants out
@OilerAlert: Darren Dreger said that the Toronto Maple Leafs were close on Jeff Skinner, who signed with the Edmonton Oilers.
NHL Watcher: The Maple leafs pitched Jeff Skinner the idea of playing on a line with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner.
Chris Johnston and Jonas Siegel of The Athletic: Sources confirmed that Nick Robertson has asked the Toronto Maple Leafs for a trade and that he doesn’t plan on signing a contract with them this offseason. The Leafs qualified him, so they retain his rights.
The Maple Leafs may have been hoping for his offense at low-cost next season.
He was a healthy scratch 13 times in the regular season and averaged 11.5 minutes a game. He was held pointless in 6 playoff games averaging under 10 minutes a game. He was scratched for Game 7.
NHL Rumors: Mitch Marner, Martin Necas, and Jacob Trouba
Matthew Knies and Bobby McMann passed him on the depth chart, and former head coach Sheldon Keefe didn’t trust Robertson defensively.