Five coaches on the last year of their deals
TSN: The Carolina Hurricanes and head coach Rod Brind’Amour have started talking about a contract extension according to Pierre LeBrun, but there is nothing imminent. Brind’Amour is one of five coaches who are in the last year of their deals, and the only one currently engaged in extension talks. Other teams will be keeping an eye on Brind’Amour.
“Tom Dundon, the owner, has told me a few months ago that he will absolutely get Brind’Amour signed. He’s one of the lower-paid coaches in the NHL but a lot of people around the league are keeping an eye on this. You can bet Seattle and his old pal Ron Francis are keeping an eye on it just in case it doesn’t come to fruition. And I can think of a few teams that would make a vacancy where there isn’t one now if Rod Brind’Amour gets to market.”
Darren Dreger adds that the Travis Green in Vancouver is another coach without a contract for next season. The Canucks have said that they want to extend him. With limited revenue coming in, the timing hasn’t been right. Rick Tocchet is also without a deal and there has been no update on talks.
Three Red Wings trade targets
TSN: The Detroit Red Wings are going to be sellers again this year leading up to the trade deadline. Frank Seravalli said that teams are looking at three potential trade targets.
“All veteran presences, including Bobby Ryan, Luke Glendening and, on the backend, Marc Staal. Glendening leads the league in faceoff percentage. Bobby Ryan is scoring on a contract that every team could fit and Staal would certainly provide that experience on the backend that teams crave come playoff time.”
Nothing imminent for the Flames
TSN: The Calgary Flames are in a slump, and though there has been Sam Bennett speculation, Pierre LeBrun doesn’t get the sense that anything is imminent.
“Of course, we know about the Sam Bennett situation, but certainly from talking to people around the league it seems actually pretty quiet on the Flames’ front. Which is not to say Treliving isn’t talking to a lot of teams. He’s actually notorious among his peers for checking in on every single team in the league every 10 days or so, where is I think where some of this noise comes from.”