Husso may be the top UFA goalie available
Andy Strickland: It’s hard to say if pending UFA goaltender Darcy Kuemper has helped or hurt his stock with his play this playoff. His recent injury doesn’t help him.
Ville Husso could be the most sought have UFA goalie this offseason ahead of Kuemper and Jack Campbell.
On the coaching market, RFAs with arbitration rights, Maple Leafs, Hurricanes, Devils, Senators, and Perron
Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet: Barry Trotz has told teams he’s not going to rush a decision and it has slowed things down for everyone else who is in the coaching market. Interviews are taking place but some teams aren’t in a rush either as they are waiting to interview some candidates who are not available yet. The Winnipeg Jets are very serious about Trotz.
The Florida Panthers are close to making a coaching decision.
Assistant coaches who should be some head coaching consideration include Kirk Muller, Jim Montgomery, Steve Ott, Mike Van Ryn, Scott Arniel and Ryan McGill. Muller has been linked to the Flyers, Arniel to the Jets.
The San Jose Sharks have talked to agent Allain Roy and Rangers AGM Ryan Martin about their vacant GM position.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have spoken with pending RFA Ondrej Kase. The Leafs might be scared of Kase’s arbitration number.
Other players whose team may be concerned about their arbitration numbers are Ethan Bear (Carolina Hurricanes), Denis Gurianov (Dallas Stars), Kasperi Kapanen (Pittsburgh Penguins), Dylan Strome (Chicago Blackhawks), Miles Wood and Pavel Zacha (New Jersey Devils).
The Maple Leafs will qualify defenseman Rasmus Sandin but they have a logjam on their left side and they have cap concerns.
There haven’t been talks between the Maple Leafs and pending UFA goaltender Jack Campbell in months and last heard, the sides were far apart.
The Carolina Hurricanes felt pending RFA Martin Necas initial ask was a little too high. The Hurricanes wouldn’t sell low on him.
If the Devils at No. 2 and the Ottawa Senators at No. 7 are to move their picks, it will be for a player that is under team control.
Don’t think David Perron will get to free agency.
