- The Fourth Period: The Predators will be looking at add another dynamic goal-scorer this offseason. The Preds may look at the trade route rather through free agency. They could dangle Colin Wilson and Ryan Ellis again. They could go big and look at moving Shea Weber. Sources saying that management may be concerned about the bonus payments in Weber’s contract. Weber is due $13 million on July 1st and will receive lesser bonuses in for the next three years.
- Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun: Senators coach Paul MacLean will be on the hotseat. GM Bryan Murray wouldn’t give MacLean a vote of confidence a couple weeks ago when he was on TSN 1200. The Senators will also have decisions on Jason Spezza. The Ducks and Blues were interested at the trade deadline. He’ll be a UFA at end of next season and has a no-trade clause. A league executive:
“Maybe they need to put better players around him. Weren’t they looking for a winger to play with Spezza all year? Perhaps Ales Hemsky is the guy.”
- Chris Nichols: Oilers Craig MacTavish on SportsNet during intermission on Tuesday.
“I think my mandate really when I came in as manager was try to turn the team over to the group of players that I really feel, and the organization feels, has to lead us out of this malaise that we’ve been in the last number of years. And what I’ve seen out of that line of Taylor Hall, Nugent-Hopkins, and Jordan Eberle tells me that we’re going to have a pretty dynamic first line.
“And now we’ve got to find the pieces to make a very solid second line. I think that’ll be a primary focus of mine going into the off-season.”
On potentially drafting Leon Draisaitl or Aaron Ekblad:
“Well, I think both areas are areas of need for our hockey club and we’d be fortunate to get any one of those players that you mentioned. I don’t currently have a real preference one way or the other. We’ll see how the draft lottery unfolds, where we’re picking, what’s available and then we’ll be better served to make that decision.”
- Chuck Gormley of CSN Washington: Capitals Jaroslav Halak is a pending UFA and Gormley doesn’t think he’ll back.
- Hope Smoke: Nick Kypreos “NY had every intention of bringing back Torts but then 4-5 guys on that Rangers team said not so fast”