On Ilya Kovalchuk, Toronto Maple Leafs and Vegas Golden Knights …
Steve Simmons: From what the info that was able to collect yesterday morning, the Toronto Maple Leafs are not one of the teams that is interested in Ilya Kovalchuk.
Joe Yerdon of NHL.com: Vegas Golden Knights GM George McPhee when asked if they’d consider a sign-and-trade with the New Jersey Devils for Ilya Kovalchuk.
“We haven’t had any discussions that I’d imagine would go down that path to talk to a player like Kovalchuk,” McPhee said of the 34-year-old who scored 417 goals in 816 NHL games before playing in the KHL. “We’ll be looking for younger players and people that will be with us three, four years from now.”
On the Tampa Bay Lightning …
Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times: Lightning GM Steve Yzerman said that he’s talked to reps for restricted free agents Tyler Johnson, Ondrej Palat and Jonathan Drouin, and is still confident that he’ll be able to re-sign all three.
The Lightning have liked what they’ve seen from CHL free agent defenseman Darren Raddysh (Erie Otters of the OHL). It wouldn’t be a surprise if they were one of the teams that is interested in signing him. He is the brother of Lightning prospect forward Taylor Raddysh.
Yzerman said they haven’t finalized their expansion list, but pretty much knows what they will do: “If I had to do it today, I could.”
Yzerman wouldn’t comment on whether he has or if he would ask forward Ryan Callahan to waive his no-movement clause for the expansion draft.
The Lightning are hosting the 2018 NHL All-Star game and are also interested in host an outdoor game and the draft. Gary Bettman said the NHL would consider having an out game in Tampa.
“We believe there is a viable option in Tampa,” NHL executive VP Steve Mayer said.