On the New York Islanders …
Andy Graziano: With Nikolai Kulemin‘s injury, it’s possible he won’t be seen in an Islanders jersey again. Unless he’s brought back at a big discount.
On the Anaheim Ducks …
Eric Stephens of the OC Register: The Anaheim Ducks are without Ryan Getzlaf and Ryan Kesler down the middle and have been running with Derek Grant, Chris Wagner, Antoine Vermette and Kalle Kossila as their centers.
Ducks GM Bob Murray hasn’t ruled out trying to find some help. They looked at Matt Duchene before he was traded to Ottawa.
Elliotte Friedman reported on the weekend that the Ducks tried to acquire Vadim Shipachov from the Vegas Golden Knights.
On the Toronto Maple Leafs …
Sportsnet: Doug MacLean on Sportsnet 590 wonders if the Toronto Maple Leafs would be able to sign James van Riemsdyk to something that works for them salary cap wise, and for him. It’s going to be challenging.
MacLean when asked if van Riemsdyk’s next contact could be like six years at $6.5 million per – would someone go higher than that?
“I think you’re in the six range for sure, and it continually always comes back to, for me the craziest contract that’s out there that is affecting everybody, to me more than a McDavid, and to me more than an Eichel, is Johansen. I know he’s younger, and I know he hasn’t gotten a goal this year, but he’s at eight and a half.
So JVR to me is a $6 million plus guy and somebody will pay it. There are teams that would love to get their hands on this guy.
But can the Leafs pay it? I don’t think they can. I don’t think they can afford to pay it. And does he take a discount to stay with the group that he thinks they have a chance to win the cup?”