- Pierre LeBrun of ESPN: Penguins GM Jim Rutherford:
“Well there’s going to be changes because we have so many UFAs. And we don’t have a lot of cap space,” Rutherford told a small group of reporters.
“Are you asking me are there going to be major trades? I don’t know. Talked to some people, some people came after me today and there’s ideas out there. I haven’t been throwing any ideas out but I’ll listen. But obviously there’s going to be some new players there because just the position we’re in with the cap.”
Pending UFA Brooks Orpik likely won’t be back and they may trade James Neal to get younger and to clear up some cap space. Rutherford on pending UFA Matt Niskanen:
“He had a good year,” Rutherford said. “And trying to figure that out. It’s not going to easy but certainly with the year he had we’d like to take a look at him.”
Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman on Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane:
“I’ve had discussions with Pat, I’ll continue that,” Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman said after the GMs meeting. “I’m very optimistic about that. We’ve been very consistent with we’re going to make it happen. I know talking to Pat they certainly want to be in Chicago. It’s a negotiation. I would say nothing has changed my thoughts all along, which is we’ll get it done. It’s still June 11 or 12th, and we’ve still got a few more weeks before we do anything.”
Predators GM David Poile on Shea Weber:
“We’re keeping him, we’re building our franchise around him,” Poile said after the GMs meeting. “I think we’ve got one of the best young defenses in the league. I think he’s got an excellent chance of winning the Norris Trophy in 11 or 12 days from now. Why wouldn’t we build our team around him? That’s exactly what we’re doing. We just need one or two forwards and when we get that, you’ll be saying, ‘Imagine that someone ever thought they would trade Shea Weber?’ No, we are not trading Shea Weber.”
Sabres GM Tim Murray wants to add to their second overall pick at this years draft.
“I can’t imagine I would trade the second overall pick,” Murray said. “I’d like to get a couple of more first-round picks and I have those three third-rounders to us. I certainly know you can’t trade a second for a first, but you might take some money back in a deal to do that and I do have to get to the floor. There are different ways to get to the floor so I’m exploring all that.”
- CapGeek: “When it comes to compliance buyouts for a team attempting to avoid cap benefit recapture penalties, keep in mind that a player must first clear unconditional waivers before a team can complete a buyout. In the event the player is claimed during this process, not only can the team no longer buy out the player, but the team will be on the hook for the very recapture penalties they were trying to avoid — at least those accrued to date. Note that a player with a NMC has the power to block the waiver process and accept an immediate buyout. In these cases, *not* blocking the waiver process and allowing it to occur could be used as a threat to thwart a buyout attempt.”
- CapGeek: “Example: If the #NYRangers wanted to buy out Brad Richards to avoid recapture penalties and if he allows the waiver process to occur, and is claimed, #NYRangers are on the hook for an annual penalty equal to the $13M they benefited through 2013-14 divided by how many seasons are left on his contract at retirement. Meaning, for example, $13M in 2019-20 if Richards retired prior to that season.