On Jimmy Vesey …
Matthew Coller on ESPN: The Sabres made their best efforts to sign Jimmy Vesey, but he still plans on becoming a free agent on August 15th. The list of interested teams won’t be short. With all teams offering likely offering the same entry-level deal, it will come down to which teams make the best sales pitch. Will Vesey be looking to win sooner than later? Coller looks at Vesey’s short-list and Wild cards, selling points and drawbacks.
Short List:
Buffalo Sabres
- Selling point: Jack Eichel
- Drawback: Market size
Toronto Maple Leafs
- Selling point: The future
- Drawback: Pressure
Boston Bruins
- Selling point: Hometown
- Drawback: Closing window to win
New York Rangers
- Selling point: Star power
- Drawback: Cup chances
Chicago Blackhawks
- Selling point: Stanley Cup(s)
- Drawback: Cap troubles
Coller picks the Blackhawks as the most likely landing spot for Vesey from the ‘short list.’
Wild Cards: Pittsburgh Penguins, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, Los Angeles Kings and Edmonton Oilers. Coller picks the Penguins from the list of ‘wild card’ teams.
Jimmy Murphy: “The better the #Preds get, the more I think Jimmy Vesey already knew what team he wanted to play for when he decided to opt out of Nashville … Regarding last tweet on Vesey, yes he can change his mind, but to leave a team with a great present and future must mean he had mind set.”
On the Washington Capitals …
Tarik El-Bashir: Have been told that contract talks between the Capitals and Dmitry Orlov are ongoing.
On the New York Islanders …
Staple answering some twitter questions about the Islanders
Arthur Staple: Projecting the Islanders forward lines and extras: “Ladd-Tavares-Parenteau, Lee-Barzal-Strome, Chimera-Nelson-Bailey, Kulemin-Cizikas-Clutterbuck. Prince/Quine extras.”
Arthur Staple: If the Islanders are going to trade a defenseman because the expansion draft, it won’t happen until after the season.
Arthur Staple: Early list of players who the Islanders could protect in the expansion draft: John Tavares, Ryan Strome, Andrew Ladd, Anders Lee, Johnny Boychuk, Nick Leddy, Travis Hamonic, Ryan Pulock, and Jean-Francois Berube
Arthur Staple: Don’t see the Islanders making a trade for a forward before the season starts.