On the Calgary Flames …
Calgary Sun: Wes Gilbertson, Kristen Odland and Eric Francis look at the Flames season and have the future might hold.
Kristen Odland: The Flames need to fix their goaltending situation. Jon Gillies isn’t close to be ready. Joni Ortio is likely to return. Options could be Cam Ward, Frederik Andersen, Ben Scrivens or Michael Hutchinson.
Wes Gilbertson: The Flames need to add a starting goalie, a top-line right winger and hopefully find a team to take on a bad contract. The Flames should sign Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan to long-term deals and not bridge deals.
Eric Francis: The Flames will look to find a taker for Dennis Wideman’s $5.25 million cap hit. They need to find a goalie. Trade options could be Ben Bishop, Mike Smith, Frederik Andersen, Jimmy Howard, Antti Raanta or Ryan Miller. Free agent options could be James Reimer, Cam Ward, Karri Ramo or Anders Lindback. They will look at adding a skilled winger if they are not able to draft one in the top-five.
Pat Steinberg: Sean Monahan on his contract: “I don’t know when it’ll get it done, but it’ll get done.”
Wes Gilbertson: Johnny Gaudreau on both him and Monahan being pending RFAs: “If it was up to us, I think we would just sign the same deal.” Gaudreau added that they will listen to their agents though.
On the Toronto Maple Leafs …
Michael Augello: Morgan Rielly indicates that contract talks between his agent the Maple Leafs have started.
On the St. Louis Blues …
Igor Eronko: KHL’s Avangard’s GM on the Vladimir Sobotka to the Blues rumors: “That’s BS, he’s just had a surgery on his back, so he definitely stays. He’s our player”
On the Detroit Red Wings …
Craig Custance: The Red Wings don’t have to find a team that is looking to get to the salary cap floor to take on Pavel Datsyuk’s contract, they just need to find one that has the salary cap space and is interested in assets.
Ken Campbell: At least Datsyuk gave the Wings ample time to move his contract. Campbell thinks they have to move his contract to the Coyotes.