Kyle Palmieri and the New York Islanders chatter
Andrew Gross Of New York Newsday: The talk with Lou Lamoriello and the New Jersey Devils Kyle Palmieri will not go away. New York needs scoring help and defensive depth. With Anders Lee done for the season, the time may be now to strike for the Islanders’ general manager.
What would such a deal take? For one, New Jersey and Kyle Palmieri have to decide what they want to do. There have been no real indications one way or the other. Also, time is ticking.
This is the kind of player that Barry Trotz and Lou Lamoriello covet. His cap hit is just $4.65 million and with Lee’s salary on the LTIR shelf, Lamoriello can make such a move.
The general manager will strike quickly with little notice. He waits for now like the rest of us, however.
Chicago Blackhawks are what they aren’t?
Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times: It is a trade deadline that feels not like any others for even the Chicago Blackhawks. Stan Bowman said the following:
“I don’t know if you would call us a seller or a buyer,” Bowman said. “We’re willing to do a little bit of both, but we’re not going to sell off players we think have a future for us. We’re trying to add players that we think can be part of our future. I don’t think we’re going to be looking for rental players who will be here a couple of months and having to give up some top young assets to do it.”
Chicago could accumulate assets, sell pieces, or acquire talent. Now the latter option presents a problem as the Blackhawks are at an SPC of 48 — which is two away from the 50-man limit. Bowman could sell off a Mattias Janmark or even Carl Soderberg close to the deadline. There is Calvin de Haan but he may be exposed at the draft.
Whatever Chicago does depends on where they are in the standings. Few expected them to be on the playoff bubble this late in the season. Yet, here they are. Stan Bowman expects to be active even if things ultimately go quiet.