On the Los Angeles Kings and Winnipeg Jets …
Gary Lawless: Don’t think the LA Kings have talked to the Winnipeg Jets about Ondrej Pavelec yet.
Jim Matheson: If Jonathan Quick needs surgery, have to think that the Kings need to trade for Pavelec if the Jets retain a large portion of his salary.
On Jared Cowen and the Toronto Maple Leafs …
Bob McKenzie: The grievance arbitration hearing for Jared Cowen and the Toronto Maple Leafs is today. If Cowen wins, he will get his full $4.5 million salary. If the Maple Leafs win, he will get $1.5 million over the next two years. If Cowen wins, the Maple Leafs will have a $3.1 million salary cap hit this season. If the Maple Leafs win, Cowen will carry a $750,000 salary cap hit for the next two seasons.
Michael Augello: If Cowen’s buyout doesn’t go through, the Leafs could put him on the LTIR. Reports are that he won’t be able to play until 2017.
On James Wisniewski …
Darren Dreger: Defenseman James Wisniewski is close to signing a contract with Barys Astana of the KHL. He still hopes to return to NHL at some point.
On the St. Louis Blues …
Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: (chat) When asked about Kevin Shattenkirk – that moving Shattenkirk at the trade deadline would be giving up assets. If the Blues are doing well, why not just keep him?
“Because if you don’t trade him before the deadline and he signs elsewhere this summer, which is very likely, than you lose him for nothing. You CAN NOT do that summer after summer, losing guys like Backes, Brouwer and Shattenkirk. You are giving guys away. Sure, if you keep Shattenkirk and win the Stanley Cup past the deadline, then it’s worth it. But if you don’t win the Cup, it can set the franchise back losing asset after asset.”