On Las Vegas …
Guy Flaming: Source saying that Kelly McCrimmon (WHLs Brandon Wheat Kings owner/GM) will likely be named Las Vegas’ assistant GM.
The Sin Bin: Las Vegas owner Bill Foley on the McCrimmon rumor: “Can’t confirm at this point.”
On the Chicago Blackhawks …
Mike Loftus: Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville was watching Jimmy Vesey play last night. Vesey was playing left wing on a line with Jack Eichel.
On the Tampa Bay Lightning …
Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times: The Tampa Bay Lightning have re-signed Steven Stamkos and Vladislav Namestnikov, and signed Victor Hedman to a long-term extension this offseason.
The Lightning still have to deal with RFA Nikita Kucherov, who will be getting a nice raise from his $700,000 salary. The Predators deal with Filip Forsberg – six-years and $36 million could be a comparable.
Lightning GM Steve Yzerman is confident a deal will get done, but it could take until the start of the season to get completed.
“We continue to communicate with his representation,” Yzerman said. “And we expect to have him under contract to start the season.”
The Lightning have between $5 and $6 million in salary cap space for Kucherov and RFA Nikita Nesterov.
Yzerman acknowledged that they will need to make a move to get under the cap, but they can wait until after signing Kucherov and Nesterov if need be.
At the moment there is no offer sheet believed to be on the table for Kucherov.
“We’ve got to be under the cap at some point,” Yzerman said. “Depending on the health of players, Ryan Callahan had surgery and if he’s not ready to to start the season, that buys us some time. We can do that (long-term injured reserve) if we need to. At some point, we’re going to have to be cap compliant to start the season, there’s no way around it.”
The Lightning could look to move Valtteri Filppula who is owed $5 million in each of the next two years.