- Craig Custance of ESPN: Three things the Lightning will have to decide on this offseason: 1. Make a decision of Ryan Callahan – the Lightning would like to keep him, but there will be a limit on what they will want to pay him. He should be able to get about $6.25 million on the open market. A team like the Sabres may be willing to go max term for Callahan. 2. Add depth on defense – Sami Salo will be a UFA and GM Steve Yzerman may look for a defenseman who is not closing in on 40. Maybe Yzerman could try to convince Dan Boyle to return. 3. Get Jonathan Drouin acclimated.
- Craig Custance of ESPN: (chat) When asked about his suggestion for the Capitals to trade Mike Green despite the fact that he might not be an attractive package due to declining play, contract and injury history … “No, they definitely wouldn’t be maxing out his value. But something has to change there in DC. You can’t move OV, you shouldn’t move Backstrom. You can’t keep bringing back the same core over and over and expect different results.”
The Avs have to re-sign both Ryan O’Reilly and Paul Stastny this offseason. Custance thinks Stastny could get a deal in the $7 million range. There are not a lot of 28-year old center on the free agent market this year.
- Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal: Artus Irbe could replace Jim Corsi as the Sabres goalie coach.
Pending UFA Nick Schultz may be one and done with the Blue Jackets as he hasn’t been able to get into their top six along the blueline since being traded from the Oilers.
- Hope Smoke: Darren Dreger: “Most definitely the Lightning are going to need help on their blueline moving forward.”
- Hope Smoke: Nick Kypreos: “I don’t think Fleury has totally recovered. I think MAF still had the yips.” … “Now that teams can retain $, there will be a lot of teams willing to take on Fleury as a rehabilition project if he’s available”
- Hope Smoke: Jamie McLennan: “The capologist for the Flames should have been shown the door after the ROR offer sheet. I know who it is”