Scouting the Winnipeg Jets and Arizona Coyotes game on Saturday …
Ken Wiebe: Tampa Bay Lightning GM Steve Yzerman attended his second consecutive Jets game on Saturday. The Lightning play the Jets early in December. May not read too much into it, but it is noteworthy.
Scouting the New Jersey Devils and Florida Panthers game on Saturday …
Andrew Gross: Edmonton Oilers GM Peter Chiarelli was scheduled to attend the Devils – Panthers game on Saturday.
On the Boston Bruins and Vegas Golden Knights …
Jimmy Murphy: Sources saying the Bruins and Golden Knights have been talking about a potential trade.
On the Vancouver Canucks …
Ben Kuzma of the Vancouver Province: There have been some who have suggested defenseman Erik Gudbranson should have been traded in the offseason, some thinking he’s not a long-term fit for the Canucks.
The pending free agent will be looking to sign a long-term deal in the $4 to $5 million per season range, up from his $3.5 million salary. Kuzma notes Karl Alzner‘s five-year deal at a $4.65 million cap hit.
If the Canucks are not interested in re-signing Gudbranson, or that they think he’ll be too much, they could move him at the trade deadline as opposed to losing him for nothing after the season.
There was speculation that the Canucks tried to trade him back to the Florida Panthers for Jason Demers last offseason but Jason Demers vetoed the deal.
Canucks GM Jim Benning on the Demers rumor.
“It was nowhere near what was out there in the media,” he stressed. “I didn’t comment on it because I don’t know how these things get out there. I get calls from the GMs about our players and we talk, but that’s all that was. It was just talk.”
Benning on the pending free agency for Gudbranson.
“There’s a mutual thing with his agent. Let’s just see where this goes. From their perspective, they want to feel comfortable in a new city and find his niche. We agreed to let it play out and when the time is right, we’ll talk about it.”