Looking to trade their first round picks?
Renaud Lavoie: “Marc Bergevin just mentioned that he doesn’t expect to trade his first round pick (16 overall) at this time”
Corey Masisak: “Devils are at No. 20. Looks like if they want to move back there will be some competition. CBJ (21), WAS (24), COL (25) and STL (26) are all missing second-round picks as well, and there’s been plenty of chatter about how deep this draft is with good players into the 2nd round.”
Larry Brooks: “Depending on who is on board at No. 22, hearing that Rangers could flip that pick for a couple of second- rounders. Detroit has 32, 45, 55; Ottawa 33, 52, 59, 61; LA 35, 51, 60; Nashville 37, 42, Montreal 47, 48, 57. Rangers’ second rounder went to Carolina for Fox.”
On Oliver Ekman-Larsson
Sean Shapiro: Oliver Ekman-Larsson’s agent Kevin Epp on TSN 1040 on why OEL wants to play in Vancouver: “He saw the team play in the bubble, saw the entertaining brand of play, the offense the pace. He likes the history of Swedish players in VAN.”
Harman Dayal: “Depending on how interested Boston actually is, the #Canucks could literally have all the leverage in OEL talks. They have no other trade partners, a Friday deadline to get a deal done and it’s pretty apparent how incentivized they are to move that contract…”
On Alex Pietrangelo
Maple Leafs Hot Stove: Darren Dreger on Alex Pietrangelo.
“By all accounts, Alex Pietrangelo and his family are fully prepared to leave St. Louis and the Blues organization. I don’t believe that is changed. Is it possible if not likely Doug Armstrong takes another run at Pietro? It feels that way to me, but I am told that is not expected. I do know that Armstrong is sniffing around some of the bigger names among potentially available defensemen. If he is in that market and playing that game, he is doing his due diligence and preparing to move on and making sure he is in the market of Plan Bs.
I am prepared for anything, but I expect Pietrangelo will become a UFA Friday afternoon.”