LA Kings and Adrian Kempe talks to resume
Dennis Bernstein: Contract extension talks between the Los Angeles Kings and Adrian Kempe should resume this week. Kirill Kaprizov’s extension with the Minnesota Wild may have set the bar for the top wingers who will be looking for long-term extensions.
Is Harrison Brunicke ready, and the Pittsburgh Penguins will remain patient
Josh Yohe of The Athletic: Some within the Pittsburgh Penguins organization believe that 19-year-old defenseman Harrison Brunicke is NHL-ready. He’s not AHL eligible, and his development in the CHL may be limited. Get the sense that the Penguins might give him a nine-game audition.
Sergei Murashov has arguably been the best goalie in camp, but the 21-year-old may be headed to the AHL, as he’s behind Arturs Silovs and Tristan Jarry on the goalie market.
Don’t get the sense that GM Kyle Dubas is against trading any of Bryan Rust, Rickard Rakell or Erik Karlsson. Sidney Crosby, obviously, wouldn’t be thrilled with losing wingers Rust or Rakell, but if Dubas can net a good return, he’d have to consider.
Many contending teams would love to get their hands on Rust. The deal would have to be significant for Dubas to move him. He’s not opposed to keeping him. Trading Rakell or Karlsson seems a little more likely, but Dubas isn’t in a rush, and any return has to be good.
The Toronto Maple Leafs continue to talk to teams about some bottom-six players
The Fourth Period: Separate sources have said that the Toronto Maple Leafs continue to talk to team about trading forwards Calle Jarnkrok, David Kampf and Nick Robertson. They’ve been shopped since the offseason, and are believed to be looking for draft picks in return.
Jarnkrok is a pending UFA with a 10-team no-trade clause. Kampf has another yaer beyond this one, and a 10-team, no-trade clause. Robertson is a pending RFA.
The Leafs have $1.14 in projected cap space, and moving any of the above would just add to it and givc them more flexibility down the road.
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