Is it up to St. Louis if he’s back behind the bench in Montreal next season?
Pierre LeBrun: “I know it’s early, but you get the sense the only “interim” part of Martin St. Louis’ coaching tenure in Montreal is how he himself feels about the gig after the season. Not the other way around. Hard not to think he won’t be behind the Habs bench next fall.”
A reset for the Blue Jackets, a few trade candidates and Patrik Laine
Aaron Portzline of The Athletic: Columbus Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen is calling it a “reset” and not a “rebuild.”
As of now, they have two first-round picks, theirs and the Chicago Blackhawks, and both are currently lottery picks.
“We felt that by unloading last year (at the trade deadline) and getting the next two drafts (2021, 2022) set up, along with some already really good, young core players, that we could turn it around quicker than the rebuilds that sometimes take years,” Kekalainen said. “That’s especially true if you let the losing culture creep in. There are a lot of examples around the league where it takes years and years and years because all of a sudden you’ve gotten used to losing, and that’s hard to get out of your system.”
Kekalainen said that if you traded someone like Zach Werenski, you’re adding a draft pick to hopefully find a Zach Werenski.
They could look to move pending UFA forward Max Domi and goaltender Joonas Korpisalo for picks or prospects. Forward Gustav Nyquist has another left at $5.5 million and they would listen on that.
RFA forward Patrik Laine will be a big decision for the Blue Jackets. He’s a year away from being a UFA. Do they attempt to sign him long-term or do they look to trade him? Will Laine want to sign long-term with the Blue Jackets?
“Of course,” Laine said. “I’ve got nothing bad to say about this place, the organization, the city, the players. …
“I don’t think about (the contract). It’s pretty much up to them. What are they thinking? I do what I do on the ice, and the rest is in their hands.”