Scouting the Montreal Canadiens and New Jersey Devils …
Hockey Inside/Out: Scouts listed to attended the Canadiens-Devils game last night: Vegas (2), Blackhawks (2), Flames (2) Stars, Ducks, Hurricanes, Devils, Predators, Lightning, Blue Jackets, Canucks, Coyotes, Sharks, Sabres, Kings, and Capitals.
On the Montreal Canadiens …
Ryan Kennedy of The Hockey News: A trade for a center may not be the way to go for the Canadiens right now to fix this short-term (six to eight weeks) issue at center. They aren’t deep and don’t have many attractive pro prospects at the moment. Mikhail Sergachev should be untouchable. They need to build up their prospects and not trade away future assets.
Eric Engels of Sportsnet: Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin should continue to look for a center as it was an area of weakness before Galchenyuk and Desharnais were injured. Martin Hanzal of the Coyotes could be an option.
On the Los Angeles Kings …
John Hoven: Sounding like the LA Kings won’t be putting a waiver claim on Ryan Garbutt, who was put on waivers by the Ducks yesterday.
On the Winnipeg Jets …
Ken Wiebe: Think that a waiver claim on Ryan Garbutt would make some sense for the Jets. It would allow them to send Kyle Connor to the AHL. (Conner was sent to the AHL this morning)
On the Tampa Bay Lightning …
Erik Erlendsson: Don’t see the Lightning doing anything major at this point to shake things up. GM Steve Yzerman will be patient, but if they don’t turn things around by Christmas?
On the Colorado Avalanche and Philadelphia Flyers …
Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal: The Colorado Avalanche could use two or three defensmen now that Erik Johnson is out for two months. The Avs could easily get a defenseman for Gabriel Landeskog or Matt Duchene, but they also are not that deep up front.
Comcast could look to sell the Philadelphia Flyers in the spring. They had to wait a year after the passing of Ed Snider. In 1967 Snider bought the team for $2 million and it could be worth $600 million now.