On available players …
Allan Walsh: “Talk on players available or not available for trade makes me laugh. GM’s talk, often bring up names to understand market for player. Many times, GM’s will bring up names with zero intention to actually move player. 1 GM often says every player available for right price.”
On the Edmonton Oilers, Florida Panthers, Colorado Avalanche, Pittsburgh Penguins, Calgary Flames and Arizona Coyotes …
Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal: The Oilers are able to sign Kris Russell after January 1st. If they re-signed him before the end of the season, they’d have to protect him in the expansion draft. They will already have to protect defensemen Oscar Klefbom, Adam Larsson and Andrej Sekera. The Oilers could protect four defensemen and four forwards as opposed to three defensemen and seven forwards. They could make a verbal agreement on a new deal and not announce it until later. It’s unlikely Vegas would draft a player who is a pending UFA.
The Florida Panthers wanted to fire Gerard Gallant at the draft last year because he didn’t like the players they liked or the style of play they wanted.
Talk is the Colorado Avalanche would trade Gabriel Landeskog for a quality defenseman. Would a Landeskog for Travis Hamonic work? How about Landeskog for Cam Fowler?
Many people think that the Avalanche could move Matt Duchene for a young defenseman.
The Penguins will most likely have to ask Marc-Andre Fleury to waive his no-movement clause. He likely doesn’t want to play in Vegas, so they’ll need to find a team to trade for him. A reunion with coach Dan Bylsma in Buffalo?
If the Flames traded Dougie Hamilton for a forward, they would need to find another defenseman. Dennis Wideman is a pending free agent and they’d only be left with TJ Brodie and Mark Giordano as defensive locks.
Don’t bet on Shane Doan asking for a trade at the deadline to go to a Cup contender.