On the Florida Panthers …
Frank Seravalli: The Panthers will be interviewing Capitals assistant coach Todd Reirden for their vacant head coaching position. Reiden is also a candidate for the Sabres position.
On the Vegas Golden Knights …
Andy Strickland: Vegas is expected to announce their AHL affiliate this week.
On the Los Angeles Kings …
Dennis Bernstein: Can’t see the Kings trading defesemen Jake Muzzin or Alec Martinez before the expansion draft. They will protect four forwards and four defensemen.
On the St. Louis Blues …
Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: The Blues are projected to have less than $5 million in salary cap space for next season. Scottie Upshall is their only UFA, and they have three RFAs in Colton Parayko, Nail Yakupov and Magnus Paajarvi.
GM Doug Armstrong said that he will look to upgrade down the middle.
Signing Parayko will be a priority for them.
“I believe he’s a cornerstone player we could go long term with if it works out economically term-wise for us,” Armstrong said. “We’ll be a cap team, or very close to a cap team, and we’ve got to try to fit as many good pieces in there. (But) he’s here long-term whether it’s long-term on shorter deals or long-term on one deal. He’s a cornerstone.”
The Blues will need to create some financial flexibility some how.
Finding a center isn’t going to be easy for Armstrong.
“But finding that big center is like finding Sasquatch — they’re hard to locate. We’re never going to stop trying, but you look at the free-agent pool that’s out there this year, and it is a rob Peter to pay Paul league.”
The Blues could leave Jori Lehtera exposed in the expansion draft. He has two years left on his three-year, $14.1 million deal and may not be tradeable.
“We’ll be talking to Vegas the first of June on what they want to do,” Armstrong said. “It’s not only what we’re going to protect, but what other teams are going to make available. I think there could be a flurry of activities.”
Defenseman Carl Gunnarsson will likely be exposed by the Blues.