On the Boston Bruins …
Andy Strickland: “Boston Bruins are one team looking for D-men…teams dealing with #Bruins will have a hard time getting Carlo or Mcavoy in return”
Joe Haggerty: Bruins coach Claude Julian: “I’m not quitting on this team & I’m not quitting on anybody. I’m not quitting on management. I’m willing to go thru the hard times”
On the Buffalo Sabres, Calgary Flames, St. Louis Blues and Tampa Bay Lightning …
Elliotte Friedman: Sabres GM Tim Murray shot down rumors of goaltender Robin Lehner‘s availability after his outburst against during last week’s game against the Maple Leafs.
Emily Sadler of Sportsnet: The Calgary Flames made Sam Bennett a healthy scratch last week, and teams immediately starting calling to see if he was available.
“I understand that GM Brad Treliving had a lot of phone calls: ‘Does this mean you’re willing to do something here?’” Friedman said during the Headlines segment on Hockey Night in Canada. “Treliving told all the teams, ‘Guys, no. Sam Bennett is not getting traded.’”
Nick Kyreos adds that Bennett’s position uncertainty may add to his frustration.
“Is he a centreman? Is he a winger?” said Nick Kypreos. “Don’t rule out the fact that he may ask to be traded if this frustration may continue down the road.”
Friedman later adds that GM Brad Treliving is the only GM that doesn’t have contract in place for next year.
Nick Kypreos said that St. Louis Blues GM Doug Armstrong wants to make a trade before going down the road of firing head coach Ken Hitchcock. It’s already known that Hitchcock won’t be back next season. It’s not sounding like they don’t want to lose pending unrestricted free agent Kevin Shattenkirk for nothing now. They may look at getting some significant assets back for him now.
Glenn Healy notes the Blues struggles in net. Elliotte Friedman throws out the idea of a Kevin Shattenkirk for Ben Bishop trade.
Friedman adds that GM Armstrong is trying to move some salary to help free up space for potentially other things.