On the San Jose Sharks …
Paul Gackle of The Mercury News: The Sharks are not interested in trading their core prospects for scoring forward.
They may only consider packaging players like Timo Meier, Kevin Labanc, Danny O’Regan, Tim Heed and Joakim Ryan is if they are able to bring back a high-quality young player that would fit in long-term.
GM Doug Wilson could look to move pending UFA and backup goaltender Aaron Dell.
The Sharks may prefer to keep Dell, but they likely won’t be able to offer him the money he’ll be looking for in free agency.
On the New York Islanders …
Chris Nichols of FanRag Sports: Darren Dreger was on TSN 1050 talking about pending New York Islanders unrestricted free agent John Tavares.
“The term is going to be eight years. The money is going to be whatever John Tavares is comfortable – if he’s willing to leave some on the table, great. If not, then I’m sure the Islanders will pay him whatever it takes to keep him. And he now knows where the long term home of the Islanders is going to be, and that’s where it should be – on Long Island.
“So for me, now the pressure and the heat shifts onto the player here a little bit, right. He’s earned his right to unrestricted free agency, so if John Tavares opts to test the market and go to unrestricted free agency, then good for him. He’s earned that opportunity.”
Dreger thinks that Tavares has earned the right to test free agency if he wants, but adds that he thinks he’ll remain with the Islanders.
The co-host of the radio show suggested that if Tavares went to free agency and he were running the Montreal Canadiens, he’d have a blank check ready.
“Yeah, he’s priority No. 1,” agreed Dreger. “But you could make a sound case for the Leafs too, right. I mean, Leafs fans fall in love with certain players. Auston Matthews isn’t going anywhere. But are we sure that Nazem Kadri is a lock moving forward. Bozak isn’t going to come back. Maybe Tavares would be okay being No. 2 center for the Toronto Maple Leafs and Kadri goes to No. 3.”