** Only two games on last night’s schedule **
Scouting the Buffalo Sabres and Dallas Stars
Mark Stepneski: Scouts listed to attended last night’s Sabres-Stars game: Pittsburgh Penguins (20, Vancouver Canucks, Vegas Golden Knights, New Jersey Devils, Nashville Predators, Montreal Canadiens, Chicago Blackhawks, Tampa Bay Lightning, Los Angeles Kings, Winnipeg Jets, Anaheim Ducks, New York Islanders, Minnesota Wild, Detroit Red Wings, Toronto Maple Leafs, Edmonton Oilers, Philadelphia Flyers, San Jose Sharks and the Ottawa Senators.
Scouting the Pittsburgh Penguins and Tampa Bay Lightning
Seth Rorabaugh: Scouts listed to attended last night’s Penguins-Lightning game: Chicago Blackhawks (2), Calgary Flames (2), Philadelphia Flyers (2), Los Angeles Kings (2), Detroit Red Wings (2), Colorado Avalanche, Columbus Blue Jackets, Boston Bruins, Montreal Canadiens, Vancouver Canucks, Arizona Coyotes, Anaheim Ducks, Carolina Hurricanes, New York Islanders, Toronto Maple Leafs, Edmonton Oilers, New York Rangers, Dallas Stars and the Minnesota Wild
Teams interested in Zuccarello
The Fourth Period: Several teams have shown interest in New York Rangers pending UFA forward Mats Zuccarello.
Teams have also called the Rangers about Kevin Hayes, Adam McQuaid and Chris Kreider.
Among the teams that might be interested in Zuccarello include the Nashville Predators, Edmonton Oilers, Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars.
Islanders could move their first-round pick
The Fourth Period: David Pagnotta has reported that the New York Islanders are willing to trade their first-round pick and are looking at rentals as well as players with term left.
The Islanders are interested in Columbus Blue Jackets Artemi Panarin and have been since the offseason.
The Islanders are also trying to sign their pending UFA Anders Lee to a long-term contract.
A Ferland trade could come sooner than later
TSN: Pierre LeBrun says that in a perfect world the Carolina Hurricanes would trade forward Micheal Ferland sooner than later – in the next week or two if they get an offer they are happy with. Ferland is a power forward and a player who gets hurt.
“I don’t think they want to risk waiting until Feb. 25 and see his trade value drop if he gets hurt. So yes, whether it’s conversations they’re having with teams I believe like Boston or Nashville or Pittsburgh, and there’s other contenders in there, if there’s a fit in the next week or two, I think they’ll pull the trigger.”