On scouting the Buffalo Sabres and Winnipeg Jets …
Chad DeDominicis: Scouts listed to attend last night’s Sabres – Jets game – 17 teams in total: Toronto Maple Leafs (2 – Dubas and Morrison, both are at most games), Calgary Flames (2), Los Angeles Kings (2), Boston Bruins, Carolina Hurricanes, Tampa Bay Lightning, Washington Capitals, New Jersey Devils, Chicago Blackhawks, New York Islanders, St. Louis Blues, Vancouver Canucks, Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens, Nashville Predators, Columbus Blue Jackets.
On the Colorado Avalanche …
Adrian Dater: Don’t expect to see the Avalanche to make any short-term trades by the deadline for a playoff push.
On the Nashville Predators and Montreal Canadiens …
Chris Nichols of Fan Rag Sports: Elliotte Friedman on Sportsnet 590 on Max Pacioretty and the Montreal Canadiens. Pacioretty has one goal in past 23 games. They aren’t strong down the middle, their power play is struggling and they lost play-making right-handed shots – Alexander Radulov and Andrei Markov.
“And I think that’s part of the reason that Marc Bergevin is going to hold out for a big price for him, is that they know if he goes somewhere else – and whoever trades for him, they’re going to make sure they have a better set-up, some people to feed him, a centerman, a situation on the power play where he can probably step into a bit better – he’s going to light it up.”
thinks it’s “50-50” that Pacioretty is traded by the February 26th deadline, and if not then, it would probably happen by the draft in June.
Darren Dreger was on TSN 1260 yesterday and said that he’d be surprised if the Nashville Predators and Montreal Canadiens hadn’t spoken about Pacioretty. Dreger notes that he thinks the Predators would be interested but has not inside info.
“So Poile, I’m sure, loved the experience and liked the taste of being part of the Stanley Cup Final, but he looks at a want and a need and probably would like to add a scoring winger if he could. They’re deep up the ice in the middle when they’re healthy. Their blueline is terrific. Their goaltending is elite, or certainly good enough to win a Stanley Cup, but they need a bit more offensive support.
“So when names like Max Pacioretty – either through media speculation or otherwise – hit the market, then Nashville would be foolish not to consider it if there’s an opening there.”