No progress between Blues and Alex Pietrangelo
Jeremy Rutherford: NHL free agency opens in about a week and there has been no update or progress between the St. Louis Blues and defenseman Alex Pietrangelo.
On Shayne Gostisbehere rumors
Charlie O’Connor: “Difference between Ghost being in trade rumors now vs. all the other times over the last few years is now I think there’s actual urgency about moving him. In the past, it was “OK, we’ll move him if you bowl us over.” Flat cap (and his place on the org depth chart) changes things.”
Oilers shopping RFAs, talking the Bruins, looking for a goalie … Bruins talking to teams about Rask
Frank Seravalli of TSN: The Edmonton Oilers are trying to trade pending RFA forward Andreas Athanasiou and/or defenseman Matt Benning. Both may not get qualifying offers because of the lack of cap space.
If Oilers defenseman Oscar Klefbom requires surgery and is out long-term, they can LTIR him. They are believed to have spoken with the Coyotes about Oliver Ekman-Larsson, but the Oilers would need the Coyotes to retain salary, which the Coyotes don’t want to do. The Oilers first-round pick and prospect Evan Bouchard had been discussed.
The Oilers and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins have made some progress on a long-term deal. If RNH isn’t in their Oilers long-term plans, sources suggest they could be interested in free agent Taylor Hall.
Oilers GM Ken Holland is looking for a starting goaltender. The Oilers have been linked to Matt Murray, Darcy Kuemper and Petr Mrazek. Some think they could look at Jacob Markstrom if he hits the open market.
Sources say the Oilers and Boston Bruins talked about an Alex Chiasson for Anders Bjork deal.
There were some rumors that the Oilers were interested in Bruins Jake DeBrusk. DeBrusk is an RFA and given what they would have to send the Bruins, plus their salary cap issues, he’d likely be too expensive for them.
Sources have said that Bruins GM Don Sweeney has spoken with teams over the past few weeks about goaltender Tuukka Rask. Other goaltenders on the trade bait board include Devan Dubnyk, Martin Jones and even Sergei Bobrovsky.