On the Dallas Stars …
Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News: Have been told the Stars are not interested in trading for Alex Ovechkin.
Thinking the Stars will protect Antoine Roussel and Valeri Nichushkin in the expansion draft.
If the Stars left Nichushkin unprotected, thinking the Golden Knights would select him in a heartbeat. The belief is that he’ll return to the NHL this year or next.
Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News: The Stars are able to trade for a defenseman before the expansion draft as they basically have an open slot. There are some teams that may not want to lose one for nothing.
On the Vancouver Canucks and Calgary Flames …
Chris Nichols of FanRag Sports: Elliotte Friedman on Sportsnet 960 on the possibility of the Canucks trading defenseman Chris Tanev to the Calgary Flames.
“I think that if Chris Tanev is getting traded, I would love to see what Vancouver would ask Calgary for,” said Friedman. “I mean, you know this is a pretty old-school league. If you’re trading Chris Tanev to a team in your division, the premium’s got to be really something.”
On the Arizona Coyotes and Calgary Flames …
Chris Nichols of FanRag Sports: Elliotte Friedman on NHL Network on Nick Kypreos‘ report over the weekend that teams are interested in Coyotes goaltender Mike Smith.
“It’s interesting. Nick Kypreos said that he heard Arizona was really interested in doing it,” recalled Friedman. “I had some guys say that Arizona is looking at him like he was our best player last year – and he was – so if we’re giving him up the package better be great. I could see a team like Calgary being very much into this. If he’s available I think there’s going to be a lot of interest because he did have a great year last year.”
Friedman on Sportsnet 960 on Smith and the Flames.
“As for Smith, I would think that Calgary is somewhere in that conversation,” said Friedman. “I find it hard to believe they wouldn’t be.”
