On the Dallas Stars …
Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News: (chat) When asked if there could be surprise No. 1 defenseman trade this offseason like P.K. Subban last year that the Stars could pursue?
Arizona Coyotes defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson could be that type of guy. He’ll be a UFA in two years and will he want to re-sign with them? The Coyotes likely want to keep him and re-sign him. They would likely keep trying to get him signed and wait until the last minute to trade him if need be.
If you made a huge offer of draft picks and prospects, maybe you could get the Coyotes to bite.
Elliotte Friedman: Asked if there was any chance the Coyotes would make Ekman-Larsson available and was told there wasn’t. The Coyotes have recently signed his brother to an AHL deal.
Maple Leafs Hot Stove: Scott Burnside was on TSN 1040 talking about the Dallas Stars. Burnside thinks that GM Jim Nill is willing to trade the No. 3 pick if it helps his team now.
“This not just idle chat. I think that Jim Nill is doing a lot of due diligence on what to do with that third overall pick. My gut tells me it’s 50-50. There are a lot of moving pieces.”
On the Tampa Bay Lightning, Los Angeles Kings and Jonathan Drouin …
The Fourth Period: Multiple sources that are close to the Lightning are saying that they are in talks with the Los Angeles Kings and others about forward Jonathan Drouin.
Trade talks with Kings involve defenseman Jake Muzzin, with other pieces being discussed.
Drouin is a RFA and is not in talks with the Lightning. Muzzin has three years left on his five-year, $20 million deal.
The Kings are looking for a top-six winger and could be willing to trade one of Muzzin or Alec Martinez.
The Anahiem Ducks (Sami Vatanen) and Minnesota Wild (Jonas Brodin) have been linked to Drouin.
Teams are also talking with the Lightning about winger Alex Killorn. Killorn has six-years left at a $4.45 million cap. His no-trade clause kicks in on July 1st.