Sportsnet: Elliotte Friedman and Jeff Marek on 32 Thoughts: The Podcast – Big Daddy Kane on the East, the Boston Bruins, and the Tampa Bay Lightning.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Marek: “I don’t want to call it the Eastern Conference anymore Elliotte. I want to call it the Eastern Octagon. It’s going to be a scrap of the ages, the playoffs this year.
Friedman: “I agree with you. I think it’s really fascinating. You take a look at the NHL standings right now, and we’re doing this part of the pod on Sunday morning and we’ll see what we update on Sunday night, but you go by points percentage.”
NHL Rumors: Boston Bruins, and the New York Rangers
Marek: “Oh I know, ya.”
Friedman: “Boston, Carolina, New Jersey, Toronto, Rangers, Tampa Bay, and then you get next group of teams are all Western teams. You get to Vegas, Dallas, Winnipeg, Seattle, Los Angeles, Colorado, and Edmonton.
That’s one of the most fascinating things for me is, is that all the East teams are the ones going, and what have we also talked about? Boston Jeff, the reason I don’t think the Boston deals have happened yet, especially with DeBrusk coming off LTIR, I think Boston has things they got to do.
I think they got to figure out their roster. Their cap situation. How do they make these moves and that’s what I think Boston’s figuring out right now.
I really do think they like (Vladislav) Gavrikov from Columbus and I think Gavrikov was pulled from the games because I think they were talking to Boston. And you know, this whole thing with (Jakob) Chychrun, I think LA’s there. Your point with St. Louis is a good one, and I do think on some level, Boston has considered, do we just go right for Chychrun ourselves? Instead of just playing the, if Columbus is going to do this, being the team that helps Columbus get him.
NHL Rumors: Boston Bruins, and the Columbus Blue Jackets
But Boston I think is going for a left D and we’ll see what else they come up with.
Tampa is definitely going to add. I don’t know if they have what it takes to get (Ivan) Barbashev but I think they’re going to add somebody like that.”