Hertl would make sense for the Rangers
Vince Z. Mercogliano: Have been saying for a year now that if San Jose Sharks center Tomas Hertl is available for trade, he makes so much sense for the New York Rangers.
KHL offer for Virtanen?
Rob Williams: A report out of Russia has a KHL team making a contract offer to former Vancouver Canucks forward Jake Virtanen. It would be a big pay cut from what he was scheduled to make before being bought out by the Canucks this offseason.
Teams are interested in Subban?
Jimmy Murphy: Have been hearing that there are multiple teams interested in New Jersey Devils defenseman P.K. Subban.
More on the Kotkaniemi offer sheet
Larry Brooks: So if the Carolina Hurricanes really do have a multi-year contract extension agreed upon at around a $4 million AAV for Jesperi Kotkaniemi (report here) – if the offer sheet is not matched by the Montreal Canadiens – isn’t that circumvention?
- Andrew Zadarnowski: “Technically, Kotkaniemi is a member of the Hurricanes reserve list after signing the offer sheet, and until the Habs match, so they can negotiate an extension during this window. They can’t officially sign the extension on a one-year deal until later in the year.”
NHL Watcher: TSN 590 radio host Bryan Hayes on the Kotkaniemi offer sheet: “There’s no way he can match 6.1, he’s not good enough. He’s not every going to be a superstar, he doesn’t have it. There’s nothing wrong with saying it, I know he went 3rd OA, he shouldn’t have, they drafted him based on positional need.”
NHL Watcher: Aaron Ward on TSN 690 on if Kotkaniemi ends up playing for the Hurricanes: “The system itself fits very well, the tough part is now you have to supplant Aho, Trocheck and Staal, which is going to be a tough battle. So immediately coming to this team making $6M, you’re a 4th line centreman.”