Top 20 Unrestricted Free Agents …
Kevin Allen of USA Today: Allen’s top 20 UFAs
20.Teddy Purcell – Panthers
19. Kris Russell – Stars
18. Brian Campbell – Panthers
17. David Perron – Ducks
16. Lee Stempniak – Bruins
15. Kyle Quincey – Red Wings
14. Jiri Hudler – Panthers
13. Thomas Vanek – Wild
12. Eric Staal – Rangers
11. Dan Hamhuis – Canucks
10. Frans Nielsen – Islanders
9. Jason Demers – Stars
8. Troy Brouwer – Blues
7. Mikkel Boedker – Avalanche
6. Andrew Ladd – Blackhawks
5. Kyle Okposo – Islanders
4. David Backes – Blues
3. Loui Eriksson – Bruins
2. Milan Lucic – Kings
1. Steven Stamkos – Lightning
On the Calgary Flames …
Pat Steinberg: Spoke with Sean Monahan on Friday and he said there was no update on a contract extension.
On the Montreal Canadiens …
Marc Antoine Godin: Source saying that the Canadiens have offered Andrew Shaw a six year deal a close to $4 million.
On the Washington Capitals …
Isabelle Khurshudyan: Capitals GM Brian MacLellan on adding a UFA: “Don’t know. We might tweak it a little bit.” MacLellan has some work to do with their RFAs and then thinks that it could be ‘close.”
Isabele Khurshudyan: MacLellan said he might meet some UFAs during the interview process. His priority was to get a third line center, and now that they did, they need to “regroup.”
On the Columbus Blue Jackets …
Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Blue Jackets: Don’t expect the Blue Jackets to be involved in the free agent market when it opens up on Friday. They could have as many as four rookies in the lineup.
“We’ll be better from the inside,” general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said.
The Blue Jackets are in on the trade market, but haven’t been able to move Scott Hartnell or Fedor Tyutin. They are hoping that if a team isn’t able to land the free agent they covet, they could turn to the Blue Jackets.
Currently the Blue Jackets have only about $5.4 million in cap space and still have to sign RFA defenseman Seth Jones.
They may have to buy out Tyutin and/or Jared Boll by Thursday’s deadline.