Canucks have been linked to Ferland
Patrick Johnston of the Vancouver Province: There have been rumors the past couple of weeks linking the Vancouver Canucks interest in adding a top-six winger and Carolina Hurricanes forward Micheal Ferland.
The 26-year old carries a reasonable $1.75 million salary cap hit, but there is no guarantee that the pending unrestricted free agent would re-sign. He’d get lots of interest on the open market.
Ferland is currently dealing with an upper-body injury and suffered a concussion earlier this season – the second of his career.
If the Canucks were to trade for him, they’d need assurance that he’d re-sign.
The Canucks are holding the draft this year, so they may not want to move high picks for him. They could trade Alex Edler or Chris Tanev for assets, but they may need them. Nikolay Goldobin is available, but it would take a lot more than that.
Canucks GM Jim Benning said on Sportsnet 650 that he’s not going to mortgage their future just to make the playoffs.
Sabres and Skinner’s reps to meet in early February
TSN: Pierre LeBrun has said that Buffalo Sabres GM Jason Botterill has recently met with Jeff Skinner‘s agent Don Meehan recently to set up an agenda for future talks. Discussions could get underway early February:
“…. to get contract talks going for real and my sense is right now, and again this could change once you get into actual numbers, but my sense right now is Jeff Skinner wants to stay. There is genuine interest on both sides to try and find a way to get a deal done. But certainly, there’s this. They’re not in a playoff spot, time is of the essence when it comes to the trade deadline.”
No rental market for the Sabres
Paul Hamilton: Sabres GM Botterill doesn’t plan on getting into the rental market. This doesn’t mean that they won’t trade their first-round pick or that some of their prospects. If there is a good hockey trade to be made, he could do it.
Mike Harrington: Agree that the Sabres shouldn’t be interested in rentals, only players with term.
