Canucks now able to talk contract with Tryamkin
Rick Dhaliwal: Defenseman Nikita Tryamkin KHL season is over and his KHL contract expires on April 30th.
The Canucks are now able to start contract talks with his agent Todd Diamond. If he does come to terms soon, he’s still not eligible to play this season.
Canadiens plan on talking with Caufield
Pierre LeBrun: With Cole Caufield’s season with Wisconsin is now over, Montreal Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin plans on talking with him in the next week or so about his future plans.
Several factors went into the Red Wings trading Athanasiou
Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic: A Q&A with Detroit Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman on the Wings rebuild. The Wings moved pending RFA Andreas Athanasiou at the deadline, showing that not just pending UFAs would be part of the change with Yzerman and the Wings.
Yzerman said that they were trying to add future assets in draft picks and prospects. They looked at where they would be as a team in the upcoming years, the market value for someone like Athanasiou and the cost to re-sign him.
“You take it all under account. And if I’m trying to get draft picks, and/or prospects, you got to open up some of the guys that are marketable. Ultimately, we just felt like the return for the player was good. Now, if AA goes out and scores 40 goals for the Oilers next year, you know, you would argue that two second-round picks weren’t enough. But I have to make that decision today, what’s he going to be for us next year, how much am I going to pay him? I had to make a decision on what I knew today. Ultimately, I felt two second-round picks were very helpful in what we’re trying to do. I didn’t get to know him very well but he was a very nice young man, very respectful, very polite. And I wish him good luck and I hope he does well.”
