The next step for the Wild
TSN: Darren Dreger on TSN said the Minnesota Wild owner had to have bought into Bill Guerin‘s plan if they agreed to the buyouts of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter.
“This is months of discussions to get to this point. Yes, we know Kirill Kaprizov is a priority. Likewise is Kevin Fiala. But beyond that we also know the Minnesota Wild would love to add a top line centre.
Now they’ve been linked with interest to Jack Eichel of the Buffalo Sabres. I believe that the Wild are going to make an offer, a trade offer on Jack Eichel, but they’re also not going to blow their cap space and they’re not going to overpay with trade assets. It is going to be interesting to see what Guerin does at centre ice moving forward.”
Kings and Capitals will be in on Suter
Adrian Dater: Hearing that the Los Angeles Kings and Washington Capitals will be in defenseman Ryan Suter when he’s eligible to be signed.
Expansion decisions for the Predators
TSN: Pierre LeBurn on TSN notes that Nashville Predators traded Viktor Arvidsson to the LA Kings as they felt they would lose him for nothing in the expansion draft. They have some decisions to make as they have five defensemen they like. The decision comes down to several options: Dante Fabbro or Alexandre Carrier, or do they do a side deal with the Seattle Kraken?
“I do believe there has been a conversation between the Kraken and the Predators or they can simply trade one of their five defencemen to another NHL team. Or there is option C, which I find hard to believe, but if they protect five defenceman among the eight-skater route. I do think there will be eight skaters in their protection list, but I think it will be four and four, and they’ll have to make a hard decision on what to do with the fifth defenceman.”
Pierre LeBrun: There is the sense that the Nashville Predators could leave center Matt Duchene unprotected for the expansion draft.
Duchene carries an $8 million salary cap hit for another five years.
At least six in on Driedger
TSN: Pierre LeBrun said that there are a half dozen teams talking to the Florida Panthers about the rights to pending UFA goaltender Chris Driedger. Signing Driedger may not be as cheap as some may have hoped.
“… if there’s teams in there thinking they can get him for about $2 million a year, I think that price tag is going to be closer to $3.5 million a year to get Driedger, given the interest. And don’t forget in all of this, Seattle I believe, has also shown interest in him. So perhaps they take him and cut off everyone else from free agency on him.”