NHL Rumors XII: Brodeur, Lightning, Stars, Jokinen, Vrbata, Sabres, Moulson and Niskanen

“I’m excited and intrigued to see some of the options will be laid out in front of me,” Martin Brodeur told ESPN.com Monday. ‘It’s something that’s new to me, it’s going to be fun.”

“It depends on the opportunity,” Brodeur said. “I’m pretty open-minded about things. For me, this is a year that’s going to be a challenge for me regardless of where I land, first because it’ll be in a different organization, second because it’ll be a new situation . It’s something where I think I’m just going to really enjoy the game and not worry about carrying a team. I’m just going to be a piece of the puzzle for a team, hopefully.”

The Maple Leafs have inquired on Brodeur. LeBrun wonders if the Lightning would be interested.

Lightning GM Steve Yzerman.

“It gives us some options,” Lightning GM Steve Yzerman told ESPN.com Monday. “Really, prior to yesterday, other than trying to sign a backup goaltender, we really weren’t in a position to do anything at all. And we may end up doing nothing other than signing a backup goaltender, but we’d like to explore .”

They could be looking to add a forward and defenseman.

“We’d like to get potentially a center or maybe a winger,” said Yzerman. “And then, we have seven defensemen signed and we’d like to carry eight. Depending on fit and contract, whether it’s a really expensive guy or a low-end one-way, we’ll try to add one more defenseman.”

The Stars may renew their interest in Jason Spezza.

Jussi Jokinen told the Penguins that he would re-sign for $4 million a season, but they feel its’ too much.

“We have three or four other teams that we’ve spoken to. But I think with these potential trades possibly happening , that may also create more interest for Jussi and other players in his position. It’s a pretty fluid situation right now.”

Source saying 10 teams may have called about Martin Havlat.