Ron Cook of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette: Cook doesn’t think the Penguins will bring back UFAs: Sergei Gonchar, Alexei Ponikarovsky, Bill Guerin, Jordan Leopold, Ruslan Fedotenko, and Jay McKee. Matt Cooke (depending on how much money he wants) and Mark Eaton are the best possibilities to be brought back by the Pens.
Ken Weibe of QMI Agency in the Toronto Sun: Windsor Spitfires coach thinks Taylor Hall should be the #1 pick (not a surprise since he coaches him). Part of the belief that the Oilers could select Tyler Seguin with the #1 pick is that they need a ‘center of the future’. Coach Bob Boughner says Hall is naturally a center … “Taylor is a centre naturally, he’s playing left wing on our team but he’ll take some draws once in a while and he’s good on draws,” said Boughner. “I don’t doubt that if he goes to the next level and they need a centre, he could play centre as well. He’s pretty strong on the puck. “The reason I put him on the wing is to conserve his energy and expose other teams wide because he has that speed.”
Kevin Allen of the USA Today: The Atlanta Thrashers have talked with 2 of their UFAs, Pavel Kubina and Maxim Afinogenov, and come away thinking they have a good chance at re-signing them. Allen thinks Kubina will want a deal in the 4 year, $16 million range, which might be problem for the Thrashers. It doesn’t look like Colby Armstrong will be back with the Thrashers next season.
Gordon McIntyre of the Vancouver Province: Canucks RFA Mason Raymond could be on the trade block this summer. The going rate for a 25 goal scorer is around $2.5-3 million, but how do you offer him over $2 million when Alex Burrows makes that much and scored 38 goals. Raymond’s game is also similar to another RFA, Michael Grabner. The Canucks could trade him for a top-4 defenseman, or for some more size up front (if they are giving him up for more size, that player has to have some skill as well).
Craig Custance of the Sporting News: There are currently 4 teams without a head coach: Atlanta, Columbus, New Jersey, and Tampa. Custance goes through top coaching candidates out there. “The AHL Contingent” – Guy Boucher (Hamilton), Scott Arniel (Manitoba), and Kevin Dineen (Portland). “Top NHL Assistants” – Craig Ramsey (Boston), Paul MacLean (Detroit), Brent Peterson (Nashville). “Stanley Cup Winners” – Bob Hartley and Ken Hitchcock. “Recent NHL Experience” – Craig MacTavish, John Stevens, and Rick Tocchet.