- Pierre LeBrun of ESPN: Carey Price will be a RFA on July 1st. There haven’t been any talks yet, but there will before the offseason. 6 NHL team executives don’t think Predators will be able to sign both Ryan Suter and Shea Weber. GM David Poile told ESPN that ownership gave him the “financial green light” to get all of them signed to “fair-market value” deals. Now it just depends what the players think fair-market value is. LeBrun wouldn’t be shocked if Suter was looking for something in the $6.5 to $7 million range. The Carolina Hurricanes join the Maple Leafs as a team that may be looking to move a defenseman. Though it’s not known who they are looking to move, Bryan Allen will be a UFA at the end of the season.
- Scott Burnside of ESPN: Burnside hacks the Blue Jackets down calling them bad from “top to bottom, from bottom to top.” He calls Steve Mason the worst starting goalie in the league. The could fire coach Scott Arniel, and they could bring back Ken Hitchcock who is still under contract. Some flaws on how this team was built are: Mason has another year at $2.9 million. Antoine Vermette is owed $3.75 million until the end of 2014-15 (he hasn’t scored this season). Derick Brassard makes $3.2 million and has 3 points. Marc Methot makes $3 million for 3 more years. Nikita Filatov was a bust of a pick for them, passing over drafting Tyler Myers, Erik Karlsson or John Carlson.
- Andy Strickland of True Hockey: With Penguins being deep down the middle, they may be looking to move one of their centers in the near future. They have had conversations with multiple teams about Mark Letestu. Josh Yohe via twitter: Yohe adds to Strickland’s report by adding that it wouldn’t shock him and that Letestu looks lost right now.
- Ben Kuzma of the Vancouver Province: Cancucks forward Alex Burrows left in the 2nd period of last night’s game with back spasms after he was checked from behind by Chris Stewart. He’s listed as day-to-day.
- Joanne Ireland of the Edmonton Journal: Oilers forward Linus Omark has an out clause in his contract that allows him to return to Europe if he’s playing in the AHL.
“I want to play (in the) NHL and if no one lets me do that then I’m going to go to Europe,” Omark told Gibbons after practice. “I take it one day at a time and we’ll see after that.”
“(The Oilers) have a lot of young guys,” Omark said. “And they believe in them more than me, I think. I want to play in the NHL, so I am going to do my best there. Hopefully, they call me up or … Yeah, we’ll see.
“I’m not here to stay the whole season, that’s for sure.”
- Larry Brooks of the NY Post: Rangers forward Sean Avery will get into the lineup for injured Mike Rupp, who will have arthroscopic surgery on his left knee. Avery will likely be on the wing with Brian Boyle and Brandon Prust. Ruslan Fedotenko will likely be with Derek Stepan and Marian Gaborik. Renaud Lavoie via twitter: Rupp will be out 3 to 4 weeks.
- David Pollak of the San Jose Mercury News: Sharks leading scorer Joe Pavelski was given yesterday off as he’s been battling a flu that has already hit Patrick Marleau and Dan Boyle. Coach Todd McLellan expects him to play on Saturday. McLellan also wouldn’t rule out Thomas Greiss starting in net tonight against the Predators.
- Katie Carrera of the Washington Post: Capitals defenseman Mike Green staked for an hour yesterday morning, which was the longest he’s gone since he injured his ankle on Oct. 22nd.
- Bruce Garrioch via twitter: Only Dallas and Minnesota had people in to watch the Senators and Canadiens last night.