Avs re-sign a forward
Colorado Avalanche: The Avalanche have re-signed restricted free agent forward Vladislav Kamenev to a one-year deal. Kamenev had suffered a season ending shoulder injury last December.
Adrian Dater: Kamenev’s deal is for $750,000.
Sens draft pick remaining in Finland
Shawn Simpson: Ottawa Senators GM Pierre Dorion said that 2019 draft pick Lassi Thomson will play in Finland next season.
Fallout from the Fenton firing
Michael Russo of The Athletic: Minnesota Wild owner Craig Leipold realized Paul Fenton wasn’t the “right fit” for them and made the change.
“I missed it, and this is on me,” the Wild owner said of whiffing so badly on last offseason’s hiring of now-fired Paul Fenton as general manager. “I don’t like the fact that it didn’t work out. Paul is a really strong, strategic scout, identifies talent, understands development, all of that, but there were parts of his role that just wasn’t working out to my satisfaction.”
Leipold called almost all of their players to explain what was going on.
Ron Hextall could be the frontrunner for the GM position. They’ve already asked the Philadelphia Flyers for permission to speak with Hextall, and sources are saying that he could be interviewed as early as .
Andy Strickland: Montreal Canadiens assistant GM Scott Mellanby should be a strong candidate for the Wild. Mellanby had interviewed with the Vegas Golden Knights and Edmonton Oilers earlier this offseason.
Chris Ryan of NJ.com: New Jersey Devils assistant GM Tom Fitzgerald could be a candidate again for the Wild’s GM position. The Wild had picked Fenton over Fitzgerald in their last GM search.
Michael Russo: Owner Leipold had been willing to fly to Edmonton on Friday to meet with Jared Spurgeon, but Spurgeon is on vacation. They will talk in August.
Michael Russo: Wanting to have a good talk with Spurgeon is a good idea as he’s considering signing a long-term extension with the Wild.