- Damian Cristodero of the St. Petersburg Times: Both Brad Richards and his agent indicated that they listen to offers from the Lightning if they came calling.
“I never really wanted to leave Tampa,” Richards told the St. Petersburg Times. “So, obviously, on July 1, if they talk to me, it’s going to be something I’ll listen to because of my history there.”
“Brad is going to examine all his options, but it is clear and is publicly known that he didn’t want to leave Tampa,” his agent, Pat Morris, said. “If Tampa likes him, he’s certainly going to listen to what they have to say, among many, many other teams, I’m sure.”
- Iain MacIntyre of the Vancouver Sun: Manny Malhotra is still listed as day-to-day, but he should be able to go for today’s Game 2. Timing and conditioning are the main issues now. He’ll been his face-off and penalty killing ability is he’s able to go.
“I’ll see how I feel after the morning skate and we’ll make a decision,” Malhotra said. “I didn’t want this to be a sideshow. We always talk about in our dressing room that the whole is much greater than the individuals. We have a very strong focus in the room. It’s where it needs to be and I don’t want anything to sidetrack that.”
- Josh Cooper of the Tennessean: Predators defenseman Shane O’Brien is a UFA and will likely be looking for a raise from the $1.6 million he made last year. With the Preds having a deep farm systems for defenseman, having to pay Shea Weber and a few others, they may not have the money to re-sign him.
- Rob Longley of the Toronto Sun: The Maple Leafs will be working out 40 of the top 100 draft eligible players will they are in town for the combine. “We’ve got a bunch of kids coming for a quick follow-up for us,” Morrison said as Friday’s physical testing was getting under way. “They will do a quick medical and what we call a fitness assessment to augment what they are doing here. There will be a lot of stretching and balance exercises. What we do is something a little different just to help us to get a better picture.” The Leafs have 2 1st round picks and 1 2nd. According to head scout Dave Morrison,
“Brian has said it publicly: If we can (move up) to get somebody we want, we will do it. But by the same token, if it’s not there and we don’t make a deal we will be quite happy to pick with the picks that we have.”
“You have to take the best player because even though players are making it quicker now than they did perhaps years ago, but normally it takes a guy a few years to get there and by that time our needs may have changed.”
- Will DePaoli via twitter: Both forward Craig Adams and Penguins GM Ray Shero want to get a deal done, but talks are quiet this week.
- Rob Rossi of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: Penguins GM Ray Shero will look at all “available options via trade” for his UFA and RFA’s that aren’t signed by the Draft. The Pens currently have 17 players under contract at almost $56 million. Evgeni Malkin should be ready for training camp.
- Chris Botta of NYI Point Blank: NY Islanders prospect Kirill Petrov will play at least 1 more year in Russia. Petrov was a 3rd round pick in 2008.