- Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch: Coach Todd Richards has options up front.
“It’s a pretty fun exercise this summer,” Blue Jackets coach Todd Richards said, after the Saad trade. “We have a lot of different looks we can put out there.”
The Blue Jackets top like could look like Brandon Saad, Ryan Johansen and Nick Foligno according Jarmo Kekalainen. The second line could have Boone Jenner, Brandon Dubinsky and one of Cam Atkinson, David Clarkson or Rene Bourque on the left. Scott Hartnell, Alex Wennberg and one of Cam Atkinson, David Clarkson or Rene Bourque on the third line. The fourth line could have Matt Calvert, Gregory Campbell and maybe Jared Boll.
The Blue Jackets talked to the Bruins about Dougie Hamilton before he was traded to the Flames. They called the Blues about Kevin Shattenkirk. They talked to Paul Martin before he signed with the Sharks.
GM Jarmo Kekalainen will continue to look for densemen, but added that he “won’t rush the process just to add a body.”
- Randy Sportak of the Calgary Sun: The Flames have three arbitration dates set for RFAs Lance Bouma, Josh Jooris and Paul Byron.
“I’m an optimistic person by nature, but it’s the process. We’ll see,” said Treliving, who added he wasn’t surprised those players filed. “We’re prepared. You go into these with the preparation to go into a hearing, and it’s a parallel path. You’re preparing to deal with the hearing if that’s what happens, but the other path is you continue to work away at getting a deal done.
“We’ll keep working away at it. It puts a little more work on the desk the next couple of weeks.”
GM Brad Treliving will be focusing they their current players that need contracts, and not just their 10 RFAs.
“A lot of our work is internal. We’ve got our own guys to deal with, first and foremost, whether it be the RFAs or the Mark Giordano situation,” said Treliving, whose club’s captain who could be an unrestricted free-agent next summer. “You’re constantly monitoring the market, but from a priority standpoint, it’s time to get our house in order with our own people.”
They are looking into whether 2015 draft pick Oliver Kylington has an out clause in his AIK contract. Brandon of the WHL holds his CHL rights and he is also eligible for AHL.