- Rob Longley of the Toronto Sun: With many holes and questions surrounding the team, top free agents seem to be avoiding the Maple Leafs. The Leafs have vowed to improve the team through trade, if that is possible.
- Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Sun: Wiebe wonders if the Jets should take a look at Alexander Semin.
- Damian Cristodero of the Tampa Bay Times: Day 2 of free agency was slow.
“Everybody’s waiting,” Yzerman said. “I think the whole league is waiting for a couple of guys to re-sign and then business will resume.”
“It becomes a bidding frenzy for the next level of free agent,” said former Flames GM Craig Button, an NHL Network analyst.
“Potentially, you could be leaving money on the table by signing now. There’s nothing like a lover scorned, especially if they get the feeling that, ‘We have to go after the next guy.’ ”
Yzerman has had contact with Matt Carle. Other players available for the Lightning could be Michal Rozsival, Carlo Colaiacovo and Bryce Salvador.
- Mike Berardino of the Sun-Sentinel: If the Panthers are able to get Roberto Luongo for little more than draft picks, it may be worth a roll of the dice. Jose Theodore or Scott Clemmensen would then likely be dealt.
- Slava Malamud via twitter: Sport-Express reporting Alexander Radulov’s KHL salary is around $7 million. (also reported yesterday that it could be up to $9.2 million)
- Jim Matheson via twitter: Oilers GM Steve Tambellini said he has had no discussion about trading Ales Hemsky. Could he be their 3rd line RWer behind Jordan Eberle and Nail Yakupov?
- Todd Cordell via twitter: Bryce Salvador’s agent said in an email that the “Devils are still in the mix.”
- John Boruk via twitter: Boruk wouldn’t hesitate submitting an offer sheet to Shea Weber if the Flyers miss out on Parise, Suter and Carle.
- Josh Yohe via twitter: It’s unlikely that Park will return to the Penguins. Steve Sullivan might get an offer from the Penguins if they don’t get Parise.