- Fluto Shinzawa of Boston Globe: Both Ben Bishop and Steve Mason will be unrestricted free agents after the 2016-17 season, and both will likely to be looking for multi-year deals at over $6 million per season. GMs Steve Yzerman and Ron Hextall may be better off to spend the money elsewhere. It’s safer to spend big money and term on skaters. Andrei Vasilevskiy may be ready by then to replace Bishop. Anthony Stolarz could be ready for the NHL by then for the Flyers.
- Jeff Gordon of the St.Louis Post-Dispatch: Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen needs to upgrade his blueline.Ottawa Sun reports the Blue Jackets could be interested in Maple Leafs Roman Polak, who the Leafs could move for prospects or picks.Bruce Boudreau is on the spot as the Ducks have struggled.Penguins coach Mike Johnston is scrambling. The Penguins are for sale, and GM Jim Rutherford is in a tough spot.There is the talk about the Flames and Steven Stamkos. Tyler Johnson’s slow start might make you wonder if he’s a true number one center.
Bruins Cam Neely and Don Sweeny thought about replacing Claude Julien in the offseason, so he could be on a short leash. They appear to be back on track, but they still have some things to work out. The Bruins are one of long list of teams looking for blueline help.
If the Sabres don’t do something about their current goaltending situation with Robin Lehner out, their season could quickly be a loss.
- Joe Haggerty of CSNNE: Bruins Jonas Gustavsson is 2-0-0 with a 2.50 GAA and .896 save percentage in two games. Tuukka Rask has a 4.40 GAA and .845 save percentage. In Friday’s fairly important Eastern Conference game against the Islanders, Claude Julien decided to start Gustavsson.
“Those are decisions that we make along the way,” said Julien. “We’re certainly not throwing the towel in on one of the best goalies in the league just because had an average start. We’re going to work our way through this.”
It will be interesting to see who starts on Tuesday. Though it should be a no-brainer to go with Rask due to the long layoff – last playing on the 21st and after Tuesday’s game, their next game is on the 30th. Haggerty notes:
But let’s be honest here. It’s a lot worse than an “average start” to the season for Rask, and the Bruins are slowly marching toward some hard goaltending decisions if Rask can’t find his goaltending game quickly.