On Matt Duchene …
- Hope Smoke: Darren Dreger on TSN radio: “I think we need to take a step back . They’re listening but not dangling him and offering him tot the other 29 teams”
- TSN’s Insider Trading: Pierre LeBrun: People around the league are saying that Matt Duchene’s name is out there. The Avs are in last place, Joe Sakic and Patrick Roy are not going to stand by and do nothing. Other than Nathan MacKinnon who is untouchable, they have a lot of players that could be had if the price is right. It’s not for sure that they will trade Duchene, but they are calling teams about him, and teams are calling them.
- Dreger: Joe Sakic contacted Senators GM Bryan Murray about 10 ago to gauge their interest in Duchene. Murray was interested. The fit might not be there though.
- Adrian Dater of the Bleacher Report: Duchene could be available at the right price.
“If there’s a deal that makes sense for your organization, you’re going to do it,” Sakic said. “You don’t want to move some guys, but you’re always listening. Having had different conversations with different GMs, you know what? You’re never not going to listen. But every team is the same. You have to hear things out, and see if they make sense.”
On the Senators …
- Hope Smoke: Dreger mentioned that the Avalanche have talked to the Senators about Duchene, as other teams have, but they are just preliminary.
- Darren Dreger: “I’m sure the conversation between clubs started very basic and turned interesting when Duchene’s name was included.”
- Don Brennan of the Ottawa Sun: There is talk that the Senators have talked to Avalanche about Matt Duchene. It is not known what the Avalanche would want in return for Duchene. Duchene has four years left on his deal at a $6 million salary.
- Shawn Simpson: The Avs would want Mika Zibanejad and Thomas Chabot for Duchene.
On the Maple Leafs …
- Hope Smoke: Darren Dreger: “I’d be a little surprised if Leafs have interest but this is a young guy who fits into their dynamic, so you never know”
On the Flyers …
- Eklund of Hockeybuzz: Word is the Flyers and Avalanche were talking Duchene last night. Problem is the Flyers don’t have any NHL ready defenseman to go along with prospects and some sort of salary cap hit. The Flyers do have lots of defensive prospects though.