- Elliotte Friedman: The Canadiens received calls on Lars Eller two years ago when GM Marc Bergevin took over, and things may not have changed. With Alex Galchenyuk heading to be a full-time center, teams are wondering what they are going to do with Eller.Haven’t heard anything substantial regarding Nail Yakupov. He is not untouchable, but so far he has done what they had wanted during the offseason and on the ice, and they are rewarding him.Doesn’t sound like either the Bruins or Flyers have looked at Andrej Mezsaros, who is on a one-year, $4.125 million deal with the Sabres.
Jeff Petry makes about a million less than Mezsaros, but the Flyers can’t fit that cap number in at the moment. The Flyers, Red Wings and possibly the Ducks could be in the market for him.
Eric Staal has made it clear that he prefers to remain with the Hurricanes.
“I had a good meeting with Ronnie (Francis) in the summer…Ron’s going to be a very good GM. We all know this is a business and things can change at any time. For me, as a player, I want to be where I am…I believe in this team and this organization. I want to see it turn around and believe it will. We’re not throwing in the towel after seven games.”
Teams are watching pending UFA Mike Green, and there haven’t been any talks between him and the Capitals.
“We’ll leave that for later in the season,” the GM said. “Let’s see how this shakes out.”
- Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News: The Stars have to be concerned about backup goaltender Anders Lindback. The Stars could put him on waivers and recall Jussi Rynnas or Jack Campbell, though either of them are tearing it up.
- Adam Kimelman: Scouting the Kings – Flyers last night: Penguins (2), Canadiens (2), Sabres, Wild, Avalanche, Jets, Capitals, Blues, Red Wings, Stars, Canucks and Flames.
- Nichols on Hockey: Bob McKenzie on TSN 1040 talking the trade front.
“They’re talking, but there’s nothing – I don’t get the sense there’s anything imminent. Most of the teams are still relatively optimistic that the players they’ve got in-house are going to get the job done.
“The Edmonton Oilers, I think, are looking for a centre. They’d like a little more depth at the position and maybe insulate the 19-year-old, Leon Draisaitl a little bit. He’s staying. He’s going to play his 10th game against Nashville. That’ll burn the first year of his entry level deal, but I still think Craig MacTavish is probably looking for a centre and some help.
“But moves aren’t easy to make and we’ll see where things go. It’s usually as we get closer to American Thanksgiving, towards the third week of November – that’s when you’re more likely to see deals than maybe right now.”
- Nichols on Hockey: Darren Dreger on TSN 1040 radio on the Hurricanes and Sabres.
“But if Ron Francis gets to a point where Peter Karmanos pressures him to that point to ask Staal to waive his no-move clause, then that’s a completely different beast. But the unfortunate reality for the Carolina Hurricanes, for Eric Staal, maybe Tyler Myers, the Buffalo Sabres’ Chris Stewart – go down the list – is that because of the draft, we’re going to be speculating and talking about this based on intel from others until perhaps the trade deadline, March 2.”
- Nick Cotsonika of Yahoo! Sports: Stars GM Jim Nill is happy he remained patient last year.
“I was close to making some moves last year,” Nill told Yahoo Sports recently, “and it was a good thing I didn’t.”
Trades?
“Yeah. Trades.”
What happened?
“Stayed patient,” Nill said. “Rode it out. There’s a time for everything. I’m glad I was patient with it.”