- Kevin McGran of the Toronto Star: The Leafs will have to decide what they want to do with pending RFA Jonathan Bernier. They will look at the goalie market this offseason. The Senators and possibly the Rangers may look to move a goaltender. It may not be the time to give up on Bernier though, like the Oilers did with Devan Dubnyk and what the Canadiens didn’t do with Carey Price.
- Mark Spector: (responding to McGran’s post) “What if you dealt Bernier for rebuild parts, knowing that Reimer as a No. 1 ensures a lower finish for next few years?”
- Brian Compton of NHL.com: Thomas Vanek on signing with the Wild last offseason and not re-signing with the Islanders after they traded for him last year.
“It was close in February and I thought about it long and hard,” Vanek said at Nassau Coliseum on Tuesday. “There was two factors; I made a choice that I really wanted to go to free agency. But after being here for a while I loved it here.
“The one thing I didn’t like was the move to Brooklyn. I think if the rink would have been built here, it should be here on the island. There was probably a good chance I still would be here.”
“Even though it was a short stint, I only have good memories and good things to say ,” said Vanek, who has 19 goals and 30 assists in 72 games in his first season with the Wild. “The thing is I would have stayed had the team stayed here on the island and not moved . But other than that it was a great time.”
- Bob McKenzie of TSN: Predators GM David Poile on college prospect Jimmy Vesey (Harvard – 66th, 3rd round, 2012).
“Jimmy is a player we believe we could put in our (NHL) lineup right now,” Poile said. “And the way we’re playing right now, yes, we could really use him. But it’s Harvard, right? We know that. We’ve been in close contact (with Vesey’s parents and family advisor Peter Fish). Even (if Harvard’s season were to end this Saturday night with a loss in South Bend) we know that (Vesey turning pro) may not be until next season or next year. He’s a very good player but he also a very smart kid, a good student, so we’ll just take it one day at a time and see what happens.”
Vesey could leave college early and join the Predators this year. He would give up his remaining course this year, miss his senior year of school, and could end up in the AHL next year and not in the NHL.
- Bob McKenzie: College free agent goalie Matt O’Connor is being chased by many teams, with the Sabres, Rangers, Senators and Oilers among the frontrunners. He won’t sign until his season is over (playing this weekend) and he may visit teams afterwards before deciding on where to sign.
- Bob McKenzie: Colgate’s Kyle Baun is close to deciding. The Blackhawks, Red Wings, Flames, Jets and Oilers are among the most interested teams.
- Chris Johnston: Don’t expect the Maple Leafs to be among the teams interested in the remaining college free agents as Casey Bailey put them at 50. (Team told Johnston they were at 50, some saying they could be at 49 as Soshnikov should slide until next year)