- Hope Smoke: Bob McKenzie on TSN radio said that most teams would be interested in Cody Franson and Andrej Sekera. It would probably cost a 2nd round pick and a decent prospect. The Kings, Ducks and Avalanche are teams in the West that are looking for a defenseman.The Canadiens would like to upgrade on Lars Eller (3rd line center) and Alexei Emelin on the blueline. They might move those guys and prefer to get players with term back.McKenzie wonders if Tyler Myers for Ryan O’Reilly makes sense.
The Red Wings don’t want to give up Anthony Mantha or Dylan Larkin for Tyler Myers, which is why a deal hasn’t been made.
McKenzie doesn’t think that the Hurricanes want to pay Sekera $5.5 to $6 million, but he could be wrong.
McKenzie on O’Reilly: “I don’t doubt for a moment that the Habs are interested in ROR. There aren’t many teams that wouldn’t want ROR”
McKenzie on Yandle and Vermette: “As far as Yandle goes, I don’t think he’s moving before the deadline. I think Vermette is.” “There’s 5 or 6 teams, including the Habs who would be in on the Vermette.” “Vermette is a guy that so many contending teams are interested in that the price of pick & prospect may escalate.” McKenzie added that Blackhawks, Rangers and Bruins as teams interested in Vermette.
- Derek Van Diest of the Edmonton Sun: The Oilers will start selling off assets and look towards next season. Five players they could move before the March 2nd trade deadline.Jeff Petry – he’s not going to re-sign. He won’t admit it, but he’d prefer playing closer to his home on Ann Arbor, Michigan. They will try to get at least a 2nd round pick.Matt Hendricks – would be an unpopular move with fans, but would be a classic case of selling high.
Boyd Gordon – the veteran will attract interest from teams looking for someone that can win face-offs and is good defensively. Could try to get a prospect or pick for him.
Andrew Ference – he has two years left at $3.5 million per season, not an easy contract to move.
Viktor Fasth – he’ll be a UFA and the Oilers would likely let him walk.
- Josh Cooper of Yahoo! Sports: Lightning’s Steven Stamkos’s contract expires after next season and he has indicated they are moving towards a contract extension.
“Obviously July 1 you can announce a deal and something hopefully similar to what Kane and Toews did, sometime after July 1,” Stamkos said. “It’s a long ways away. I’m not really focused on that. We haven’t really talked about that at all. We’ll discuss that in the summertime, but I’m obviously very happy with where I am in Tampa.”
He later added.
“Obviously we’ll have those discussions. Obviously I can’t sit here and say exactly what’s going to happen, but I can definitely we’ll have those discussions and we’ll see where it goes.”
- Joe Smith: Stamkos’s agent said he’s not surprised at the comments about staying in Tampa “He hasn’t had any reason to not love it there”