- TSN’s Insider Trading: Bob McKenzie: Coyotes Antoine Vermette is the hottest commodity on the market with Ducks, Blackhawks, Avalanche, Canadiens, Rangers, Senators and Blues showing some level of interest. The price keeps going up. The Coyotes could likely get a first round pick and a prospect/young NHLer. The Rangers look at him as a rental, so they might bow out early if the price gets too high. Teams that might be interested in extending him, could offer more.
Darren Dreger: The Jets are one of the teams that has shown some interest in Maple Leafs Daniel Winnik. Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff watched the Leafs game in New Jersey.
McKenzie: The Avs will likely trade Ryan O’Reilly, but it could happen in the offseason. The Avs are looking for a defenseman due to Erik Johnson’s injury.
The Senators met with Marc Methot’s and Mike Hoffman’s agents.
- Don Brennan of the Ottawa Sun: Senators David Legwand was surprised at being a healthy scratch and was asked if he would think about requesting a trade leading up to the trade deadline.
“I don’t know about that,” said Legwand, who has one more year at a salary of $3.5 million on his contract. “That’s far away, Way too early to tell. Who knows what’s going to happen. It’s way too early to tell.”
- Jason Botchford of the Vancouver Province: Botchford thinks the Canucks need to make a trade, and there are plenty of areas that they can address.
They aren’t fast enough. They aren’t young enough. They don’t have enough mobility or scoring from the blue-line. And they don’t have enough snipers or size up front.
The issue is they are trying to rebuild on the fly and they can’t afford to give up a draft pick or any prospect that could make the team in the next two or three years.
- Tom Reed: Officals from FirstEnergy Stadium (Cleveland) have been talking to the NHL for the last year and a half about hosting an outdoor game.